Hayden bows out on a high

Australia batsman Matthew Hayden announced his retirement from international cricket on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old said he was quitting immediately, drawing stumps on a dazzling career that saw him being regarded among the greatest opening batsmen of all time.

• 'I am retiring from cricket, not from life'

A detailed statistical analysis of Hayden's career.

Hayden in facts and figures:

Highs of Hayden's career:

•        During Australia's tour of India in 2000-01 he aggregated 549 runs at an average of 109.80 -- an Australian record for a three-Test series.

•        Aggregated 1391 runs in 2001, which then was the Australian record for most Test runs in one calendar year.

•         Scored over 1000 Test runs in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005 -- the first man to achieve the feat five times.

•         Briefly held the world record for the highest Test score -- 380 against Zimbabwe at Perth in October 2003.

•         His 30 Test centuries are the most by a left-handed opening batsman.

•         His 7351 runs at an average of 55.27 are the most scored by a number two batsman in Test cricket.

•         As an opening pair Hayden aggregated 5654 runs in 113 innings with Justin Langer at an average of 51.87. Only Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes of the West Indies have scored more Test runs as a partnership -- 6482 runs in 148 innings at an average of 47.31.

•         Shares the world record of most catches by a fielder in a Test alongwith Greg Chappell, Yajurvindra Singh, Hashan Tillekeratne and Stephen Fleming with 7 catches -- against Sri Lanka at Galle in March 2004.

•         In February 2007, Matthew Hayden posted his highest ODI score (181 not out) against New Zealand at Hamilton. Australia posted 346 for 5 in their 50 overs, but still went on to lose the game by one wicket!

•        During the 2007 World Cup he scored a century against South Africa off just 66 balls -- the fastest century in a World Cup beating the previous record set by Canada's John Davison. The Prime Minister of St Kitts and Nevis awarded Hayden with honorary citizenship after the match.

•       Hayden also became only the second player in World Cup history to surpass 600 runs in a single tournament. He ended the 2007 tournament with 659 runs at an average of 73.22.

•      Holds the record for being the top run-scorer in the 2007 Twenty20 World Cup, scoring 265 runs in the whole tournament.

Lows of Hayden's career:

•      Was dropped after his debut Test (vs South Africa at Johannesburg in March 1994). It took him about 33 months to play another Test.

•      Was dropped from the ODI squad in April 1994 after 13 matches. Had to wait for about six years to make another appearance -- missing 142 matches in between, which was then an Australian record.

•      Has received criticism for being a "flat-track bully".  Averaged only 35.33 in the 2005 Ashes series against a high-quality swing and pace attack comprising Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones.

•      His overseas average is 15 points lesser (42.69) than his average at home (57.89)

•      Was a party to the controversy that emerged from the second Test in the 2007-08 Border-Gavaskar Trophy when racism charges were pressed by Australia against India. Hayden was was one of the witnesses for Andrew Symonds' charges against Harbhajan Singh.

•      As a fallout of that instance in February 2008, Hayden was charged for a code of conduct violation by Cricket Australia, for calling the India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh an "obnoxious little weed", and for inviting fast bowler Ishant Sharma for a fight, during an interview aired on Brisbane radio station; he was also heard mimicing Sharma's Indian accent in this exchange.

•      Was strongly criticized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram for reportedly calling India a "third world country" after Australia lost to India 0-2 in the 2008-09 Test series.

Hayden relished playing against India
 
Hayden had a special liking for the Indian bowling attack. No Australian batsman has scored more runs and hit more centuries than Hayden.

He is also one of only three batsmen to have aggregated 1000 runs against India in India after the West Indian duo of Clive Lloyd and Gordon Greenidge.

Hayden against India:

More often than not, Hayden's performance in the first Test of the series against India established the pattern of the series.

In 2000-01 and 2007-08, he scored centuries in the first Test and Australia won quite comfortably. In 2003-04 he had moderate success, the Test was drawn and series was levelled. In 2008-09, he struggled and although Australia managed to earn a draw in the first Test, they lost the series 0-2. The only exception is 2004-05 when he failed but Australia won the Test and the series.

Hayden in first Test of a series against India: