Hayden back to boost Big Bash League
The revamped Big Bash Twenty20 League just got bigger with former Test opener Matthew Hayden coming out of retirement to play for the Brisbane Heat.
Hayden, who retired from international cricket in 2009 after a glorious 103-Test career, last played in the 2010 Indian Premier League with Chennai.
But Heat coach Darren Lehmann, a former Test team-mate of the burly left-hander, said the 39-year-old was ready to return and make a splash in this summer's revamped domestic Twenty20 competition.
"It's great to have someone of that ilk, obviously firstly to come out of retirement, and to play in the Big Bash," Lehmann told AAP.
"He's been training for a few months now so we're excited to have that knowledge around the place."
Hayden's return to playing will mean he has to relinquish directorships of the Cricket Australia and Queensland Cricket boards, because current players are not allowed to be directors of either body.
But Lehmann said that was something Hayden was happy to do to take part in the Big Bash.
"He's keen as mustard," the Heat coach said.
"Once he sets his mind on something that's probably the easiest thing.
"For him obviously he wants the brand of the Heat to be bigger than Ben Hur.
"We're just excited to have his playing ability first and foremost and obviously his entertainment value, what he brings to the table for the Heat."
One of international cricket's most explosive batsmen, Hayden played just nine Twenty20 internationals for Australia with the shortest form of the game only emerging in the latter part of his career.
But he averaged 43.80 with 36 half centuries and 10 centuries in a 161-match one day international career.
Hayden's recruitment means he will likely form an entertaining opening partnership with New Zealand international Brendon McCullum, who is one of two Black Caps signed for the Heat along with spinner Daniel Vettori.
But Lehmann, who is reportedly also looking into the possibility of signing former Test and one-day all-rounder Andrew Symonds for this summer's competition, said he was more excited about the overall quality of his squad rather than just star names.
"Would hope so, wouldn't you?," he said when asked about the potential excitement of a Hayden/McCullum partnership.
"We'll have to wait and see but first and foremost we've picked all good blokes in our squad and we're really happy with the way it's shaping up."
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