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Joe Root‘s gritty unbeaten 135 in the first innings of the second Ashes 2025-26 Test at The Gabba spared Australian legend Matthew Hayden from a wild pre-series promise to streak naked around the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), sparking a viral family reaction from his daughter Grace Hayden. The former opener had jokingly vowed to fulfil the dare if Root failed to score a century during Australia’s summer Ashes campaign, a bold call that gained massive traction ahead of the high-stakes series currently led by Australia 2-0 after wins in Perth and Brisbane. Grace, a rising cricket presenter, turned the moment into comedy gold on social media, expressing mock horror and eternal gratitude to the England batter for averting a family crisis.
Grace issues ‘disowning’ ultimatum to Father Matthew Hayden
Grace’s relief exploded online shortly after Root’s milestone on Day 1 of the pink-ball Test, where he anchored England to 325/9 despite Mitchell Starc’s six-wicket haul. Posting an Instagram story captioned “Root thank you. You’ve saved all our eyes,” she followed up with a video thanking Root profusely, declaring it the first time she rooted for an Englishman in Ashes history. “I’m disowning my father if he says he’s going to run naked around anything ever again,” Grace quipped, blending humor with a firm warning after family discussions urged Matthew to rethink such bets.
The posts went viral, amplified by her growing fanbase and the absurdity of the saga, while Matthew himself congratulated Root in a video, admitting “no one had more skin in the game than me, literally.” This light-hearted exchange highlighted the personal stakes behind cricket’s fiercest rivalry, endearing the Haydens to fans worldwide.
Also READ: Ashes 2025-26: Here’s why Grace Hayden thanked Joe Root for his hundred in Gabba Test
Hayden turns criticism to Jofra Archer’s antics in second Ashes Test
Amid the laughs, Matthew shifted focus to England’s struggles, lambasting Jofra Archer‘s demeanor after Australia sealed a 2-0 lead in Brisbane. Hayden called Archer’s pillow-tucked arrival at The Gabba on Day 3 a “shocking look” that signaled complacency, urging Aussie batters to exploit it during their gritty tail-end resistance. He further slammed Archer’s inconsistent pace, hovering at 130-136 km/h in key phases, coupled with verbal jabs at Steve Smith and “fake smiles,” labeling it painful, bravado-heavy, and lacking humility. “That’s never going to endear him to fans or greats like Smith,” Hayden noted in his broadcasting stint, warning England faces an Ashes whitewash without more Stokes-like grit. Archer leaked runs while England toiled, underscoring Hayden’s dual role as entertainer and sharp analyst in the ongoing series.
Also WATCH: Jofra Archer and Steve Smith get involved in heated exchange on Day 4 of the pink-ball Test
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: crickettimes.com
