Hayden's yell and its consequences

By Malcolm Conn

CHENNAI, MARCH 19. Steve Waugh became just the sixth player in 1537 Tests to be out handled the ball, prompting another inexplicable batting collapse which devalued the might of Matthew Hayden's awesome double century and raised more concerns about Australia's fragile batting against spin.

It was a tragedy that Hayden eventually sacrificed his wicket for 203 after playing the innings of his life. He was last man out, caught at long-off, as Australia lost seven wickets for 51 to be bowled out for 391 at lunch on the second day of the third and final Test of a series tied 1-1.

This match may yet prove as remarkable as the previous Test, which included V.V.S. Laxman's 281, Harbhajan Singh's hat- trick among 13 wickets and India winning after following on 274 behind.

Laxman was at it again on Monday, smashing 10 fours to reach his half-century in just 52 balls as Australia's dream of a first series victory in India for 31 years rapidly evaporated.

Australia resumed sedately, but 41 minutes into the morning, with Waugh having added just four to his overnight score, the Australian captain changed history and the game.

He survived a leg before wicket appeal from off- spinner Harbhajan Singh on 47 but as the ball ballooned up in the air and bounced in front of him, batting partner Matthew Hayden yelled ``look out'' and Waugh pushed it away with the gloved palm of his right hand.

``I was looking at the umpire for the leg before wicket appeal when Matt shouted,'' Waugh said later. ``I instinctively pushed the ball away and straightaway realised what I'd done.''

Local umpire A.V. Jayaprakash, who did an excellent job in the heat and humidity, defying excited players and spectators, had no choice but to raise his finger.

It was the first such dismissal since Graham Gooch brushed away a bouncing Merv Hughes short ball at Manchester during the first Test in 1993. Current selector Andrew Hilditch is the only other Australian out that way. He picked the ball up during a Test in Perth early in 1979 and threw it back to Pakistani bowler Sarfraz Nawaz, who promptly appealed.

Waugh's demise set off a collapse, even worse than the dreadful tumble which cost Australia the second Test only four days earlier, from a position of strength.

Hayden stood impervious at the other end. Resuming on 147, he was forced to push from 191 to his double century with second last man Colin Miller for support, before the tailender skied a slog so woeful that he should be sent to Purgatory or No. 11 and remain there for the rest of his cricket life. A broad and powerful left-hander, Hayden dedicated the innings to his wife Kellie, who turned 26 yesterday and, not surprisingly, rated the performance the best of his life. ``I don't often get excited but I was pretty excited at that,'' he said later. ``The circumstances meant it's an innings I'll really treasure.''

Had Hayden not felt the added responsibility of making up for the middle to lower order failure he may have become just the fifth player to carry his bat through an innings for a double century. The best is 223 not out by New Zealand's Glenn Turner against the West Indies in Jamaica 29 years ago and the only Australian in the list is Bill Brown with an unbeaten 206 against England in 1938.

Sourav Ganguly's catch to dismiss Hayden gave Harbhajan figures of seven for 133 and 24 wickets for the series at an average of 19. Collectively the other Indian bowlers have 15 wickets at an average of 60.

Of all the people nominated to dominate this series Hayden would not have appeared on the list. Yet, he now has 514 runs at an average of 128.50, the most ever by an Australian in a three-Test series, beating by one run Mark Taylor's 1998 Pakistan epic, which included 334 not out.

After Waugh went, Ponting made his third duck of the series to be averaging 1.25 while Adam Gilchrist was leg before wicket for one, sweeping again. Shane Warne (0), was caught bat pad, then Jason Gillespie and Miller went for ducks slogging.

Whatever the rights and wrongs of coach John Buchanan publicly criticising Warne's fitness and the waves it has caused in a not entirely happy Australian camp, inconsistent and under- performing batsmen seem to have got off scot-free.

Can Buchanan explain why Ponting, who played the highly unorthodox spin of Muttiah Muralitharan wonderfully well in Sri Lanka 18 months ago, cannot now put bat on far more modest bowlers here?

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