Australian batsman Matthew Hayden reckons a clutch of disparaging comments made by New Zealand counterpart Lou Vincent would only help his side win this summer's tri-series.
Vincent hit the headlines in Australia yesterday after claiming the world champions were arrogant sledgers who rated themselves bigger than the gameand hunted opposition players like a "pack of dogs".
The New Zealand opening batsman was involved in a couple of verbal exchanges last Sunday in Perth while making 66, and was named man-of-the-match on Tuesday night after another half-century against England, and some superb work in the field.
Hayden, whose team squares off against England tomorrow night in Sydney before moving south to Melbourne for Sunday's game against New Zealand, suggested Vincent's comments could prove to be counter-productive.
"As long as Lou is looking at us I don't think that's a bad position for us to be in," he said yesterday. "If he considers that to be the case, then I'm not that unhappy about it, to be honest.
"We're in a position where we're playing very confidently but we are also very proud of the way we are playing. We've worked very hard at our behaviour on and off the field. This side has really taken it to a new level."
As for Vincent's comment about hunting like a pack of dogs, Hayden appeared to take the barb as a compliment, rather than an insult.
"One of the strategies of Australian cricket teams is to stick together," he said. "We've had that mentality for as long as I can ever remember playing cricket and it's stood us in good stead.
"It's one or two players versus 11 out in the middle and we're very proud of the fact we stick by each other."
He agreed with Cricket Australia's public affairs manager Peter Young about the historically intense nature of transtasman competition.
"It doesn't matter whether we're playing kick a cockroach to the end of the wall. It's a great clash between New Zealand and Australia and long may it continue."
