The solution to Australia’s exposed batting woes against spin bowling is simple, according to ex-Test opener Matthew Hayden.

But Cricket Australia (CA) may not like the sound of it.

Hayden famously conditioned himself ahead of his career-defining 2001 tour of India by dusting up Brisbane practice decks and batting for hours on end.

But he admits there is no substitute for the real thing – not quite music to the ears of CA, which has pinned hopes on Australia reversing their slow bowling fortunes by practising on a dusty deck created as part of the new $29 million Centre of Excellence in Brisbane.

Zimbabwe’s fleet of spinners on Sunday exposed a flaw that just won’t go away when they ensured Australia lost to the minnows for the first time in 31 years, costing them the world No.1 one-day ranking.

Hayden felt their pain but could see no quick fix in sight, despite his own inspiring tale.

In 2001, Hayden doctored dusty decks in Brisbane and went to work trying to not only conquer the sub-continent but finally nail down a Test spot.

The towering left-hander finished the three-Test series in India with an incredible 549 runs at an average of 110.

But Hayden credited the spin-friendly decks during his English county Northamptonshire stint from 1999-2000 for helping steel him for what was to come on the sub-continent.

“You can produce dusty wickets but it’s not the same,” Hayden said.

“You have to have that fight in combat, under pressure to realise you can either do it or not.

“For me it was Northants preparing tracks that turned.”

CA have splashed out the big bucks to conjure decks of all conditions at their sparkling new centre.

It was some consolation to Hayden, who did not sound surprised Australia struggled with spin considering the wickets prepared Down Under.

“All the venues are either drop-ins or the (bouncy, seaming) Gabba, which is a very different beast compared to any other ground on the planet, the WACA (in Perth) to a certain degree as well.”

However, Hayden believes Australia does not have to look further than national coach and ex-Test batsman Darren Lehmann to find long-term relief to their slow bowling headache.

“You have to have in your arsenal a good attacking plan against spin,” Hayden said.

“But having Boof (Lehmann) there, who is an exceptional player of spin, will help.

“You don’t need any other resource. He is a master technician against spin.”