The relief felt across England at Joe Root's majestic, long-awaited Ashes century in Australia was matched by one family in particular – that of Australian cricket great Matthew Hayden.
A Bet That Caught the Public's Imagination
On the opening day of the second Ashes Test in Brisbane, England's former captain finally ended his drought, scoring a magnificent 135 runs. This was his first Test hundred on Australian soil after 29 previous innings where his highest score was 89.
This landmark achievement did more than just steady England's ship; it saved Matthew Hayden from a deeply embarrassing forfeit. The 54-year-old former opener had been so convinced Root would score a ton on this tour that he made a public wager with fellow ex-Australia batsman Greg Blewett.
Blewett had controversially omitted Root from a list of top English batters, citing his lack of an away Ashes century. Hayden's retort was unequivocal: "I'll walk nude around the MCG if he doesn't get a hundred this summer."
Family Relief Captured on Social Media
The person perhaps most grateful for Root's performance was Hayden's daughter, Grace Hayden. The 23-year-old, a rising star in cricket commentary herself, took to Instagram to express her profound relief.
In a video, she made the sign of the cross before exclaiming "Thank God". She captioned the story: "Root thank you you've saved all our eyes." She followed this with a clip from the film 'F1', where an actor celebrates a win, subtitling it: "Joe Root finally has a Test century in Australia."
Grace, who has been covering cricket in Dubai for the International League T20 and recently posted pictures in traditional Middle Eastern attire, clearly had her father's dignity – and the public's sensibilities – in mind.
Hayden's Nervous Wait and Ultimate Praise
Matthew Hayden admitted to feeling nervous after Root managed scores of just 0 and 8 in the first Test in Perth. However, speaking after the century, he was effusive in his praise and palpable in his relief.
"I'm a very, very happy man, I must say," Hayden told TNT Sports. "There are two people in my life who will be very happy and that is my wife and my daughter, because there is no way they want to see that happening. It was a magnificent day. Joe Root was class."
He elaborated on Sky Cricket, highlighting the significance of Root's achievement: "Most former cricketers will tell you that away runs are something that you'll tend to get judged on... it's really important that you get that monkey off your back in a country like this."
With Hayden's pride intact and Root's legacy enhanced, the second Ashes Test was memorable for reasons far beyond the scoreboard.
