Tell Hayden his career is up: Thomson to selectors

Melbourne:

Australian fast bowling great Jeff Thomson on Thursday lashed out at national selectors for lacking the courage to end opener Matthew Hayden's international career once and for all.

Thomson questioned selectors' intentions, who omitted Hayden from the one-day international and Twenty20 teams against South Africa, but refused to rule the struggling left-hander out of contention for this year's tours to South Africa and England.

"I have no idea the way those selectors think. They say they're giving him a break to get his form back and all that but, Christ, I don't know. It just seems like a soft option for them," Thomson said.

"They were going to do the whole deal and are sneaking up on it this way," he was quoted as saying by Australian Associated Press (AAP).

Former Test batsman Doug Walters said he feared the worst for 37-year-old Hayden, who averaged just 19.5 with the bat during Australia's 1-2 series loss to the Proteas.

"It's probably a mistake (of selectors) to drop (Hayden), but I wouldn't say they acted rashly. He's had a few opportunities."

"Unless he gets to finish the season off in grand style at the Sheffield Shield, it looks like it might be the swansong for him. The fact is he's not getting any younger.

We've already been beaten by South Africa here. Maybe they're thinking to blood a new guy against South Africa and then onto England."

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