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500-mark a possibility in World Cup: Hayden
08th Mar 2007  12.39 IST
By Agencies  


Smaller grounds, flatter wickets and fast outfields make the perfect recipe for a run-feast at the World Cup and Australian opener Matthew Lawrence Hayden would not be surprised if a team scales the 500-run summit in the cricketing extravaganza in the Caribbean.

Teams have broken the 400-run barrier four times in the past two years and Hayden, who holds Australia's individual record for highest Test and one-day scores, felt the once seemingly impossible score of 500 is not out of the question.

"It's at an interesting stage, one-day cricket," he was quoted as saying by 'The Herald Sun'.

"We laugh, but we laughed at 400 not less than a year ago, saying it's not possible", Hayden said.

Interestingly, fellow Australians Ian and Greg Chappell too felt that a 500-run score is not impossible at all on the small Caribbean grounds with their slick, dry outfields.

Hayden also predicted misery for the minnows in the World Cup and felt they would be punished all over the shorter parks in the Caribbean.

"Every experience I have had in the Caribbean, they have good quick outfields, so once the infield is cleared it's generally four runs," Hayden said.

"The ovals I believe have had some refurbishment, so they may have got a bit bigger, but the ovals we played on last time were relatively small to say the MCG or the SCG," he said.

Nursing a toe injury, Hayden is confident of taking part in Australia's World Cup defence, but is likely to miss Friday's final warm-up match against England.

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In-Depth Coverage: Cricket World Cup 2007
Team Page: Australia
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