When people think of the all time greats of cricket, they think about the likes of WG Grace, Sir Donald Bradman, Garry Sobers, Viv Richards, Ian Botham, Sachin Tendulka, Brian Lara, Shane Warne and Ricky Ponting.
To me, as a proud, cricket loving Australian, I also think of the Chappels, the Waughs, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath and, as a left-armer myself, Mitchell Johnson!
But the one name man who never gets put into this group of brilliant cricketers is a man whose nickname features the game itself.
Michael Hussey, also known as Mr Cricket, is one of the best cricketers I have ever seen live.
Whether in the field or with the bat, he was (and by his recent form in the Big Bash, still is) the fastest and most energetic player I have seen, and quite a few would agree.
Hussey performed for his country almost every time it was needed, particularly in the 2005/6 Boxing Day Test against South Africa when he combined with Glenn McGrath for a 107 run last wicket partnership which saved Australia from a huge first innings deficit and eventually the Aussies won the game.
Although most will remember when Hussey completely lost sight of a ball in the air against South Africa at another Boxing Day Test (the sight of Hussey running around in circles was humorous), it certainly didn’t show how skilled Hussey actually was in the field.
Hussey was one of the best gullies going around, and took some of the most important catches for Australia in his time.
His stats show he had a pretty good Test career, with 6235 runs at 51.52. The astonishing thing about Hussey’s career was that after the first two years of his Test career, he averaged 81.86!
His average of 51 could easily line-up with the players I mentioned above as it is higher than Richards’ and just below Ponting’s (by around 0.30).
You may say that Hussey has an advantage for his average because he played half the amount of games as Ponting or Richards, but it is no mean feat he had an average over 50 at the end of his 79 Tests.
And although Hussey is 38-years-old, he still captains and stars for the Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash League and plans to play Sheffield Shield cricket if his body lets him.
With all that said, Hussey could still play for the Australian T20 and ODI teams.
Although Michael Hussey was never my favourite player, he was the one that Australia could almost always rely on when times were tough and when we were three down for nothing.
And although it is a tad bit late (just a tad), congratulations on a brilliant career, I hope you will be remembered among the greats – as you should be.
DubbleBubble
Guest
He didn't deserve to be. He hadn't performed well enough in Shield to be considered up to that point. His Shield average up until his late 20's was under 40 and that simply wasn't good enough to warrant inclusion in an Australian team of such strength. His first class record is inflated by his County cricket career.
Max Willis
Roar Pro
Hussey made 2 or 3 double tons in England playing for Northamptonshire. That is a pretty fine effort.
Mits
Guest
I think Hussey (deservedly) will mentioned alongside the names of Steve Waugh, Allan Border, Hayden, Clarke, etc (plus a whole lot of blokes pre 1970 there isn't space to include). Greg Chappell and Ponting occupy a class of their own and then there's Bradman looking down at everyone from his lofty perch. Even though there is only .3 difference in average between Huss and Punter, the majority of Ponting's innings were made at the most difficult position and often in tricky circumstances thus more weight should be given
JGK
Roar Guru
It's much harder for a No 5 or 6 to get a double ton. In any case, Hussey's best is only a couple of runs short. If you exclude someone from being great on the basis that they haven't scored a double then you would exclude Herbert Sutcliffe as well.
Nick
Roar Guru
Hussey scored 2/3 of his centuries at home. Hussey never scored a double century. A double century should be a one of several mandatory criteria for test greatness. A double century implies total authority over a bowling attack and the ultimate example of stamina in a test match.
Johnno
Guest
so guts and calm under pressure is not important part of batting ability, like Justin Langer, and Greg Matthews. Something a dasher with far more natural abiltiy Kieren Pollard has shown to lack at test level, and cleary Micheal Bevan too. You can't ignore Greg Matthews statistics of a test batting average of 41 4 centuries, vs Micheal Bevans test batting average of just 29, no centuries. And Matthews played some big innings like in the tied test got a gusty 50, as well as taking 10 wickets in the Tied Test of 1986 in 50 degree heat in Chennai.
ozinsa
Guest
Lara was a genius but I won't hear of him being unselfish (implied by the reference to Hussey being selfish). He scored runs against piss poor attacks on roads when he needed to recapture the highest score in tests and set aside his teams' interests in doing so. He slaughtered great attacks when he had a mind to do so. Alternatively, he failed to turn up if he woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Probably more talented than anybody bar Bradman but give me Ponting, Tendulkar and even Hussey any day of the week to play in a team day in and day out.
ozinsa
Guest
Stats/schmats. Bevan could bat rings around Matthews. If we go simply on statistics, Bevan was infinitely better test bowler than Matthews (29 wickets at 24.24 vs 61 at 41.22). Bevan failed to make the runs he should have at test level and Matthews, gutsy little bastard he was, outperformed. If your view on cricket is limited to statistics and you can't judge players on observed (or that written by others) skill then you come up with joke lists like yours above. I won't invest the time but there are 30 players worthy of mention ahead of some of the guys you list above. How does Bradman get a run (1928-48) and you fail to mention anybody else who played before 1970? Was there a time limit or did you simply google batting averages and ignore helmets, covered pitches, comparative averages (against others in their time)?
Johnno
Guest
I said test batsmen ozinsa. You do know Mo Matthews has a test test batting average of 41, and Micheal Bevan has a test batting average of 29, don't you. And I said Test batting, not ODI. Look at the avarages who is higher ozinsa. It's not Micheal Bevan. Oh and please don't pull out the Bevan played not test cricket line to establish himself. Mo Matthews played 42 tests got 4 hundreds, Bevan played tests 0 centuries. So Bevan had plenty of time to get establish himself and even get a century. So the he played no test cricket line has no basis. Matt Elliot played 21 tests and even got 3 centuries at an average of 39, I'd at least expect Bevan to off got 1 century. Failed.
ozinsa
Guest
Johnno, you're having a laugh right? Dave Warner to move to Tier 1? katich and Boof in Tier 3? Greg Matthews anywhere in a list of Australian batsmen? Ahead of Bevan?
Johnno
Guest
JGK Huss played 7 years of test cricket that's long enough. If you can play 30 tests that's fine for me. Or in the modern game say 50 to get an accurate indicator. 7 years straight of test cricket is fine for me. Gilchrist played only 8. 7 is more than long enough.
JGK
Roar Guru
Longevity must be one element of real greatness and the Huss doesn't have that. I do love the guy though.
Eliot Bingham
Roar Pro
"Sachin Tendulka" ***Sachin Tendulkar Sorry but it had to be done. Good article though.
dan ced
Guest
I'd still have both Hussey's in the AUS T20 team. Mike Hussey was my favourite batsman after Steve Waugh retired, and since he is still playing (BBL and potentially shield) I don't have to pick a new favourite batsman.
Brian
Guest
I totally disagree. Was a good player but hardly great. He only played at his peak which inflated his average. He batted 5 and 6 which are the easiest position in Australia. He didn't even go on a successful tour of India or England. He selfishly batted 6 in his last year denying that valuable spot for a young player to be groomed for further indian and english 2013 tours. Lots of players have good runs is Phil Hughes a great. Ponting, Lara batted in tough spots against all comers and produced. If the article is a tribute then yes huss was energetic and seens like a good bloke but if serious he is not in the class of the greats.
Aransan
Guest
The pity with Michael Hussey is that he wasn't selected to play for Australia several years earlier.
Matt h
Guest
Don't forget tier two - Bill Lawry
Adam Julian
Roar Guru
Anybody with a test batting average of over 50, especially after 137 innings, is headed towards the class of greatness. With a minimum of 20 innings, Hussey has the 10th highest one day international batting average of all time to. His runs were scored at strike rate of a little over 87! His stroke range, ability to get his team out of trouble, really dominate attacks, and use his feet against spinners was world class. The only question mark about Mr, Cricket's legacy is that he only averaged 32 in South Africa and 31 in England, Why so low against the two best teams of his era? In saying that Shane Ware averaged 47 with the ball in India and nobody would doubt his greatness, so I am being too picky, Mr. Cricket was one of the best, no doubt about it!
Ragav
Guest
Michael Hussey is definitely a great batsman and is as good as Ponting or any other Australian batsman after Don Bradman. His versatility, shot selection, skills in shielding the tail, performance against pace or spin makes him the most all round cricketer and one of the very few to succeed in all 3 formats. He will be considered a legend in the years to come. I remember Ponting saying around 2009-2010 that Michael Hussey deserved to be mentioned in the same breath as the best batsmen produced by Australia in last 25 years. He single handedly fought against England in the Ashes 2010-11 when no other Australian batsman turned up which is a huge credit to him.
Johnno
Guest
stats are misleading in life. Ian Chappell was the old school Ice-man, before Steve Waugh rocked up, and hardened up after the windies roughed the young kid up in the 80's. -Bradman is in his own Ivory Tower, the Emporer has no clothes status, then the rest. -Tier 1 aussy bats: Ian and Greg Chappell, Bob Simpson,Alan Border,Steve Waugh,Micheal Clarke,Ponting -Tier 2 David Boon, Mark Waugh,Martyo,Mike Hussey,Gilchrist,Hayden.Slats,Justin Langer,the enigmatic and talented Kim Hughes -Tier 3 Dave Warner but will rise to Tier 1 one day, Haddin,Katich,Boof -Tier 4: Watto,Chris Rogers, Geoff Marsh, Matt Elliot but had the talent to be much higher,same with Greg Blewett so talented what a start he had to his test career, the flawed but also highly talented Andrew Symonds, Greg Matthews test average of 40, 4 centuries, -Tier 5 Bevan could of been so much higher, oh how i wished he kicked on in tests.