It was well worth the wait to see ageless veteran Mike Hussey produce a gem of an innings to kick-start Big Bash League 05 last night at Spotless Stadium.
No more boringly slow over rates at the once long-awaited Test cricket, and no more lack of competitiveness or seeming lack of interest of the West Indies.
And 18,287 fans voted with their feet last night, nearing the capacity 22,000 of Spotless, the home of the Sydney Thunder for the next decade.
If last night was the criteria capacity will be the norm, especially if the Thunder’s quality roster fires like its skipper.
Hussey’s wagon wheel during his unbeaten 80 covered the four points of the compass with 22 singles, seven twos, five boundaries, and four sixes, the last off the final delivery.
It was a superb innings off 59 deliveries for a 40-year-old who played his last Test against Sri Lanka at the SCG in January 2013, his last ODI against Pakistan at Sharjar in September 2012, and is final T20 against the Windies at Colombo in October 2012.
Yet despite his senior years and very little “in the middle” cricket, Hussey can still produce an innings of pure international quality.
The Thunder had never beaten cross-town rivals Sydney Sixes in their seven previous meetings, and never finished out of the bottom two in the last four Big Bash tournaments.
But if Hussey’s support roster can keep up with their skipper, the Thunder is a genuine contender.
And it’s a top shelf roster – Jacques Kallis (40), Shane Watson (34), and three big-hitters Jamaican Andre Russell (27), Aiden Blizzard (31), and Ben Rohrer (34).
But last night they could only muster 77 between them, and they are worth a whole lot more than that. Keeper Chris Hartley wasn’t required last night in the 4-158 scoreline, but he too is a “get on with it” batsman.
To complete the Thunder picture, the attack has plenty of variety and talent with pacemen Kallis, Watson, Gurinder Sandhu, and Clint McKay, with leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed and the very promising 22-year-old offie Chris Green.
So Big Bash 05 is up and running.
Tonight the Adelaide Strikers are at home to the Melbourne Stars. Adelaide have evergreen Brad Hodge, and Sri Lankan legend Mahela Jayawardene the Stars with skipper David Hussey, Kevin Pietersen and Glenn Maxwell.
Tomorrow night it’s the Brisbane Heat at home to the Melbourne Renegades.
Another evergreen, James Hopes, will skipper the Heat with Brendon McCullum and Joe Burns the big hitters, while the Renegades will be led by Aaron Finch, with Chris Gayle and Dwayne Bravo their hitters.
Standby for plenty of fireworks.
dan ced
Guest
I am aware, probably the same time clueless me looked at Dean Jones dominating the shield in his later years and thinking "why won't the selectors pick him". I didn't know his history at the time.
Matthew
Guest
Hussey had been around in the WA State team for a loooooong time before he got his chance in the Aus team.
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
@Ash that's impressive. Can't wait for tonight's game - should be a cracker
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Yay Thunder. Umpires had a bit of a shocker but I quite liked the old intrigue of no DRS.
Ash
Guest
Massive TV ratings 1.25m average & 1.51m peak. Higher than AFL & NRL season openers this year
Ron Swanson
Roar Guru
McCullum ain't playing...he pulled the pins almost a month ago. He tossed the coin in Hamilton this morning. On the other hand you have a plodder like Michael Lumb who plays close to ZERO shots off his pads and looks like a Sat park cricketer when sides bowl to his obvious weakness. How the Sixers saw fit to bring him out again shows whoever their recruitment guys are walk around with a seeing eye dog. Plus he can't catch or field.
dan ced
Guest
I loved M.Hussey the moment he finally made it to the AUS team but I wasn't watching much shield at the time (because the Redback were pathetic and it was shitting me to tears). He is still my favourite, with Klinger in 2nd place. Another thing, Maddinson was pathetic last night! For someone so hyped up, he got utterly embarrassed. He's a big hitter but he's the next S.Marsh of inconsistency and unreliability it seems.
Justin from Canberra
Guest
Hussey is still the best number six batsman in the country. He looks as fit as he's ever been and still on top of his game. A perfect example of the benefit of how resting both body and mind leads to longevity and revitalising.
Red Kev
Roar Guru
The parts I liked the most were when he was stroking the ball 5m or so wide of a fielder and it was just racing to the boundary, Mr Cricket is a freak - he shouldn't still have that sort of timing and placement after being out of the middle for so long. Maybe this year I'll actually be able to cheer the Thunder (picking them in the inaugural season has lead to nothing but disappointment so far).
David Lord
Expert
riddler, if the world was full of Mike Hussey's and Johnathan Thurston's, it would be utopia.
riddler
Guest
great stuff from hussey.. just one of the sportsmen that i really like and admire..