Hayden as good as any player - Waugh

Australian skipper Steve Waugh believes Matthew Hayden is playing cricket as well as anyone who's gone before him, with the possible exception of Don Bradman.

Waugh, not prone to outlandish statements, couldn't say enough about Hayden's effort as Australia won the world championship series against South Africa 3-0 here today.

"Matthew Hayden's playing as well as anybody's probably ever played the game," Waugh said tonight.

"He's just in complete control of his game, his balance is magnificent, his shot execution is first class and his temperament's really good - he knows his game really well.

"And he dominates bowling which is not easy to do when you're opening the batting.

"I can't imagine anyone playing even better than him."

Pushed as to whether his assessment included Bradman, Waugh replied: "I didn't see him play, so, probably excluding the Don."

Hayden was the batting star for Australia, hitting a century in each Test and finishing the series by smashing the winning runs here as Australia triumphed by 10 wickets in the third Test.

Hayden, who was cricket's most prolific run-scorer in 2001 thanks to his deeds in India and his form this summer, has started 2002 in a similar vein, with scores of 105 and 21 not out in Sydney.

He won the man of the series award for his feats and with fellow opener Justin Langer took the man of the match award here despite stiff competition from Gary Kirsten, Damien Martyn and Stuart MacGill.

Proteas captain Shaun Pollock said Hayden and Langer, who put on two double-century stands during the series and four for the summer, were responsible for the gulf between the two teams.

"This summer, the major difference between the two sides was those two guys (Hayden and Langer)," Pollock said.

"They set the platform for the others guys to come in and play with freedom."

Waugh, in contrast, said the way Australia stuck to its meticulous plans was behind its triumph over the second-best side in the world.

The Australians stayed on top of the International Cricket Council's Test world championship with the series win and duly held aloft the trophy - a ceremonial mace - as they completed their victory lap.

However, they could be temporarily usurped as world champions if South Africa manages to draw or win the return series starting next month.

But Waugh said that didn't bother his side.

"I think in most people eyes that if we win 3-nil here and draw over there, it's pretty obvious who the number one side is."

He added that by winning the next series against Zimbabwe, Australia would go back on top anyway.