Australian cricket icon Matthew Hayden has left fans and fellow commentators in stitches after unveiling the results of a recent hair transplant, which he humorously compared to the infamous grassy wicket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
From Cowboy Hat to Crowning Glory
The former Test batsman, 54, revealed his dramatically thicker head of hair to co-hosts James Brayshaw and Greg Blewett on the All Over The Bar Cricket podcast. Hayden, who was often seen in his trademark cowboy hat during the recent Ashes series, stunned his colleagues with the transformation. Greg Blewett exclaimed it was "magnificent" and said he was "bloody rapt" for his friend, praising how well the procedure had taken.
A "Drop-In" of His Own
The reveal was cleverly timed, coming after Hayden had criticised the state of the drop-in pitches used at Perth Stadium and the MCG during the Ashes. He joked that he had opted for a "drop-in of his own", sending the podcast panel into fits of laughter. The legendary opener then took the analogy further, referencing the 10mm of grass controversially left on the MCG wicket for the Boxing Day Test.
"And of course, you can see that this job here has got a little more than 10mm grass on it," Hayden quipped. "So, expect there to be some seaming conditions in the next year or two." He added that his new hair was "flourishing" and predicted he would "look like a yeti in a few years' time".
Pitch Criticism and Series Verdict
Hayden did not hold back in his assessment of the pitches that dominated talk during Australia's 4-1 series victory. He bluntly stated that "s*** pitches produce s*** Test cricket", specifically calling the Perth surface "sub-standard". He praised the Adelaide and Brisbane wickets for producing compelling cricket, and highlighted his love for the traditional character of the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), where part-time spinner Beau Webster took three wickets.
The Boxing Day Test at the MCG saw a staggering 36 wickets fall in just two days, a result that left fans short-changed and reportedly cost Cricket Australia around $25 million in lost revenue.
In a lighter series moment, Hayden also expressed relief after England's Joe Root finally scored a Test century in Australia at The Gabba. The former opener had previously vowed to run naked around the MCG if Root didn't make a hundred this series. A thankful Hayden later confirmed his wife and daughter were "very happy" he lost the bet.
