Sir Vivian Richards, who was the ‘master blaster’ of cricketers in the contemporary era, has shown he can be just as incisive from the grandstand.Sitting in the stand that bears his name, the West Indian all-rounder reflected on the devastating innings of Australian opener, Matthew Hayden. Richards visited Down Under recently when Hayden was going through a slump and when critics were calling for him to be dropped again.
His second century in two games at the Cricket World Cup caused Richards to assert that Hayden’s position in the one day team should never have been under question.
Richards continued: "I think it's a huge call having him here, in terms of being able to bank on his experience as a player. You don't just lose it like that. You can say with due respect to him that form is temporary and class is permanent.”
Geoff Pound
Image: Matthew Hayden, pure class.
Source: Chloe Saltau, Hayden a hit with master blaster, The Age, March 29, 2007.