Matthew Hayden is not any stranger to sledging his opponents. The Australian cricket staff within the 2000s had been recognized to be grasp sledgers and used to play thoughts video games on the opposition gamers to get underneath their pores and skin. They had been already the perfect aspect on this planet with an abundance of expertise however one of many key weapons the Aussies utilized in video games was sledging opponents. Hayden lately recalled an incident from the 2002 Sharjah Check the place he used thoughts video games to rattle ‘Rawalpindi Specific’ Shoaib Akhtar.
Akhtar had a popularity for being a deadly quick bowler however he would at all times interact in banter with the opposition gamers. Hayden revealed how he sledged Akhtar ‘out of the sport’ by utilizing fascinating ways in scorching warmth in UAE.
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“Somebody like Akhtar for instance, I’d name him ‘B-grade actor’ for a begin, which used to get underneath his pores and skin a bit,” Hayden stated on The Grade Cricketer podcast.
“We had been taking part in in Sharjah and it was 58 levels out within the center and Akhtar, after we walked out, stated, ‘I’m going to kill you immediately’ in a complete lot extra vibrant language. And I stated, ‘Mate, that’s terrific, I’m wanting ahead to that problem’ in much more vibrant language.
“So I stated, ‘However right here’s the factor, Dumbo. You’ve bought 18 balls to do it. You’ve bought three overs since you’re going to show right into a marshmallow that’s been left on the aircraft too lengthy and goes to be dripping down and I’m going to be the one on the different finish of these 18 balls that’s going to be mopping it up’.”
Hayden simply didn’t sledge Akhtar but in addition used Indian umpire Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan in getting underneath Akhtar’s pores and skin.
“I am going proper, how can I get Shoaib wanting like an absolute goose and the way can I inform Venkat about this? Now India and Pakistan, there’s no love misplaced there, so I although that’s my level (of leverage),” Hayden stated.
“In order Shoaib’s operating in to bowl and he’s cursing each profanity underneath the solar at me, I get to his bowling mark as I’m counting down his balls from one to 18. He will get to his supply stride and I pull out. He runs at me going, ‘What’s the issue?’
“I stated, ‘I’ve bought an issue’. I storm as much as Venkat and say, ‘I give all the things on the sport, I deserve all the things I get, however throughout the protocols and etiquette of the sport, certainly you’ll be able to’t be operating in and abusing somebody’.”
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“I feel the one manner that Shoaib goes to get me out right here, is bowled — as a result of Venkat’s positively not going to offer me LBW and I’m not going to get caught behind as a result of this factor (the pitch) was an absolute Bunsen burner. It wasn’t bouncing greater than a centimetre,” Hayden stated.
“So all I needed to do was stand my floor and that was it. He (Akhtar) bought via his 18 balls and he collapsed on the finish of it. And naturally I take the chance to get my (contemporary pair of) gloves I didn’t want and simply go as much as Shoaib and stated, ‘You need to go off, don’t you?’
“And he says no. And I say, ‘Mate, come on. There’s no heroes in Check cricket. David Boon as soon as stated that to me. It’s scorching and I do know you’re busted. Simply go off, I promise I received’t assume any worse of you’.
“Anyway, he known as outdated mate on and he’s gone off and he didn’t take part in the remainder of the Check match,” Hayden concluded.
A few of the details Hayden revealed within the story may be argued. In the one Check that Akhtar performed Hayden in Sharjah, he bowled 14 overs and picked up 1 wicket. Nonetheless, Australia received the match by an innings and 198 runs whereas Hayden scored a century. Akhtar additionally batted within the second innings for Pakistan.