What you wouldn’t give to have a few more Michael Husseys in this Australian batting order now. “Vintage form” doesn’t do his current Ashes series justice.
517 runs at an outstanding average of 103.4 is a good indication, sure, and even more so when you realise that’s nearly 45 better than the next best, Shane Watson (293 at 58.6).
The truth is that without Mike Hussey, Australia may very well have surrendered the Ashes already, so it’s a sobering thought, now, to recall that he was probably only one more failure away from being dropped in November.
It’s scary to think what might have been had that happened.
And if you’re not scared by that thought, then consider this one.
Hussey’s 517 accounts for Michael Clarke, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting, Marcus North, Steve Smith, and Phillip Hughes combined. Himself. By more than a hundred.
Clone him by Christmas, for goodness sakes!
On Day 3, as he did on the corresponding day in Brisbane, Hussey led the way as Australia set up a difficult, but not impossible target for England.
His batting in this crucial innings was right off the top shelf, exactly what the situation required.
When he had to dig in and defend, he dug as deep as he possibly could. When he needed to come up and attack, he launched everything he had. The ABC Radio commentary team discussed a stat raised by their BBC colleagues, that Hussey played 17 pull shots to reach his century, and nailed every one of them.
Some of them were outright brutal, with none were better than the shot he brought up the hundred with. From the moment the ball met the middle of the bat, it was four of the best in front of square leg, and the celebrations began straight away.
I said of his pull shot after his Brisbane hundred that it was like watching the Mike Hussey of 2006/07, and that’s still the case now.
Whereas in England for the Pakistan series, he looked to be a little late on the shot, right at the moment, he’s seeing it so early that he’s almost hitting it right of the bowlers hand. Generally Steve Finn’s, it seems.
Hussey has been the Australian side’s Rock of Gibraltar, their immovable object, their irresistible force.
But at the same time, he’s the ham in the sandwich and the literal glue holding them together.
So solid and dependable has he been this series, that the calls to drop him have been quickly replaced by calls for him to move to the top of the order.
However, this would undermine that middle order rock. In a classic case of weakening an obvious strength, moving Hussey to the top would leave the middle order even more vulnerable than it already is.
In the same way I maintain Australia now can’t afford to move Watson down the order, Australia can afford to move Hussey up the order even less.
I don’t hide that fact that watching Hussey bat is something I can do all day (I did, in Brisbane, and it was excellent). However, even I was starting to wonder about his place in the side before this Ashes Series commenced.
I did say at the time though, that I know who I’d want batting for my life, and fortunately, the Australian selectors felt the same way. And as it turns out, he has been batting for Australia’s life in this series.
While a few of his teammates will face, or have already felt the selectors’ axe, Hussey now has surely earned the right to play out his career on his terms.
Should the Australian side go on to win this Third Test, as would seem highly likely with England still needing 310 runs with only five wickets in hand, several of his top order teammates would do well to take an extra Christmas present to Melbourne.
And if Santa is reading, a couple of Mike Hussey clones would do me nicely.
Lolly
Guest
He can hit, but I wouldn't call him an all-rounder. Johnson looks classier than him with the bat in hand, but I wouldn't call him an all-rounder either.
JohnB
Guest
FP - my impression was similar to yours but looking at the Qld cricket site, he averages just under 20 in first class cricket for both Qld and SA, which I think puts him in the tail-ender who can bat a bit category, rather than the bowling all-rounder category. Season by season he's been pretty consistently in that high teens to low 20s range too, so perhaps your (and my) impression is based on him occasionally coming good and not only hitting 50s (3 for SA, 2 for Qld) but going on to turn some of them into 80s and 90s.
Fisher Price
Guest
The six for was a good reward but I’d prefer not to see the glare and the finger aimed at the various press boxes by way of retribution. Spot on. He doesn't display much humility. On Harris's batting, my recollection is that he was a bonafide allrounder in his early first-class/list A days for SA. In the past few years, his bowling seems to have been the focus, so it's possible his batting has regressed in that time.
Bayman
Guest
It seems like only a month ago we, er, I, was calling for Hussey to join me in the stands. Now it seems he has broken a 133 year old Ashes record - six consecutive scores over 50 - and made more runs in a series than he ever has before with two Tests still to play. Given the form of everybody else in the top order, Watson excepted, I'm mighty glad to have old Huss in the lineup. Poor old Watto still seems to have a mental block about those nineties so that seems to be the next hurdle to overcome. Mind you, not a bad hurdle as hurdles go. Of course, it could have been worse for Watson given his first Test century arrived on the back of a dropped catch on 99! Now, where were we? The rest of the boys in the top six seem a little shaky - still. Ponting cannot take a trick and is struggling. Not so much for form as for scores. MIracle catches and the like. Of course, it should be noted that Collingwood was placed in the cordon precisely because the skipper edged a four through there, waist high, and then guided the very next ball straight to Collingwood on the bounce. An over later, the miracle catch, but it had been three balls hit in exactly the same spot in about six received so perhaps Ponting was more optimistic than unlucky. The selection of Hughes surprised me given he has not made a run all year - and didn't look like getting any in the Test match. In Melbourne, I assume, England will be looking at Ponting very early again (provided he is fit, of course). I would love to see Hughes get a score but I worry about his mental approach. Personally, I believe his technique is less of a problem than his shot selection and repeated failures will be adding pressure to that particular aspect of his cricket. As for Clarke, well, he has a few issues on his plate. His second innings 80 in Adelaide was a very good knock but getting out at the death on day four highlighted a not unfamiliar lack of "hardness". My mate in the new stand had only just finished telling me about it when Clarke got himself out to Pietersen. For the rest of the time he has struggled to get going and his out shot in the Perth second dig was a little ordinary for a player of his record and ability. Add the pressure of captaincy, if Ponting does not come up, and we'll soon see if Clarke does indeed lack that hardness I mentioned. Smith at six was only marginally better than North has been but he offers much more of an upside. I'm sure his batting will get better but his 36 in this recent game was chancy at best. Now all he needs to do is remember not to leave his bat in the periscope position when ducking and not to fan his bat on the leg side when stepping inside a short one - perhaps he was just following his captain's example! The two strike bowlers did the job and Johnson surprised us all, I suspect, by getting the cherry to move around. How did that happen and where did it come from? Hopefully, more of the same in Melbourne but this is Johnno we're talking about so let's just wait and see. The six for was a good reward but I'd prefer not to see the glare and the finger aimed at the various press boxes by way of retribution. After all, it wasn't the press box bowling like crap for the last year or so - it was you Johnno! Enjoy your wins, Mitchell, but you have no right to give people a serve until you've done it again, and again, consistently - not once every year or so! On to Melbourne with renewed energy and hope. I'm still a little nervous given Hussey and Watson made 211 of our second innings 309 so I'm hoping no let down from those two or we could still be in strife. Test cricket, however, is alive and well. They've won one, we've won one and there's two to play. The dynamics have changed, yet again, and it remains to be seen if England can recover as we did after the Adelaide hiding. I suspect we will need a contribution from Ponting, Clarke, Hughes, Siddle et al to back up Perth but hope springs eternal. I'd also like to see Harris bat a bit better than he's shown so far given he has a couple of first class nineties to his credit. Happy with his 6/47 though.
Fisher Price
Guest
Sorry, but was Hussey was not pushing those guys for a spot. He was struggling badly for WA for a few seasons, even after having to move from the opening position.
Brett McKay
Expert
It's also worth noting that Hussey very nearly lost his WA contract in his mid-20s too, so for him to turn it around to the point that he became the player he is now is a testament to the man..
betamax
Roar Guru
Hussey was good enough in his 20's but had (marginally) better player ahead of him in the pecking order back then. Lets not forget how hard it was to crack the Australian side back when we had Hayden, Martyn, Langer, the Waughs etc roaming the earth. Thems the breaks. Some fantastic Aussie cricketers have failed even to get 1 baggy green back in those halcyon days.
mickh
Guest
You're an abrasive character Mr Price. Do you smile often?
Fisher Price
Guest
Well, it's not as if he didn't play cricket in his 20s! So, if he was better, yes, he could have been, um, a better player.
Ranger
Guest
Great player Hussey. How old was he when he made his debut for Australia ? 29-30 I think. Such a waste. Could have been an all time great like Sachin or Lara.
Brett McKay
Expert
Just an update on Ponting's injury, this through from CA this morning: Cricket Australia medical staff today provided an update on Australian captain Ricky Ponting following an x-ray on his left hand last night. Cricket Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: “Ricky Ponting had an x-ray last night that has confirmed a small fracture of his left little finger. A decision on whether he will field today will be made during the team warm up this morning at the WACA.” Clarke has led the team out onto the field though, so that answers that...
MrKistic
Roar Rookie
Fair enough that moving Hussey up to open does mess with the order, but it wouldn't change the fact that he's already coming in to face the new ball with the failures at the top. And don't tell me Clarke wouldn't make a lot more runs when there was already a decent score on the board! Watching Hussey & Watson batting so well in their partnership, I'd be happier having that for openers than at 3 down. I don't see how having Hussey opening and Khawaja at 5 for this test could possibly have been any worse than having Hughes open. Anyway, with Ponting possibly missing boxing day now, perhaps you could get your wish - we've got another Hussey available here in Melbourne you know.
Brett McKay
Expert
Lolly, by now, I reckon Hussey's seeing it like a hot-air balloon!! Mind you, I said that about Cook after Adelaide and look what's happened to him since. So yeah, like a beach ball.....
Lolly
Guest
One other thing, he must be seeing it like a beach ball. He has been so confident and aggressive. If they move him in the order to protect someone else (who might be better off 'rotated'), I may just put my laptop through a window.
Lolly
Guest
He's been stupendous, really quite stupendous amongst the continual wreckage of the top 6 (barring Watson's handy half tons) but it is a real worry when he finally goes cheaply. I just don't know where the runs are coming from if he doesn't do this Superman routine every innings.