Matthew Hayden

Melbourne: Australian batsman Matthew Hayden said he was optimistic that his broken toe would not keep him out of the World Cup campaign.

“The early prognosis is we’ve been crunched by New Zealand, it hasn’t been a particularly good tour. But the early prognosis from me is I’m in good spirits,” he said.

“Before the bone starts to get strong it’s almost a month but you can certainly play before that and that is my hope and anticipation. I’m really optimistic that’s for sure. I know that I will be fine,” Hayden was quoted as saying by an Australian newspaper on Wednesday.

Australia appear to have hit rock bottom with injuries and woeful form but Hayden described the Chappell-Hadlee series loss as just a hiccup on the way to the World Cup.

“Although the results seem depressing at this stage, I believe 100 per cent that we are one of the best sides in the world.

“We’ve had a great run of form this summer and little hiccups along the way will only stand us in better stead.

We were on the back end of an absolute whipping. But there’s not one doubt in the side. We’ll pull together and it will make us stronger” he said. (PTI)