By IANS,
Sydney : Matthew Hayden is not prepared to surrender his cricketing career and will summon all his courage one last time to return to his dominating best that once awed opponents.
Hayden has vowed he will not be pushed into retirement — despite Australian selectors unwilling to throw another lifeline at the veteran cricketer.
Hayden was dropped from the One-day and Twenty20 sides after his form slump continued in the series against South Africa.
The 37-year-old’s selection for the important tours of South Africa and England is unsure.
Hayden said the next fortnight could be decision time, if he wants to end his Test career.
“Ultimately it will be my call to look in the mirror and say, ‘Mate it is time to go’. or it’s time to saddle up, pull your socks up and get on with South Africa and the Ashes,” Hayden was quoted as saying in Daily Telegraph.
The Queenslander, who has appeared in 103 Tests, will play for beloved Bulls in a Sheffield Shield game Jan 30 in his only chance to stake a claim for next month’s Test series in South Africa.
But it would hardly be the shock of the century if Hayden does walk away from Test cricket. “It is very difficult to take a breath and get your mind around what my future does hold. It is a time to take stock.
Hayden – whose immediate future involves spending time with his wife and children – insists the fire still burns within.
“I think I’m supposed to have a miracle answer but I want to take my time and make a good decision moving forward. I want to enjoy what’s gone and try to refocus as I’ve done several times through my career.
“If I don’t feel like I’m contributing to that (Australian cricket) then I will be knocking on their (selectors’) doors.”
Hayden knew the writing was on the wall for his glorious 161-match ODI career but was still shattered when chief selector Andrew Hilditch broke the news here Wednesday.