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It doesn’t matter if Mike Hussey is batting, fielding, captaining, or commentating, he’s all class.
Last Saturday night the 40-year-old played his final game at the SCG – an iconic ground, farewelling an icon.
Despite the intense rivalry between Hussey’s Sydney Thunder and crosstown Sydney Sixers, the record domestic crowd of 38,456 rose as one to salute a great cricketer, and a great bloke.
No surprise in that, Hussey has been revered and highly respected the world over since he made his long-overdue debut on the international stage in an ODI against India at the WACA in 2004, and Test debut against the West Indies at the Gabba a year later.
Far too late.
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Hussey was 30 and had scored 15,313 first-class runs before the blinkered national selectors of Trevor Hohns, Andrew Hilditch, David Boon and Allan Border recognised his talent.
Over the next eight years, Hussey racked up 6235 Test runs at 51.52, and 5442 ODI runs at 48.15 to stamp himself among the elite – better late than never.
But of all the memorable Hussey achievements, one stands out.
There have been thousands of first-class cricketers over the years, but only nine batsmen have cracked three or more triple centuries in their careers – and Mike Hussey is one of them.
In 273 first-class games between 1994 and 2013, Hussey scored 310, 329, and 331* all for Warwickshire, the final triple still a club record.
The other eight are headed by Sir Donald Bradman who in 234 first-class games between 1927 and 1948, scored six triples or better.
Tests – 334 and 304, both at Headingley.
NSW – 340* and 452.
And South Australia – 357 and 369.
Another Australian, Bill Ponsford, in just 162 first-class games from 1920 to 1934, scored four, all for Victoria – 437, 429, 352, and 336.
Former England captain Wally Hammond, in 634 first-class games from 1920 to 1951, also scored four – one for England 336*, and three for Gloucestershire – 317, 302, and another 302.
WG Grace, in 879 first-class games from 1865 to 1906, scored three, two for Gloucestershire – 318* and 301 – and 344 for the MCC.
Graeme Hick, who played 526 first-class games from 1983 to 2008, scored three triples, all for Worcestershire – 405*, 315*, and 303*.
Brian Lara also scored three in his first-class career of 259 games between 1987 and 2007, two for the West Indies – 400* and 375 – and one for Warwickshire – 501* – the first and third being the current world Test and first-class records.
Indian Ravindra Jadeja’s three triples have been posted in just 55 first-class games between 2006 and 2014, all for Saurastra – 320*, 314, and 303*.
And the latest to join the elite is another Indian, Cheteshwar Pujara, who has played only 111 first-class games from 2005 to the present, with two for Saurastra – 352 and 302* – and one for India A – 306*.