5 lesser-known facts about Matthew Hayden

Matthew Lawrence Hayden, the legendary Australian opener who celebrated his 53rd birthday on Tuesday, October 29, redefined aggressive batting in one of the toughest cricketing eras. The tall 6'2 left-hander from Queensland was not just an ordinary batter but intimidated the opposition with his batting and dominated bowling attacks worldwide.

With over 8,000 Test runs at an average above 50, along with more than 6,000 ODI runs, he created sheer terror when walked into the field. Hayden's best achievement came in the 2007 ODI World Cup, where he scored 659 runs, making him third in the list of most runs in a single World Cup edition.

A two-time World Cup winner (2003 and 2007), 'Haydos' was instrumental in Australia's golden era of cricket in the 2000s. His partnership with Justin Langer was one of the best amongst all Test opening pairs. Apart from his brilliance with the willow, he was an excellent slip fielder, particularly in the gully position.

Hayden's 15-year international career began initially being labelled a one-day specialist, but he later proved everyone wrong by becoming one of red-ball cricket's most reliable players. Fans are always curious to know more about their favorite cricketers. Hayden's story in that sense is quite interesting and deserves a read.

Here are the five lesser-known facts about Matthew Hayden:

5. Fishing story with former teammate Andrew Symonds

In 2000, what began as a routine fishing expedition off the Queensland coast turned into a troubling story of survival for Matthew Hayden, Andrew Symonds, and their friend.

The three cricket teammates had planned a day out for fishing. A massive wave overturned their boat, throwing them into shark-infested waters. With their boat sinking and no immediate rescue in vision, they faced a challenging three-hour swim to safety. The situation was particularly challenging as Symonds, who, despite his athletic skills on the cricket field, needed assistance in the water.

Also Read: Top 3 batters who scored fastest triple centuries in Test history

Hayden essentially dragged Symonds along while swimming. The sharks lurking beneath added a deep fear to their journey. The trio had to maintain their calm while sailing through deep waters, with their lives hanging in the balance.

Eventually, they managed to reach a nearby island, exhausted but alive. This incident strengthened the bond between Hayden and Symonds, who were already close friends and teammates in the Australian team.