Matthew Hayden still has the passion to play says Ponting

Matthew Hayden's willingness to let his coffee go cold while he hit the indoor nets in Brisbane last week convinced his captain the great opening batsman is not yet ready to retire. Indeed, Ricky Ponting has implored the 37-year-old to hang on until the Ashes.

Before the first Test, Hayden could not guarantee he would play on to avenge the 2005 defeat in England. Two failures against New Zealand later, and on the eve of his 100th Test starting in Adelaide on Friday, speculation is mounting about his willingness to carry on beyond the summer.

However, Hayden's teammates have not sensed he is contemplating an end to his career, but his 100th game will go a long way towards determining for how long Australia can count on his strength at the top of the order.

Importantly, Ponting remains adamant that Hayden is the best opening batsman in the country.

The captain and coffee-runner arrived at the Gabba the morning after Hayden's golden duck heightened intrigue about the Queenslander's future, but couldn't find him to deliver the brew.

"Matty makes me bring the coffee to the ground every day from the hotel," Ponting said after Australia found its way out of some early trouble to beat the Black Caps by 149 runs inside four days.

"I brought a coffee down and put it on his seat and I didn't think he was at the ground. I walked out onto the ground during the warm-up and he was in the indoor nets, and he had been there for nearly an hour.

"That to me says the hunger for Haydos is still there. He has always been one who works extremely hard on his game if he feels that something is not quite right, so that was a positive sign. I think skills-wise and hunger-wise, Matthew Hayden is definitely our best opener and will be until he wants to finish."

Having farewelled Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn and Adam Gilchrist in the past two years, Ponting's reluctance to lose Hayden from a team in the throes of regeneration is understandable.

The victory over New Zealand, ranked seventh in the world, did not erase doubts about the side that was comprehensively humbled in India and in the coming months will face sterner tests against South Africa (home and away) and England.

Nor is there a long list of ready opening replacements. Chris Rogers is second among the season's Sheffield Shield runscorers with 474 runs at 67 for his adopted state of Victoria, but has fallen from favour since making his debut in Perth last January. Phil Jaques is recovering from back surgery and Shaun Marsh - the reserve opener in India - averages 35 this summer.

The Adelaide Oval is a happy place for Hayden; he averages 58.93 there and plundered 103 against India in his previous match in Adelaide. He said before this series that his longevity would hinge on his passion, which remained strong after a difficult tour of India.

Though his feet are not moving as crisply as they once did, Ponting has witnessed no major flaws in Hayden's technique to suggest his skills are on the wane. "I know Matty's game as well as anybody because I have played so long with him . . . I haven't seen anything to say he is not as good as he has ever been," Ponting said. "It was only a couple of Test matches ago that he made a terrific 80-odd in Delhi.

"He has his 100th Test this week which will be a great thrill and I am sure he will be very proud of that when he takes the field in Adelaide. I wouldn't be surprised with the work he has done here this week and the wicket in Adelaide if you see him make a really big score."