Hayden saved partner's life

Phil Jaques may be Matthew Hayden's opening partner following the retirement of Justin Langer, but it wouldn't have been so if not for Hayden's timely intervention. No, Hayden didn't use his muscle power to threaten the selectors to pick Jaques, but instead pulled his team-mate out of trouble.

The incident occurred during a boot camp in 2006, when Jaques had a misunderstanding with an instructor during an abseiling [rappelling] expedition. He is quoted in the Age:

Matty literally saved my life. I'm glad he was on the ball so I could have the chance to walk out to bat with him a few more times.

The same report says that a little difficulty in sighting the ball should not discourage youngsters and cites the example of Chris Rogers, the batsman who replaced Hayden for the Perth Test. Rogers "is partially colourblind, wears spectacles in the field and sometimes loses the ball in the maroon seats when he is playing at the Gabba." However, that didn't stop him from playing for Australia.