Meet Speaker - Matthew Haydon
Matthew Hayden is a former test cricketer whose authoritative yet level-headed approach and talents as a left-hander established him as the world's premier opening batsman. He is regarded as one of the top three left-handed opening batsmen for Australia for all time.
His confidence and exceptional powers of concentration saw him emerge as a prolific and consistent scorer at the top of the order for Australia, and secured his place amongst batting's elite. Since retiring from representative cricket in 2009, Matthew has become known as a CEO, foodie, fisherman, humanitarian, family man and head of The Hayden Way - the business built around everything that he stands for: sustainability and self-sufficiency, family, social responsibility, generosity, fun, vitality and just being yourself. Matthew is a big hit with audiences too. He is a highly engaging, inspirational speaker, winning them over with his spirit and down-to-earth personality. In 2002 Matthew was the runaway winner of Australian cricket's highest individual accolade, the Allan Border Medal, and named Australia's most outstanding Test Player of the Year. Matthew was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2003 and in September 2004 was named by the ICC in the World Test Cricket Team of the year. In 2004 Matthew scored in excess of 1000 Test runs for the fourth consecutive year, the first batsman in the history of the game to do so. In January 2009, Mathew retired from domestic and international cricket after having played 103 Test matches, scoring 8624 runs with a batting average 50.74, and making 128 catches. Matthew Hayden's attitude to life and cricket is indomitable and not quite typical. From a rural upbringing and a boarding school education, his taste for the outdoors, good food and family offer a familiar and likable counterpoint to his dizzying exploits as one of our most potent cricketers. He has rewritten the role description for a cricket legend. Rewarded by his sport with every honour on offer, 'Haydos' is active in the community through his involvement with The McGrath Foundation, The Fatherhood Foundation Operation Sunshine and the Tiwi College Program. He is also an Ambassador for the Global Public School of Kerala in India and 'Find Your 30' Eat Well, Be Active campaign, is Chairman of Indigenous Cricket and Co-Patron of The Champagnat Trust - Marist College Ashgrove in Brisbane. Matthew's autobiography, Standing My Ground, was published in 2010 and he has also written three highly successful cookbooks - Matthew Hayden Cookbooks 1 & 2 and the Matthew Hayden Complete Cookbook. His television series, Matthew Hayden's Home Ground, appears on The Lifestyle Channel and he also has a regular weekly page - Homeground - in The Sunday Mail. |
|