Hussey's the man

Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer mustered many a run against Test bowlers throughout their time together. Now it's the turn of Australian Test selectors to find a replacement for Langer as they approach their summer and I'm sure looking ahead to the Ashes 2009.

Over the last few seasons a few names have been thrown into the hat: Mike Hussey, Phil Jaques, Chris Rogers and even South Australia's Mark Cosgrove, but his time might be scuppered since he was once suspended for being a touch overweight.

Now the time has come to make a decision and The Nutley, although one to keep its thoughts away from the Australian selectors, thinks that Hussey has the credentials to partner Hayden, considering that the burly Queenslander has yet to mention another emotional retirement.

Hussey has opened for Western Australia for the best part of a decade and his move up the order wouldn't really leave a gap in Australia's middle-order. Would it?

Hayden overtakes Waugh (M)

Memories of Matthew Hayden taking bowlers apart during the World Cup has been no one-off for the burly Queenslander this year.

Hayden has passed 1,500 runs in a calendar year after his knock in Chandigarh. And despite defeat, he has at least become the highest Australian run-scorer, since Mark Waugh scored 1468 from 36 matches in 1999.

Remarkable really how that record has not been broken, such has been Australia's dominance in the one-day game since the '99 World Cup Final. Then again, it does show Australia's great all-round capabilities.

Even more remarkable when you consider that Hayden was actually dropped from the ODI squad last year.

Anyway, here's Waugh taking that blinding catch during his run-spree year.

Gravy, Gibbs and gratitude

Real Caribbean style this one.

Tomorrow's clash between West Indies and Australia will not only mark the opening of the Super 8s but also Antigua's new ground. The island has declared the day a public holiday so we should finally see a full house for the first time in this World Cup. Will we also see the return of Gravy, one of Caribbean cricket's legendary personalities and the West Indies' biggest fan. He officially 'retired' from his shenanigans in 2000 during England's tour. Didn't he also wear a wedding outfit on his lap of honour?

In keeping with World Cup generosity on other islands, St Kitts&Nevis has awarded honorary citizenship to Matthew Hayden and Herschelle Gibbs following their group stage antics. Gibbs, however, got a slightly better gift thanks to his six sixes. He was given $6,666 plus a holiday for two while Hayden just got the holiday. I suppose he could have been given $100 or even $10,000, but then he would have outshone the South African big-hitter.

Cooking up a Perth world record

There seems to be a food connection to recent posts. Yesterday was about curry, today Ali Cook scored his first tour ton and now England fans are in for a shock - when Matthew Hayden orders in Perth, he scores a bucket load of runs.

Fellow readers of other cricketing blogs will know of Hayden's love affair with food: his two cook books are bestsellers Down Under. There's nothing of the Jack Russell here (eating nothing other than baked beans on tour), Haydos is a serious cook and his recipes dictate this.

In October 2003, Hayden ordered smoked ham and pumpkin soup, now one of his favourite meals, at the team's Perth hotel before Australia's first Test against Zimbabwe at the WACA. The following day Steve Waugh won the toss and Hayden and Langer went into bat. Over ten hours later, the Queenslander had bludgeoned 38 fours and 11 sixes on his way to a world record 380.

The Perth time difference, as mentioned in Line and Length yesterday, was at the forefront of Hayden's peckish decision. He wrote in his first cookbook that he found the dish while searching for "something light" to help him get to grips with the West Australian time. Whether or not he forgot about the recipe is another matter; he hasn't beaten 20 at the WACA in four knocks.

Nevertheless, Hayden's skills off the field haven't gone unnoticed. He has been given the task of choosing the menu for a Steve Waugh Foundation dinner next February.