Matthew Hayden says he plans to keep playing one-day international cricket despite the emergence of Shaun Marsh and Shane Watson as the openers most likely to take Australia to the next World Cup. Hayden turns 37 next month and with the World Cup two and a half years away the chances of him taking part are slim.

Australia’s coach Tim Nielsen said earlier this month the selectors would need to sit down with Hayden and map out his one-day future, although he would not be forced out of the team before he was ready. For Hayden, that time has not yet come.

“The big thing is I haven’t lost my passion for one-day cricket and while I’m performing there, I’ll keep playing it,” Hayden told the Sunday Herald Sun. “The significant part of my decision is whether Matthew Hayden is affecting the team negatively in the run to the World Cup?

“I don’t see that being a consideration yet. I’m as motivated now as I’ve ever been. That’s really driving my insatiable appetite for runs.”

Hayden’s recent one-day form is strong and in the past 12 months he has made 634 ODI runs at 42.26. However, his lingering achilles tendon injury not only allowed Marsh and Watson to forge a successful partnership in the West Indies, it also raised speculation over how long Hayden could stay fit enough for international cricket.

“Everyone is kind of expecting me to fall over and to be honest I don’t feel like that at all,” he said. “I feel I’m hitting the ball as well as I ever have. I’ll know when the time is right to walk away.”

Source :http://content-www.cricinfo.com/australia/content/story/371580.html