A fourth hundred in as many Tests for Matthew Hayden, and another defined by his punishing on-side strokeplay. In the return series in Australia, Hayden made 64% of his 429 runs on the leg side, and today the figure was 63% (77 out of 122). Hayden profited as usual from cross-bat shots through the leg side - pulls, hooks and slog-sweeps - only occasionally unleashing that meaty, expansive off drive of his. He was especially harsh on Nicky Boje (36 runs off 36 balls), who he twice dismissed effortlessly for six, and Jacques Kallis (16 off 14).

Although they managed to add a mere 46, Hayden and his opening partner Justin Langer carried on their little-and-large, chalk-and-cheese, off side-leg side partnership: Langer made 62% of his runs in the first series on the off side, and in his short innings today he upped that figure to 79% (22 out of 28), belting Allan Donald time after time to the point boundary before he played round a straight one.

His partner Hayden's innings was defined as much as anything else by its conviction. He was in control of 83% of his strokes, a far cry from his Test debut on this ground eight years ago, when he made 15 and 5, broke his thumb and was labelled a Hick-esque flat-track bully. This may have been a flat track, but it's Test-class bowlers who Hayden is mercilessly terrorising now.

Rob Smyth is on the staff of Wisden.com.

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