Hayden confident of turnaround

NEW DELHI – Australia’s struggling opener Matthew Hayden is confident his aggressive batting will finally come good in the third test against India starting on Wednesday.

Australia went 1-0 down after India defeated them by a record 320 runs in the second test in Mohali. The left-handed batsman has made just 42 runs in four innings, twice failing to score.On Sunday, Hayden had extended time in the nets at the Ferozshah Kotla ground, having scored 0, 13, 0 and 29 so far in the series.”It is a good opportunity to spend time in the middle,” Hayden told reporters.”(It was) just spending extended time in the nets to replicate what I’m really looking forward to in the next 13 days.”Hayden, 36, vowed he would lead Australia’s fightback in Delhi to end the debate about whether the team were on the decline.”The expectation is very high on the Australian cricket team,” he said.”I expect to play well in the two games.”I’ve put in a lot of work in a month of being in India now (but) it hasn’t quite paid off yet.I’m very confident at the way I’m playing.”A little bit of rub of the green and I think a big score for Hayden is around the corner.”Hayden was a huge success on the 2001 tour, amassing 549 runs and averaging 109.8 although Australia lost the series 2-1.He also hit three test hundreds when India toured in December and January.”If conditions allow, which it does look like another batting track, I hope to play with good intent.”Australia, usually braced for spin in India, have been hit by pace and left-armer Zaheer Khan has dominated Hayden.”When a bowler is successful against you, he obviously knows he has got a certain strategy which is working for him,” Hayden said.”I believe in my heart that I have also had an extremely successful time against Zaheer.”* Meanwhile, Persistent rain washed out the second day of the second and final Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand yesterday.With the first day’s play also lost to rain and more wet weather forecast Monday, it means Bangladesh are running out of time in their bid to square the two-Test series.Sunday’s incessant rain meant there was no chance to remove the covers at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.The showers turned heavy, leaving the ground too soggy.”If it gets clear we have an early start on Monday,” an official said.Australian umpire Daryl Harper, standing alongside Sri Lankan Asoka de Silva, said the wet conditions did not allow any play.aNew Zealand won the first Test by three wickets at Chittagong, chasing a daunting 317-run target – their highest run pursuit in away Tests – to beat a home team who had dominated the first four days of the match.The tourists also won the three-match one-day series 2-1.Nampa-Reuters and AFPThe left-handed batsman has made just 42 runs in four innings, twice failing to score.On Sunday, Hayden had extended time in the nets at the Ferozshah Kotla ground, having scored 0, 13, 0 and 29 so far in the series.”It is a good opportunity to spend time in the middle,” Hayden told reporters.”(It was) just spending extended time in the nets to replicate what I’m really looking forward to in the next 13 days.”Hayden, 36, vowed he would lead Australia’s fightback in Delhi to end the debate about whether the team were on the decline.”The expectation is very high on the Australian cricket team,” he said.”I expect to play well in the two games.”I’ve put in a lot of work in a month of being in India now (but) it hasn’t quite paid off yet.I’m very confident at the way I’m playing.”A little bit of rub of the green and I think a big score for Hayden is around the corner.”Hayden was a huge success on the 2001 tour, amassing 549 runs and averaging 109.8 although Australia lost the series 2-1.He also hit three test hundreds when India toured in December and January.”If conditions allow, which it does look like another batting track, I hope to play with good intent.”Australia, usually braced for spin in India, have been hit by pace and left-armer Zaheer Khan has dominated Hayden.”When a bowler is successful against you, he obviously knows he has got a certain strategy which is working for him,” Hayden said.”I believe in my heart that I have also had an extremely successful time against Zaheer.”* Meanwhile, Persistent rain washed out the second day of the second and final Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand yesterday.With the first day’s play also lost to rain and more wet weather forecast Monday, it means Bangladesh are running out of time in their bid to square the two-Test series.Sunday’s incessant rain meant there was no chance to remove the covers at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium.The showers turned heavy, leaving the ground too soggy.”If it gets clear we have an early start on Monday,” an official said.Australian umpire Daryl Harper, standing alongside Sri Lankan Asoka de Silva, said the wet conditions did not allow any play.aNew Zealand won the first Test by three wickets at Chittagong, chasing a daunting 317-run target – their highest run pursuit in away Tests – to beat a home team who had dominated the first four days of the match.The tourists also won the three-match one-day series 2-1.Nampa-Reuters and AFP