Sydney, Jan.1 (ANI): Embattled Australian opener Matthew Hayden says he is not thinking about hanging up his gloves just yet, and warned that if he has to go, it will be on a winning note.
Battling to extend his international cricket career despite having averaging just 21 in his last ten Tests, Hayden says he is looking forward to taking on the South Africans in the third Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), which starts on Saturday.
“I”m not sure going after you lose a series, in the middle of the series, would be the right time to go. There’’s absolutely no doubt about that. So, I didn”t think about it for a minute,” the Courier Mail quoted Hayden, 37, as saying today.
Asked whether he was looking ahead to the Ashes tour later this year, Hayden stressed his entire focus was on the Sydney Test.
Former teammate Glenn McGrath backed Hayden to come up with the expected results sooner than later. McGrath said he would always have Hayden in any Australian team.
Asked what advice he would give to Hayden, McGrath said just to approach this match like every other Test.
McGrath said both Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger, vying for the pace bowling spot vacated by the injured Brett Lee, were very good bowlers but he declined to offer a preference.
But he was interested by the rare prospect of two left-arm pacemen, Bollinger and new Test spearhead Mitchell Johnson, bowling together.
McGrath was at the SCG to help promote the McGrath Foundation that raises awareness of breast cancer. Pink McGrath Foundation bandanas will be distributed at the Test. (ANI)