DUMPED opener Matthew Hayden feels he has been harshly treated by a selection committee which yesterday claimed he was not finished as a one-day player.
Hayden has vowed to regain his place in Australia’s one-day team after being dropped for Friday night’s first VB Series final against Pakistan at the MCG.
After only 42 runs in four innings through the VB Series and averaging only 21.73 in his past 11 innings, selectors lost patience.
Hayden admitted yesterday he still had not fully recovered from the draining Test series win in steamy India last October and this had contributed to his loss of form.
He is unlikely to play in today’s second final in Sydney with wunderkind Michael Clarke and Adam Gilchrist again set to walk out at the top of the order.
Asked how he felt the selectors had treated him, Hayden yesterday replied: "Probably harshly, but I think it’s their call. They have made it and they have to live by it.
"I think in my experience all I possibly can do is offer them a plateau of runs.
“In my mind what will happen is I’ll get back to form. I’ll fight my way back into that position and then it will be up to the selectors to do their job.”
Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said Hayden remained firmly in his thoughts and his axing had not signalled the end of his one-day career.
“Absolutely (not). An in-form Matty Hayden is one of the first players picked,” Hohns said.
Hayden has seemed lethargic at times through the summer in the Test and one-day arenas and has clearly lost his once crisp and assured footwork.
He provided modest contributions in Test series against India (244 runs at 30.50), New Zealand (132 at 44) and Pakistan (128 at 32) and did not post a century through this period.
“I think India can be one of those tours which can be a really taxing tour,” Hayden said.
"I know I felt I came back from India last time (in 2001), we went on an Ashes tour, I found the same difficulties after it as well.
“It seems to be one of those places that can suck a lot out of you. This summer has just been one of those ones where things just haven’t gone my way for no particular reason.”
Hayden plundered 549 runs at 109.80 in India in 2001, but made a modest 234 runs at 33.43 a few months later in England.
While he was publicly upbeat yesterday, there are no guarantees he will reclaim his place, even if regains form.
While Hohns has told Hayden, 33, he sees this only as a temporary setback, if Clarke and Gilchrist prosper Hayden’s career spanning 108 one-day internationals may be over.
Regardless of form, the selectors may feel the left-and-right-handed combination of the experienced Gilchrist and the blossoming Clarke is the best option with the 2007 World Cup approaching.
Hayden will get a clearer indication of his position when the one-day squad for the tour of New Zealand is announced this week.
Hohns would not speculate on whether Hayden would make the trip or stay back and play in the Pura Cup before flying over for the Test series.
“I think the door is definitely still ajar,” Hayden said.
“I see this personally as a temporary thing and I’ll make sure whatever it takes really I’ll fight my way back in.”
The Aussies will be desperately keen to sweep the finals series against Pakistan today so they can have a week off before heading to New Zealand.
The world champions can thank the efforts of Andrew Symonds and the balanced returns of their three-pronged pace attack for Friday’s victory.
A concern throughout the series has been a lack of productivity at the top of the order, with Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting mustering one half-century between them.
Pakistan allrounder Abdul Razzaq is free to play today after being cleared by match referee Chris Broad of showing dissent on Friday.