Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden’s daughter expressed gratitude towards England’s Joe Root for preventing her father from carrying out a bet to strip naked. Root achieved his first century in Australia at the Gabba, marking 12 years since his initial Ashes tour. The former England captain’s exceptional performance, scoring 135 not out from 202 balls after being dropped early in the innings, relieved Hayden from fulfilling his promise to walk around the MCG nude if Root failed to reach a century during the tour.
Grace Hayden, a commentator, shared her relief on Instagram, making a gesture of thanks and adding, “Root thank you you’ve saved all our eyes.” Hayden acknowledged the potential trouble he would have faced with his family had Root not succeeded, expressing his nerves and congratulating Root on his milestone. He emphasized the immense relief felt by his wife and daughter, who were spared from witnessing his potentially embarrassing act.
Alastair Cook, Root’s former captain, praised Root’s innings as brilliant and crucial for England, highlighting his consistent performance under pressure and labeling him as England’s best batsman ever.