Hayden eager to find form again

Fresh from a one-week break from cricket, Matthew Hayden has indicated that he is ready to put his disappointing run in 2004 behind him, and start afresh in the new year. Hayden was rested from the Australian team for the first two matches of the VB Series, and will return to the side for Friday's match against West Indies at the Gabba.

"It's obviously been a summer which has been a little indifferent for me but I've really enjoyed going through the challenges I've had in front of me," Hayden said, looking back at his lean trot in the 2004-05 season. Hayden only averages 33.60 in his last nine Tests, during which period he hasn't scored a single hundred.

The slump began in India, when he topped 20 in seven of the eight innings, but only converted one of them into a half-century. Reflecting on that series, Hayden admitted that he had been defeated by the Indians' strategy. "India is a place that tends to wear you down as a batter. They bowled very wide to me, they weren't looking to get me out, just to stop me, which was a good game plan. When a ball is spinning two foot and a bowler is delivering it a foot outside of off stump, what can you do? You obviously can't hit it so it comes back to how patient you want to be. I have to play a little differently now and it's just taking a little adjustment. It comes down to patience, wearing them down to where they have to try something different."

Hayden has had a golden run in international cricket since coming back into the Australian team in 2001, but he suggested that he still insecure about his place in the team. "I'm not sure I've ever felt secure," Hayden said. "I've worked far too hard and too long and missed out for so long to ever feel in a comfort zone. The hunger from my perspective is still going very strong."

In Hayden's absence, Michael Clarke opened the batting in both games in the VB Series, and did the job with aplomb, scoring 66 and 97. Hayden admitted that he enjoyed watching Clarke bat. "Like everyone, I enjoyed it," Hayden said, referring to Clarke's magnificent 97 off just 96 balls against Pakistan at Hobart.

Clarke will drop down the order to accommodate Hayden, but Hayden had no doubt that Clarke could be successful no matter which position he batted in. "I think Michael's going to play wherever he wants to play. He's that good a player, it will be up to him really."