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Batsman prepared to offer olive branch after spiteful series
Hayden seeks talks with Harbhajan
Cricinfo staff
March 16, 2008
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Matthew Hayden wants to see if he can patch things up with Harbhajan Singh
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Matthew Hayden could meet with Harbhajan Singh, who has became Australia's least-favourite opponent, during the Indian Premier League next month in an effort to sort out their differences. Harbhajan reportedly called Hayden a "liar" when he returned home to India, which followed Hayden referring to Harbhajan as an "obnoxious little weed" in the lead-up to the CB Series finals defeat.
"I want to sit down with him and see if there is any way we can move forward with our relationship because it hasn't been great," Hayden said in the Sunday Mail. "I'd like to see where he's at and see if we can patch up our differences. Frankly, everyone is sick of it."
Hayden said he made an error with his choice of words and maintained he did not want to "disgrace or denigrate Harbhajan". "In the end all I did was put fuel on a fire that already existed," he said. "It wasn't necessary. It was a mistake."
The IPL tournament is a likely time for the two players to meet, but Australia will also tour India for a Test series in October. Hayden is keen to take part in the IPL to fine-tune for the trip to the West Indies starting in May.
"If anything, the IPL will help us," he said. "I've told Chennai I will be playing. I'm committed to going, if Cricket Australia allows me to go.
The tit-for-tat arguments between Australia and India were a feature of a long Test and one-day campaign, but Hayden said the relationship had not reached rock bottom. "There's definite tension, but if I was a spectator, that's what I'd want to see," he said. "If I was a fan and I went to a game that was far from contrived but didn't have a competitive edge, I'd be unimpressed straight away.
"There can be a sense of hypocrisy there. You know, I cross myself when I get 100, then I'm at first slip giving it to the Indians. At what point do you cross the line?"
The confrontations have not diminished Hayden's desire and the 36-year-old is targeting the 2009 Ashes tour. "I don't like speculating too far but if the ingredients are there there's no point stopping," he said. "I'd love to go to England. It's a tour that, yeah, the carrot's dangling.
"I've had great success in county cricket but every time I've gone there [for Australia] I've averaged around the mid-30s without really excelling. And it's a place I know I can excel."
For the full interview go here
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