In our feature series - Who would have predicted that? – we are looking back at matches where there were big upsets or extraordinary individual performances that turned matches on their head.

 After having waited for his turn behind Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist in the ODIs and Michael Slater and Mark Taylor in Tests, 2007 was the time when Haydos was in the zone. He swatted the ball like it was a fly and had them flying to the stands in this dominant ton in the 2007 World Cup.

 

Match Summary

 

Australia 377/6 (50 overs) - Matthew Hayden 101 (68), Michael Clarke 92 (75); Andrew Hall 2/60 (10), Jacques Kallis 1/66 (9)

 South Africa 294 (48 overs) - AB de Villiers 92 (70), Graeme Smith 74 (69); Brad Hogg 3/61 (10), Nathan Bracken 2/40 (9)

 Result - Australia won by 83 runs

 

In a World Cup group match against South Africa in St Kitts at the 2007 World Cup, Hayden established his dominance from quite early on. Generally, in the opening partnerships between Adam Gilchrist and Hayden, Gilchrist was the more explosive one. Then there were times when both attacked, and on some rare occasions, Hayden was the aggressor while Gilchrist played the foil. This was one such innings.

With Hayden's 101 runs coming off just 68 deliveries at a strike rate of almost 150 and including 14 fours 4 sixes, the big opener set it up brilliantly for the likes of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke to take Australia to a sumptuous score of 377.

 

Fall of wickets: 1-106 (Adam Gilchrist, 14.5 ov), 2-167 (Matthew Hayden, 23.3 ov), 3-328 (Ricky Ponting, 45.1 ov), 4-347 (Michael Clarke, 46.4 ov), 5-353 (Michael Hussey, 47.2 ov), 6-377 (Andrew Symonds, 49.6 ov)

 

 

South Africa started well with their top three Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers and Jaques Kallis adding 214 runs among themselves. But, the contributions did not come from the middle order as the team was bowled out for 294 and lost the match by 83 runs.

Matthew Hayden, with an ODI average of 43.80 and 10 one-day centuries, had more good days on the field than bad. But, he picks this century against South Africa as his best ODI innings.

Hayden finished the 2007 World Cup as the top run-getter with 659 runs from 11 matches at 73.22 and a strike rate of over 100.

 

Fall of wickets: 1-160 (AB de Villiers, 20.6 ov), 1-184* (Graeme Smith, retired not out ), 2-220 (Herschelle Gibbs, 31.3 ov), 3-223 (Ashwell Prince, 32.2 ov), 4-256 (Mark Boucher, 38.5 ov), 5-264 (Justin Kemp, 40.5 ov), 6-267 (Graeme Smith, 41.3 ov), 7-277 (Jacques Kallis, 43.1 ov), 8-279 (Shaun Pollock, 44.1 ov), 9-280 (Charl Langeveldt, 45.2 ov), 10-294 (Makhaya Ntini, 47.6 ov)

 

Teams

 

Australia - Adam Gilchrist (wk), Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tait, Glenn McGrath 

South Africa - Graeme Smith (c), AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Herschelle Gibbs, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher (wk), Justin Kemp, Shaun Pollock, Andrew Hall, Charl Langeveldt, Makhaya Ntini

 

Match Details

 

Match: AUS v RSA, 22nd Match, Group A, ICC World Cup, 2007 

Date: Saturday, March 24, 2007 

Toss: South Africa won the toss and decided to bowl  

Venue: Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts 

Umpires: Mark Benson, Steve Bucknor 

Third Umpire: Tony Hill Match 

Referee: Ranjan Madugalle 

 

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