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Cricket's 'big bully' finally bid farewell to the game with his powers on the wane and his reputation at stake.
Given a chance, Australia's Matthew Hayden would have liked to script his exit better. But the enforcer of so many Australian triumphs was getting liquidated at the crease far too quickly in recent times.
Self-confident and aggressive, Hayden tried in vain to break the lean trot his way. But the effective dominance of yore often ended in mistakes and misery.
His last innings in Test cricket illustrates that. Trying to end a miserable series against the South Africans in glory, Hayden blasted boundaries in quick succession before playing on after scoring 39.
By the end of that innings, Hayden knew that the end was near. The reflexes had got slower and the mind weaker.
If the script wasn't right, the timing of the exit was perfect. There was hope that Hayden would hang up his boots after the Ashes series later this year. The selectors also indicated that Hayden might make the trip.
Another failure would have been a disaster, particularly in the highly charged atmosphere of the Ashes. That would have wiped out all the good work Hayden did in nearly 16 years of international cricket.
And Hayden was not only good but also great. A total of 8,625 runs in 103 Tests at an average of 50.73 and 6,133 runs from 161 one-day matches at 43.80 bears testimony to his abilities.
The sheer weight of runs aside, it was the way in which Hayden played which stood out. He bristled with aggression on his way to the crease, arms swinging and greeting the bowler with an icy stare. His height and build completed the menacing picture. Booming drives followed.
That wasn't enough. Hayden loved to have chats with bowlers and was not shy of sledging the fieldsmen as well.
His opening partnerships with the more sedate Justin Langer were the highlights of Australia's total dominance of every form of cricket.
Hayden flowered under former captain Steve Waugh. The early part of Hayden's career, under Mark Taylor, was fraught with indecisiveness. He was even labelled leaden-footed.
But Waugh had faith in Hayden's abilities, as did Ponting later. Hayden repaid it in grand style and Australia were scoring nearly 400 runs per day on a regular basis.
Hayden worked hard to become the batsman he is. An example of this was the preparations he underwent before the tour to India on his comeback to Test cricket.
Not the greatest player of spin, Hayden went to the Indian subcontinent on a familiarisation trip and had spinners bowling at him for long periods.
He devised his own methods, smiting the spinners across the line for boundaries. It paid off and Hayden ended the series with 549 runs at an average of 109.
Hayden never looked back after that tour. There were a few glitches on the way, notably the Ashes series in England in 2005.
Hayden ranks amongst the best openers Australia has ever produced. The cricket field bully is actually a gentle soul elsewhere in life. An expert on food, Hayden has enough interests to sustain him in retirement.
He stood for what Australia were in their glory days. The cricketing world will miss him and bowlers will heave a sign of relief that their tormentor has finally gone.
