Happy birthday old man

Matthew Hayden, the fanatical chef and Australia opening batsman, turns 35 today. Many happy returns. A birthday is just a date, of course, but seven of the likely Australian participants in the Ashes will be closer to 40 than 30. Hayden joins Justin Langer (35), Stuart MacGill (35), Glenn McGrath (36), Damien Martyn (35 last week) and Shane Warne (37), while Adam Gilchrist will turn 35 nine days before the Ashes start.

Throw in Mike Hussey (31), Ricky Ponting (31), Simon Katich (31) and Michael Kasprowicz (34) and that is an ancient side. Even Brett Lee, who still seems a youngster, turns 30 before the Ashes. By contrast, only four of the England 16-man squad are out of their twenties, with Paul Collingwood, Geraint Jones and Marcus Trescothick all 30 and Ashley Giles 33. As I say, it's just a date, but if every Test goes the distance, there could be quite a few creaking bones on the Australia side by the final Test in Sydney.

Comments

[philomena curry]

happy birthday glenn, you are the best cricketer we will ever see.it will not be the same once you retire.my family ,children,& grandchildren feel a loss as your career comes to an end. we wish you,& jane every happiness,you both deserved it.

[harrowdrive]

Do you think that with modern fitness practice, age is less important than it used to be? Or has the increased pace of the game more than made up for the improvements?