Matthew Hayden breathes sigh of relief as Joe Root century means no naked MCG walk - 'No one had more skin in the game'
Published 04/12/2025 at 12:50 GMT
Australia legend Matthew Hayden breathed a sigh of relief after Joe Root's first century Down Under meant he wouldn't be walking naked around the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Hayden admitted he was a "very happy man" after Root's century and added "no one had more skin in the game than me, literally". Root finished the first day of the second Test in Brisbane on 135 not out.
Hayden beaming as Root saves him from walking nude through Melbourne
Video credit: TNT Sports
Not many Australians would have been celebrating Joe Root’s first Ashes century Down Under - but former great Matthew Hayden admitted it made him a "very happy man".
And that’s not because Hayden was pleased to see England legend Root finally get the monkey off his back in the second NRMA Insurance men's Ashes Test in Brisbane.
It was because Hayden had said that he would walk around the Melbourne Cricket Ground completely naked if Root didn’t score a century in this series.
After the opening Test in Perth, where Root made just eight runs across both innings, Hayden might have been worried.
But Root came good on the opening day in Brisbane with an unbeaten century, leaving Hayden breathing a sigh of relief.
"Very happy man," Hayden told TNT Sports. "There are two people in my life that are very happy, my wife and my daughter, because there is no way they wanted to see that happen!
"It was a magnificent day. Root was class, it was a pretty good punt because there was no chance I wanted to do what that bet was. But when you have 13,500 runs and they are still coming, the chances are you are going to buy blue chip shares in Joe Root - he had to come good at some point."
Asked whether he was nervous after the first Test, Hayden added: "Damn right, I didn’t see a great deal of Joe Root in those couple of innings.
"But his batting looked great here, he kept the ball really close, under his eyes, played patiently, absorbed pressure, and found the scoring options on a good wicket. To get 300 on day one sets England up, sets Joe Root up, and sets Australia on the back foot in this Test.
"I was on air at the time and of course I am getting ribbed at the back of the commentary box. I’ll just say how important that innings was for Joe Root and this team.
"When you are under fire in this country everyone is on your case, your own media, the Australian fans... so to come back the way Root did in this Test match it sets England up."
Root’s 40th Test century came in his 30th innings in Australia.
He had previously made nine half-centuries Down Under and averaged 33.33, well down on his overall average of 50.94 in Tests.
"Most former cricketers will tell you that away runs are something you tend to get judged on," said Hayden.
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"Because in your own conditions you grow up on you should probably be able to handle that. Especially in Australia, the old enemy, the history, when you think about it in the context of international sport, it’s really important that you get that monkey off your back, then you can go, ‘I am among the highest of high echelons in international sport’."
Root arrived at the crease with England 5-2 after losing two early wickets in the day-night Test.
He finished the day on 135 not out after adding 61 in an unbroken last-wicket stand with Jofra Archer as England closed on 325-9.
Hayden added on Root that "no one had more skin in the game than me, literally".
He told England Cricket: "I was backing you in for the hundred in a good way. So mate, congratulations, 10 fifties and finally 100. You little ripper, mate. Have a beauty and bloody enjoy it."
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