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| October 12, 2003 | Sunday | Sha'aban 15, 1424 |
Glowing tributes paid to Hayden
RAWALPINDI, Oct 11: Australia opener Matthew Hayden’s world record Test score of 380 received glowing tributes from the South African and Pakistan captains on Saturday.
“He is a good man to be holding this proud record,” South African skipper Graeme Smith said.
“His innings only underlines the way the Australians are dominating world cricket at present,” said Pakistan counterpart Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Hayden surpassed West Indian Brian Lara’s record of 375 against England in Antigua in 1993-94 when he cracked 380 in the first Test against Zimbabwe in Perth on Friday.
Inzamam, who compiled 329 against New Zealand in Lahore in April 2002, said the innings showed Hayden was hungry for runs.
“I know how much you need to concentrate and have the hunger for runs to play such a big innings. I am not surprised this world record has now gone to an Australian,” he added.
Former Australian batsman Dean Jones said he was fascinated by Hayden’s world record.
“I am really happy for Hayden, he is a class act. He always promised to hit a big knock because once he does get a 100 he tends to make it 200 and more,” Jones, who is here as commentator, said.
Lara, meanwhile, said records were meant to be broken.
The 34-year-old West Indian skipper rang up Hayden at the end of play on the second day and congratulated him on his achievement.
“I knew that some point in time that the 375 was going to be passed,” he said.
Meanwhile, Australia’s newspapers declared Hayden the “king of the world” on Saturday.
Melbourne tabloid the Herald Sun ran a back-page heading “STATS INCREDIBLE,” adding the Zimbabwe bowlers were “looking for somewhere to lie down” on Friday.
The newspaper’s page three headline said: “Hayden king of world”, and included reaction from former players Greg Chappell, Richie Benaud and Mark Taylor after the opener surpassed West Indian Brian Lara’s previous record of 375 against England in 1994.
Prime Minister John Howard said: “Congratulations from all the millions of cricket tragics and other Australians from all across the country.”
“No player in the world intimidates him,” Herald Sun columnist Robert Craddock wrote.
“As a teenager he was one of 21 players sent to Adelaide to trial for the Australian under-19 side but was one of four players cut before the squad was sent to England.”
National daily The Australian devoted most of its front page to two large photographs of a triumphant Hayden with both arms in the air, alongside Wendell Sailor scoring a try for the hosts against Argentina in the opening match of rugby’s World Cup in Sydney.
Melbourne’s The Age ran a large front-page photograph of Hayden with bat raised with the headline: “Hayden bats, and bats, and bats to a world record 380”.
“Hayden has emerged as a batsman of beautiful brutality,” columnist Peter Roebuck wrote.—Reuters/AFP
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