Dropped Matthew Hayden considers his cricket future

A "VERY disappointed" Matthew Hayden will consider his Test cricket career over the next few weeks after being dropped from Australia's one-day and Twenty20 sides this morning.

“It’s very disappointing not to fill the cricket calendar,” the veteran opener said on learning of his exclusion from the short form squads.

Mitchell Johnson is also out, along with a number of the players from the Sydney match who are being rested.

However, selectors have signalled their faith in youth by picking young Sydney batting tyro Dave Warner for the Twenty20 side.

Warner, 22, is an electrifying presence at the wicket. He hit 65 from 35 balls against South Australia this week. He has given a contract with an Indian IPL franchise after hitting 97 from 54 against WA and a record one day 165 for NSW against Tasmania.

Nathan Hauritz and Peter Siddle, who have come into the Test team this summer, will be in the 50-over squad. Mercurial paceman Shaun Tait is also back in the one day and Twenty20 squads.

Hayden said: “My immediate future is to go back home to my family and the people that love me the most and just enjoy this time, to tack guard again, it’s been a pretty long last four months.

“I am going to take the time to get my mind around what the future does hold. I will take my time and make a good decision going forward.”

Hayden said he respected the selectors' decision to drop him from the short form games and give youth a chance and that he would play the Shield game for Queensland at the end of the month.

“When you are short of runs you have to start asking questions and they (the selectors) do that better than anyone,” he said.

“For my mind it’s as simple as being committed to playing out the summer and then taking the time to either get back on the horse or make a decision not to. It’s as clear cut as that.”

The Australian understand Hayden was told in the dressing rooms after the side’s win in the Sydney Test that he would not be part of the team to play in the 50 over games against South Africa and New Zealand.

He is also out of the one day sides which indicates he is no longer part of the selector’s long term plans for the next world cups in either format.

Hayden was a key figure in Australia’s recent world cup triumphs but would be almost 40 by the next ODI world cup.

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said this morning that his panel would not make any decision on the Test future of Hayden until they sat down to discuss the squad for South Africa in February.

The batsman has the one Shield game to reiterate his claim.

Hilditch, who had previously endorsed Hayden for the Ashes was less effusive about the batsman’s recent efforts.

“As far as Matthew is concerned we thought the time was right to move on in Twenty20 cricket and in One Day cricket it’s our view that he wouldn’t have got to the 2011 World Cup,” Hilditch said.

“Matthew didn’t give me any indication about his future plans. He wasn’t happy when we told him, but you would be unhappy was.”

“My feeling is that he will play for Queensland.”

Hayden has had a gruelling schedule too, but has not scored more than 40 in the five Tests against New Zealand or South Africa. He only managed two half centuries in four matches against India before that.

He averaged 33 against India, 10 against New Zealand and 19 against South Africa.

Hayden has looked out of sorts and out of form since missing the West Indies series mid-year because of a ham string strain.

The 37-year old must now go back to state cricket if he wishes to regain the form that made him one of the world’s great opening bats.

The first T20 against South Africa will be held at the MCG on Monday. Michael Clarke is being rested because of an injured thumb.


SQUADS



TWENTY20

R Ponting©

M Hussey (vc)

D Hussey

B Hilfenhaus

J Hopes

N Bracken

B Haddin

S Marsh

S Tait

D Warner

R Harris

C White

N Hauritz

ONE DAY SQUAD

R Ponting ©

M Clarke (vc)

B Haddin

J Hopes

N Bracken

S Marsh

M Hussey

D Hussey

N Hauritz

B Hilfenhaus

C White

S Tait

P Siddle