'I want my one-day spot back' - Hayden

Matthew Hayden's year out of the one-day side has not diminished his desire to win back his spot during the jammed lead-up to the World Cup. And Hayden, who is prepared to use his Test platform to re-confirm his limited-overs qualifications, has rated Monty Panesar as a low priority for Australia's batsmen in the Ashes.

Panesar, the left-arm spinner, emerged as a potential danger for Australia after collecting 16 wickets in the first three Tests against Pakistan, but Hayden said he would not be assisted by the conditions, except at the SCG, and the more serious worries would come from the quick bowlers. "Monty Panesar will be under pressure from the moment he arrives in Australia, just simply because of the way we play spin bowling," he said. "As a left-hander I've got a natural advantage over Monty because the ball is spinning into me. It's the same for the other aggressive left-handers we've got in our order."

Before the Ashes begins Hayden will attempt to add to his 119 one-day appearances, which include five centuries and an average of 40.10. If he misses a spot on next month's mini-tour to Malaysia, where Australia will play India and West Indies with their probable squad for the Champions Trophy, he will push for selection through the Tests in the hope of earning some action in the VB Series, Chappell-Hadlee Series and World Cup.

"The message is loud and clear - I want my spot back," Hayden said while attending a junior clinic at the Tewantin-Noosa Cricket Club. "I still want to play. I've been training hard in the off-season and it's just a matter of getting an opportunity in both forms of the game."

Hayden was dropped from the limited-overs side after the England tour last winter, but he retained his Cricket Australia one-day contract and was selected in the 30-man preliminary squad for October's Champions Trophy. However, he must force his way ahead of Simon Katich, who is employed with an often frustrating stabilising role alongside the power hitters, and Adam Gilchrist.

"When you're not playing you do miss it," Hayden said. "It wasn't my decision to be out of the side. It wasn't me who retired. I was dropped. So I had to look at ways to improve on my game."

More careful shot selection boosted Hayden towards "one of my best years" in 2005-06, which began with a run of four centuries in consecutive matches after his Test spot was in danger at the end of the Ashes tour. "I proved to the selectors while under pressure in England that I've still got the goods," he said. "Sides haven't been trying to get me out in the last 18 months - they've pretty much let me do that. They've bowled to keep me out of play more than anything, so I had to be a bit more patient."

England's restrictive bowling attack limited Hayden to 180 runs in the first four Tests of the series, but he escaped with a career-saving 138 at The Oval. He expects another strong opposition unit this summer and is confident he has developed a plan to cope with Flintoff, Harmison and Co. "The main threats are their quick bowlers, whoever they are," he said. "They were what made them perform in England and it will be no different here. It's challenging when you play a good attack, but I'm confident. Confident that I've found a game plan that nullifies what they've got in their mind."