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He’s Australia’s Twenty20 gun but his elevation to regular one-day international player has come very late in his career.
However, for David Hussey his timing has been superb, producing a brilliant all-round performance in the ODI series against England to give himself the perfect preparation for his maiden World Cup campaign.
The 33-year-old’s double of 236 runs at 47.20 and seven wickets at 19.42 helped deliver the home side a 6-1 series win over the Poms as Australia take some confidence into their title defence on the subcontinent.
Hussey, who had only taken three wickets in his previous 23 ODI matches before this summer’s England series, assumes a key role with his off-spinners with Australia taking only one specialist slow bowler, Jason Krejza, in their 15-man World Cup squad.
Victoria’s Hussey is also carrying the hopes of the family after the late withdrawal of brother Mike, 35, with a hamstring injury.
“Every time you play for Australia, there’s lots of pressure involved,” David Hussey told a press conference in Bangalore on Saturday.
“Going into a World Cup, the pressure’s intense and it’s one I’m looking forward to.
“It’s disappointing not to have Mike here, but I know back home he’s supporting us.
“He’ll be watching every ball from his armchair in Perth.
“The one-day series against England was sort of a breakthrough series for me. I really enjoyed it.
“I had a little bit of success but I was more happy with the six-one result.
“I really enjoyed bowling in the one-day format.”
The ultra-competitive Hussey, a street-fighter who loves a challenge with bat or ball, knows that the big hitters will be coming for him throughout the six-week tournament to be hosted by Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India.
“It’s enjoyable to get in a contest with a batter who’s trying to hit you for as many runs as possible,” smiled Hussey, who was crowned on Monday in Melbourne as Australia’s T20 International Player of the Year.
“For me to help out (vice-captain) Michael Clarke and (skipper) Ricky Ponting with say five or seven overs a game will be invaluable and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Australia’s opening World Cup warm-up game is against India on Sunday in Bangalore, followed by a second and final warm-up clash with South Africa on Tuesday, also in Bangalore.
Ponting’s men will play six games in Group A, starting with their match against Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad on February 21.
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