I had been playing indoor cricket for much of my short life, yet by the age of ten outdoor became the one true form of the sport I loved.
Being a bowler, I was never particularly fond of the indoor edition’s enthusiasm for giving batsmen as many chances as they wished to continue batting. And a home Ashes series, which would later become a 4-1 demolition of our greatest enemy, seemed a good place to start paying attention.
But it was around this time my Dad began taking me to Sheffield Shield games for Victoria.
While most were obsessed with the fame and glory associated with playing for the Australian cricket team, and understandably so, I saw the Bushrangers as being a part of a very, very well kept little secret club.
Cricketers who could have just as easily been legends for any number of other national teams worked away modestly, known by only a select few. Games were fought fiercely and down to the wire, with four day games actually being four day games. Players sent down to long on were willing to put up with the inane, possibly irritating questions and conversations offered kids such as myself.
Yet it was only when roughly a year later when David Hussey cemented a spot in the first XI that I knew I was onto something.
And did he burst onto the scene, or what.
In only his second season, chasing 455 in the fourth innings against an opposition led by Steve Waugh, Hussey saw Victoria home with a run-a-ball, unbeaten knock of 212.
Though Waugh was quick to acknowledge the brilliance of what he had just seen, describing Hussey’s efforts as “exceptional”, in the first class cricket arena Hussey would remain for the majority of his career; racking up runs in both Australia and England season to season, continuing to go unnoticed as he regularly averaged over 50 on either side of the world.
It is not difficult to determine why Hussey is such an incredible player to watch from the stands of the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Whether it is the searing power with which he can loft cover drives, not unlike his brother, or the ease with which he can grasp the length of a delivery, rock back and slot it behind point or through square leg with bat movement reminiscent of a world-class fencer; you can take your pick.
Or maybe it is just that, despite all of this, there is still an air of the underdog about the way he plays.
Unfairly thought of as being in the shadow of his older brother when most were, and equally as unfairly pigeonholed as a limited overs expert, it is now looking next to impossible as Hussey ages for him to be finally given his very own baggy green to sit alongside Mike’s.
A one day international career, wherein he was rightly or wrongly selected to take over from Michael Bevan as Australia’s go to man in danger, has also seemingly ended in lieu of a desire to find new young talent.
But the romantic in me, thanks to the selection of workhorse Chris Rogers, has given a glimmer of hope for Hussey’s generation of cricketers.
So as I sit down to watch the Ashes over our frosty winter and the coming Australian summer, I’ll continue to hold hope that another one of cricket’s underdogs and one of the Bushrangers’ best gets his chance to remind us of what could have been.
Cristiane
Guest
Thank you Malin. Yup, those checkers relaly caught my eye. You could say that I like to experiment with different techniques! Would love to learn some more about casting and metal working. I'll look forward to seeing what you come up with for this one.
JGK
Roar Guru
Di Venuto scored more first class runs than any other Australian who never played a Test and is in fact 11th all time, just behind Clive Rice.
Disco
Roar Guru
Your selection process is more complicated than that of the NSP.
Disco
Roar Guru
Heck, just name every shield player from the early '90s.
Disco
Roar Guru
D Hussey should've been picked 2 years ago.
Disco
Roar Guru
Mark Lavender? James Brayshaw?
Aakash bhat
Guest
So in short u think they cnt play at all?
Nudge
Guest
And the duke
Aakash bhat
Guest
They play with duke
Nudge
Guest
Because he's scared of the kookaburra
Aakash bhat
Guest
He can still play this year.If rodgers can play then y not huss
Praveen
Guest
Lehman is my pick
JGK
Roar Guru
You might be right there Bearfax.
Bearfax
Guest
Then again they may not have been good enough doyou think JGK. Garfield who?
Johnno
Guest
David Hussey remember guys is one of the best players, of spin in Australia right now.
Johnno
Guest
And another Australia A team(guys who played only a little test cricket but deserved so much more) Matt Elliot Jamie Cox I will use twice here for this exercise even though he played no test cricket, he was such a good player Stuart Law Darren Lehmann Micheal Bevan Tom Moody Tim Zoehrer Brendon Julian Stuart Clark Simon Cook/or Matt Nicholson Colin Miller (Medium Pace good/ and good off-spin) P.S I have left out Damien Fleming,Paul Reiffell/Kasprowisz/Stuart Mcgill/Greg Blewett of this Australia A team, as even though they could of played more tests injuries/depth etc, still played quite a lot of test cricket even Lehmann did(27 tests) but i'll keep Lehmann in this team. so i consider all those blokes part of the 1st team. And I could off added Andrew Symonds to Australia A but I won't for this exercise , go with Tom Moody as the no 6 and part time bowler. Moddy was a very effective part-time bowler, did the job in the 1999 World ODI cup , and could be a big hitter too. I'd back this Australia A team to beat the current test team.
Johnno
Guest
Check this out for a game Australia A 1990'S (guys who never wore baggy green VS Aussy test team today Dean Hills Jamie Cox Murray Goodwin Jamie Siddons Jimmy Maher David Hussey Wade Seccombe/ or Ryan Campbell(for his batting) but Seccombe could Bat Ian Healy standard/style Shane George Greg Rowell Wayne Holdsworth David Freedman 12th man Micheal Di Venuto Aussy team now Chris Rogers Ed Cowan Phil Hughes Shane Watson Micheal Clarke Matt Wade (As a no 6 specialist batsmen) Brad Haddin (Wicket-keeper) and aging in mid-30's James Pattison Mitchell Starc Ryan Harris(Ryan Harris by the way now is 33 and a half 34 in October) Nathan Lyon 12th man Jackson Bird That would be one hell of a close game
AnthonyDArcy
Guest
If there's ever a time to sneak into the batting lineup, I feel like it's either now or before the summer starts.
AnthonyDArcy
Guest
And they were all pretty stiff, weren't they? Haha, like I said above, my title had no claim about Hussey being the best to not wear the baggy green. Just hoping he one day gets to.
AnthonyDArcy
Guest
Failing to select one of Voges, Bailey or Hussey (who, given the article I've just written is obviously my pick of the three) is a pretty big blunder in my opinion. Any of the three would've brought leadership and stability to our trainwreck of a middle order and reduced the pressure on Hughes/Khawaja.