Grace Hayden, the 23-year-old daughter of former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden, has been trending across social media recently.
While she’s built a career as a cricket presenter working with networks like Star Sports, her latest viral moment had nothing to do with her broadcasting skills; it was about saving everyone from seeing her father run naked around a cricket stadium.
The Joe Root Controversy: What Actually Happened
This is the story that put Grace in headlines worldwide, though not for reasons related to her broadcasting work.
Before the 2025 Ashes series, Matthew Hayden appeared on the “All Over Bar The Cricket” podcast and made a strange bet.
He said if England’s Joe Root didn’t score a Test century in Australia during the series, he would walk naked around the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The bet got attention because Root, despite being one of the best batsmen in the world with over 13,000 Test runs, had never scored a hundred in Australia. In 14 matches there, he had nine fifties but no centuries.
Grace, caught in the middle of her father’s bizarre promise, publicly asked Root to score a century. When Root finally scored 138 not out at the Gabba, Grace posted on Instagram: “Root, thank you. You’ve saved all our eyes.”
She followed up with a video saying, “I was so grateful that Root scored a hundred. It was the first time in my life I wanted an Englishman to do well in an Ashes series. Root, oh my goodness, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m disowning my father if he says he’s going to run naked around anything ever again.”
The posts went viral, with some finding them funny and others questioning whether this kind of content is what cricket media should be focusing on.
Matthew himself joined in, congratulating Root and saying “no one had more skin in the game than me, literally.”
Who Is Grace Hayden? Early Life & Background
Grace Hayden was born on June 16, 2002, making her 23 years old. Growing up as the daughter of Matthew Hayden, who is one of Australia’s most successful Test openers with 8,625 runs, meant cricket was unavoidable in her household.
She studied Journalism and Mass Communication, which gave her the credentials needed to enter sports media.
| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Age | 23 years old |
| Profession | Sports Presenter / Media Personality |
| Followers | 640K+ on Instagram |
| Relationship | Wilson Statham |
| Brand Partnerships | Lorna Jane, Michael Hill, Slip Silk, Mahindra Australia |
Her career didn’t start in cricket. She first worked in horse racing coverage, serving as an ambassador for Channel 7’s Oaks Day coverage in 2022.
This gave her initial exposure to live sports broadcasting before she transitioned to cricket.
Grace is dating Wilson Statham, whose family owns a cotton business in Queensland. They went public with their relationship in April 2024 and are often seen at cricket and racing events together.
She has brand partnerships with Lorna Jane, Michael Hill, and Slip Silk. She’s also a brand ambassador for Mahindra Australia alongside her father. In January 2025, she took on work with Hong Kong-based Racing X, covering racing events globally.
Her lifestyle content shows frequent travel, brand events, and access to VIP cricket experiences—a life that her father’s success has certainly helped provide.
Grace Hayden’s Family & Cricket Roots
Matthew Hayden played 103 Tests for Australia between 1994 and 2009, scoring over 8,625 runs.
He was known for his aggressive batting style and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2025. His wife, Kellie Hayden, has largely stayed out of the public eye.
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Father | Matthew Hayden (Former Australian cricketer, ICC Hall of Fame 2025) |
| Mother | Kellie Hayden |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Education | Journalism and Mass Communication |
| Relationship | Wilson Statham (since April 2024) |
| Birthday | June 16, 2002 |
Grace frequently posts about her father on social media, often mixing professional cricket content with personal family moments.
When Matthew received his Hall of Fame honor, she wrote a lengthy tribute about growing up watching him play.
Grace Hayden’s Rise in Cricket Media
Grace made her cricket broadcasting debut during the 2023 Big Bash League. Shortly after, she joined Star Sports’ panel for the 2023 ICC ODI World Cup in India, a major platform for someone with limited experience.
Since then, she’s worked on IPL coverage, World Cups, and various T20 leagues, including the GT20 tournament in Toronto and the Caribbean Premier League. Most recently, she hosted the Canada Super 60 League in 2025.
She shares the commentary box with established names like Wasim Akram, Ian Bishop, and Harbhajan Singh.
Some view this as impressive for someone so young; others see it as another example of privilege opening doors.
Grace also launched a podcast called “Game On With Grace” on Willow TV, focusing on cricket stories and interviews.
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Will Grace Hayden Become a Major Cricket Voice in the Future?
Grace has opportunities that many aspiring cricket broadcasters would love to have. She’s hosted major tournaments, worked on IPL and World Cup coverage, and built a significant social media following.
Her supporters believe she’s earned her position through hard work and natural talent. They point to her growing responsibilities and expanding portfolio as evidence that she’s succeeding on her own merit.
Grace Hayden is a young presenter who has quickly gained visibility in cricket media. Whether that visibility comes from genuine talent, famous connections, or social media savvy—or some combination of all three—is up for debate.
She represents a shift in sports broadcasting where traditional expertise sometimes takes a backseat to entertainment value and social reach.
Whether that’s a positive change for cricket coverage is something fans will have to decide for themselves.
FAQs
Grace Hayden is a 23-year-old Australian sports presenter and the daughter of former cricketer Matthew Hayden. She works as a presenter for cricket tournaments and has built a significant social media following.
Grace is known for her work as a presenter on Star Sports and various T20 leagues. She recently went viral when Joe Root’s century in Australia meant her father didn’t have to fulfill a promise to walk naked around the MCG.
Grace is the daughter of Matthew Hayden, who scored 8,625 Test runs for Australia and was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame in 2025.
Grace trended after her father promised to walk naked around the MCG if Joe Root didn’t score a century in Australia. When Root scored, Grace posted “Root thank you. You’ve saved all our eyes” and said she’d “disown” her father if he made such promises again.
Grace has a journalism degree and has worked in sports media since 2022. However, being Matthew Hayden’s daughter certainly provided connections and opportunities that others might not have. Whether she keeps these opportunities long-term will depend on her own merit.
Grace has opportunities with major cricket tournaments and a strong social media presence. Whether she develops into a respected cricket broadcaster or remains primarily known for viral moments and her famous surname will depend on how her career develops.
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