Hayden makes hay on a sunny day

By S. Dinakar

CHENNAI, MARCH 18. There are some careers that throw up puzzling questions: so much talent, so little in return. Where is the missing key that would open the path to success?

On this tour of India, Matthew Hayden has finally unlocked the door that was firmly shut not too long ago. In short, he has conquered the demon of self-doubt, the biggest enemy of them all, and with the battle of the mind won, the runs are flowing from the blade of the big left-hander.

Indeed, Hayden's majestic unbeaten 147 was the opening day's highlight in the third and final Test, as Australia finished at 326 for three at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Sunday.

When stumps were drawn, skipper Steve Waugh kept the opener company with a typically solid 43.

Runs came thick and fast on a quick outfield, and Australia, winning a vital toss on a wicket that could assist the spinners in the later stages, had managed to wrest the initiative with some sparkling strokeplay.

``I am proud at the way Australia played. We love batting aggressively,'' said Hayden talking to the media after the knock.

The Indian spinners had dealt a blow to the Aussie morale at the Eden Gardens, and in their positive response today, Steve Waugh's men have shown character.

It was a special moment for Hayden when he swept off- spinner Harbhajan Singh to fine leg and set out for his third Test hundred and second of the series.

The huge Chennai crowd, sporting as always, roared in approval, and Steve Waugh walked down to congratulate his partner. Hayden, drew the sign of a cross, and got on with the job. Success after long periods of frustration always tastes sweeter and the Aussie wants to make the most of his `dream run' with the willow.

Hayden dealt firmly with the left-arm pace of Zaheer Khan, crashing him through the covers off the backfoot, danced down to the spinners - Harbhajan included - striking them long and straight, drove imperiously, and swept quite magnificently, all day, finding the gap between square-leg and fine-leg to perfection.

Voyage of learning

Hayden revealed that he had learnt about the effectiveness of the sweep shot - he swept from middle and leg, never allowing the spinners to settle to a line - first from former Australian captain and coach Bob Simpson, and then spin greats Erapalli Prasanna and S. Venkatraghavan, while on a `voyage of learning' in India a few seasons ago.

There were some other stunning blows from his rampaging blade. A six over long-off was effortless, Kulkarni being the bowler to suffer, and the huge hit over long-on when Harbhajan was operating was an amalgam of power and timing.

Yet, the script could have been different for the home team had not debutant wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe muffed a stumping off left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni, when Mark Waugh was on nine, and the Aussie total 92 for two. Hayden and Mark raised 150 in only 39.4 overs, and the game slipped from India's grasp.

The elegant Mark, tentative initially, like any batsman finding his way back from a slump in form, settled down to play some lovely strokes, none better than the straight six off Kulkarni, and the rasping square-cut as Bahutule erred in length.

He survived a confident caught-behind shout though, when he attempted to cut Harbhajan soon after lunch. However, Mark, in no mood to let the offie dominate, flicked Harbhajan through mid- wicket, produced the `inside out' cover-drive, and reached his fifty in style.

Mark's milestone

Mark completed his 7000 runs in Test cricket too, and looked good for a hundred when he jumped down to a flighted delivery from Bahutule, miscued his big off-drive, and substitute Hemang Badani, plucked a lovely catch, running back, at deep mid-off.

It was a rare moment of celebration for the spinners, who were disappointing otherwise. The tall Kulkarni just pegged away, hardly willing to buy his wickets on a good track, while Bahutule's leg-breaks lacked the fizz - there wasn't much variety on view too. And the Aussies went after Harbhajan Singh, clearly India's trumpcard, never allowing the Sardar to settle down. The ploy worked.

Under the circumstances, it was incomprehensible, why Sachin Tendulkar was brought on only in the 71st over. The Mumbai genius had bowled his leg-breaks quite brilliantly in the climactic stages of the dramatic Kolkata Test, and the Aussies would have been wary of him.

In the event, Tendulkar, the crowd coming to life even as he began his stint, emerged the most impressive Indian bowler, getting a few of his leg-breaks to turn.

The field placings could have been more attacking too, just to provide the bowlers with a dose of confidence. For instance, when Hayden was approaching his hundred, there was none close to the bat in front, as he took on Bahutule.

Following Mark's departure, skipper Steve, walking in at No. 5, produced a typically canny innings, and along with Hayden has so far added 109 valuable runs in 38.4 overs for the fourth wicket.

Steve unleashed the trademark pull-sweep off Harbhajan that soared over the mid-wicket fence, rocked back to punch the spinners, and his combative instincts were very much on view. He is clearly in the battle mode in a do-or-die contest.

Yet, it all began so differently for India. Zaheer Khan, in a lively spell, snared Michael Slater outside the off- stump with only the third delivery of the day, V.V.S. Laxman latching on to the snick at second slip.

Predictably, Ganguly took himself off after only two overs. The destroyer at Eden Gardens, Harbhajan soon had the red cherry in his hands.

Butter-fingered Dighe

Hayden, after surviving a confident shout for leg-before, stepped down the track to strike the bowler over long-on, into the stands. The big left-hander's intentions were clear. He was going to take the young Sardar on.

However, Hayden had a lucky escape at 21. Had S.S. Das' throw from square-leg been collected by a Dighe who was totally disappointing, it would have been curtains for him.

The Aussie No. 3 Justin Langer also got into the act, punching Zaheer off the backfoot, and lofting Harbhajan over mid- wicket. The left-hander's promising innings was nipped in the bud when his attempted cut off Harbhajan ended in Dravid's hands at slip. Yet, the Aussies kept attacking and at lunch, the scoreboard read 140 for two. The tempo was maintained throughout.

India made three changes for the decider, leggie Sairaj Bahutule, left-arm spinner Nilesh Kulkarni and wicket- keeper Sameer Dighe coming in for Venkatesh Prasad, Venkatapathy Raju and an injured Nayan Mongia respectively. Bahutule and Dighe made their Test debuts. Australia brought in off-spinner Colin Miller for Michael Kasprowicz.

Finally, a word about how certain dreams come true. After the knock, Hayden recalled visiting Chepauk as a youngster. ``I thought one day I should play for Australia in a Test match on this ground.'' Well, he has already made the occasion memorable.

SCOREBOARD

AUSTRALIA - 1st innings:


M. Slater c Laxman b Zaheer          4
(2m, 3b, 1x4)
M. Hayden (batting)                147
(365m, 249b, 12x4, 5x6)
J. Langer c Dravid b Harbhajan      35
(53m, 35b, 6x4, 1x6)
M. Waugh c (sub) Badani b Bahutule  70
(153m, 136b, 7x4, 1x6)
S. Waugh (batting)                  43
(154m, 127b, 4x4, 1x6)
Extras (b-8, lb-9, nb-10)           27
                                   --- 
Total (for 3 wkts. in 90 overs)    326
                                   --- 

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Slater), 2-67 (Langer), 3-217 (M. Waugh).

India  bowling:  Zaheer 15-5-57-1,  Ganguly  2-1-11-0,  Harbhajan 
26-3-100-1, Kulkarni 23-5-67-0, Bahutule 16-2-58-1, Tendulkar  8- 
1-16-0.

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