Joe Root’s Gabba hundred saves Matthew Hayden from nude MCG bet, delights daughter Grace

Root’s century spares Hayden’s bet

Joe Root’s long wait for a Test hundred in Australia has finally ended and no one seems more relieved than former Australian opener Matthew Hayden and his daughter Grace. Root’s unbeaten century at the Gabba has not only boosted England’s Ashes campaign, it has also spared Hayden from an outrageous forfeit involving a nude walk at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The story began in September on the All Over Bar The Cricket podcast, where Hayden backed Root to crack the Australian code. Confident that the England batter would finally reach three figures this Ashes, he jokingly put his own dignity on the line, declaring he would “walk nude around the MCG” if Root did not score a hundred during the 2025-26 series.

The remark quickly became a running joke in cricket circles and even inside the Hayden household. Grace Hayden, a cricket commentator and popular sports presenter, publicly pleaded with Root on social media, writing “Please @root66 make a hundred,” turning her father’s dare into a family level campaign.

Root answered in style on day one of the pink ball second Test at the Gabba, compiling his maiden Test century in Australia and his 40th overall. Batting with characteristic control, he reached three figures off 181 deliveries and went on to finish the day unbeaten, rescuing England from early trouble and underlining his status as one of the modern game’s premier Test batters.

Soon after the milestone, the reactions rolled in. Grace posted an Instagram story of herself making the sign of the cross with the caption, “Root, thank you, you’ve saved all our eyes,” capturing the collective relief at home.

Hayden recorded a congratulatory video that England Cricket shared on social media. In it he told Root, “Congratulations mate on a hundred here in Australia. Took you a while and there was no one that had more skin in the game than me, literally. I was backing you for a hundred in a good way.” He later admitted that his wife and daughter were the two people most relieved that Root had come good.

The light hearted saga has added a comic sub plot to a serious cricketing milestone as Root finally completes his statistical record in Australia and Hayden happily avoids the most awkward lap of his life around the MCG.