View Full Version : Hussey M. - Lost Mojo
PaddleFoot
27 Feb 2009, 07:51
His 'bad patch' has become a gorilla. What is to be done ?
blackhead&boil
27 Feb 2009, 08:29
first thing to do is to get his weight off his heels. his general balance seems to be all wrong...
superfreak
27 Feb 2009, 08:32
Its got me stuffed why Hussey is batting at 4 and Clarke at 5.....surely its a no brainer to switch them over.
Hussey averages 47 batting at 4 and 55 batting at 5. I dont think he has had the same effect after being moved up the order. Clarke, whilst having struggled at 4 in the past (averages just 16), is the heir apparant to Ponting and needs to bat at 4. You best two batsmen bat at 3 and 4, end of story.
Having Hussey at 5 is also a calming influence as he has the ability to control the innings and right the ship if we strike trouble.
Another idea is to bat North at 4, Clarke at 5 and Hussey 6.....I wouldnt mind if they went with that option.
ECHUCABOY
27 Feb 2009, 10:14
Its got me stuffed why Hussey is batting at 4 and Clarke at 5.....surely its a no brainer to switch them over.
Hussey averages 47 batting at 4 and 55 batting at 5. I dont think he has had the same effect after being moved up the order. Clarke, whilst having struggled at 4 in the past (averages just 16), is the heir apparant to Ponting and needs to bat at 4. You best two batsmen bat at 3 and 4, end of story.
Having Hussey at 5 is also a calming influence as he has the ability to control the innings and right the ship if we strike trouble.
Another idea is to bat North at 4, Clarke at 5 and Hussey 6.....I wouldnt mind if they went with that option.
Yeah we saw Hussey start to get runs in the OD series and I thought he might be getting back to his best. He has always been a nervous starter and is getting out half playing at the ball a lot.
I don't think batting at 4 or 5 should make a difference, were talking about a bloke who has scored a million runs batting everywhere...Hopefully next dig the openers will get a few and allow huss to come in when the balls doing a bit less...he only needs one good knock and he'll be back, his from in the ODI's showed how quickly it can turn.
legend166
27 Feb 2009, 10:45
He's completely lost his cover drive, which is strange, because that was his best shot. If you watch him now, he leaves a lot of wide half volleys that he used to put away for four. He gets completely bogged down and then tries to play the shot, but never commits. The amount of times he's been out playing a weak drive outside the off stump is pretty staggering.
blackhead&boil
27 Feb 2009, 10:53
He's completely lost his cover drive, which is strange, because that was his best shot. If you watch him now, he leaves a lot of wide half volleys that he used to put away for four. He gets completely bogged down and then tries to play the shot, but never commits. The amount of times he's been out playing a weak drive outside the off stump is pretty staggering.
like I said earlier, his weight appears to be on his heels more, which is preventing him from moving towards the ball. during the one day series he started advancing down the pitch a few times and he looked like his old self, getting that forward movement back. now he seems to have lost that again...
IAMDASH
27 Feb 2009, 11:03
Two points:
He has finally come up against a couple of world class bowling attacks and his earlier numbers are being made to look very flattering.
The top order are failing therefore exposing him earlier to quality fast bowling.
Plus he is getting to his mid 30s.
pluga_4
27 Feb 2009, 11:09
his first 22 tests he had an average of 80
the last 13 test he has only averaged 40ish.
i'm guessing if the referral system was in over the aussie summer he would've benefited from it. he did get a few shockers.
hussey isn't getting any younger and it'll be interesting to see if he can finish with a career batting average of 50+.
LIONS then DAYLIGHT
27 Feb 2009, 11:14
I think this is over-reacting, if he fails for the rest of the tour he will still go to the Ashes. His too good a player, we saw in the ODI's that he found some good form so i think this is a bit premature. He got a good ball today on a pitch that had a fair bit in it. He be back with a vengenance in the 2nd innings.
Murph4Captain
27 Feb 2009, 11:49
He should just be moved down to number 5 where he really made his name put Clarke back at 4. Clarke has matured as a batsmen and really looks as if he should be batting at 4. Although Clarke does have to stop going after really wide balls outside off.
Punchy Bassett
27 Feb 2009, 12:53
I think his main problem at the moment is he just doesn't even look like trying to score a run. He just gets very bogged down which seems to be his downfall.
King Elvis
27 Feb 2009, 13:23
He'll come good, no doubt about it.
But I don't mind the idea of putting him back at 5 or 6; he was so dominant there, and really thrived on having the responsibility of shepherding the lower order through the end of the innings.
He's been put under massive pressure now, coming in so earlier, and it really looks like he's struggling to play with any freedom because he's too concerned about trying to anchor in for a long innings.
Belnakor
27 Feb 2009, 13:45
I think his main problem at the moment is he just doesn't even look like trying to score a run. He just gets very bogged down which seems to be his downfall.
he had the same problem in state cricket every so often. He doesn't have the game to score off good deliveries, which means he has to wait for the bad ones, and SA don't dish up that many bad deliveries. So eventually he'll get a wicket-ball and if he is unlucky he's gone without making too many.
Minotaur
27 Feb 2009, 15:47
his first 22 tests he had an average of 80
the last 13 test he has only averaged 40ish.
i'm guessing if the referral system was in over the aussie summer he would've benefited from it. he did get a few shockers.
hussey isn't getting any younger and it'll be interesting to see if he can finish with a career batting average of 50+.
Good question. I think he must finish his career with an average over 50 because the sustained poor form he would need to continue to endure would see him dropped before he averaged dropped below 50. Although, I'm not sure how bad he would need to be and for how long. Also he is a bit too old to make it back I would have thought.
Which makes it quite interesting as to how he will be remember. If he continue to fail in this series and is dropped with an average of 55ish would he be remember as an all time great on the back of those 22 tests.
G. Pollock only played 20 odd tests I think and he is considered amongst the best ever.
Jimmy Adams had a ridiculously high average after 20 tests which then dropped and he is clearly not considered in the best ever.
How would the Huss be remembered?
aussie1st
27 Feb 2009, 15:58
He just needs that one big knock in a test and it should all come back to him hopefully. That's what happened in the ODIs, one good knock and after that the runs started flowing again.
He also had a lot of luck early in his career, especially against this mob the last time he played them home and away.
The axe must surely be about to swing his way, a knee jerk reaction - he should be rested (or attempt to find form in the domestic / suburban comps) and another player brought up for some experience.
crudbucket
1 Mar 2009, 17:53
A golden duck won't help either !
CanonNo1
1 Mar 2009, 18:07
his first 22 tests he had an average of 80
the last 13 test he has only averaged 40ish.
i'm guessing if the referral system was in over the aussie summer he would've benefited from it. he did get a few shockers.
hussey isn't getting any younger and it'll be interesting to see if he can finish with a career batting average of 50+.
Good question. I think he must finish his career with an average over 50 because the sustained poor form he would need to continue to endure would see him dropped before he averaged dropped below 50. Although, I'm not sure how bad he would need to be and for how long. Also he is a bit too old to make it back I would have thought.
Which makes it quite interesting as to how he will be remember. If he continue to fail in this series and is dropped with an average of 55ish would he be remember as an all time great on the back of those 22 tests.
G. Pollock only played 20 odd tests I think and he is considered amongst the best ever.
Jimmy Adams had a ridiculously high average after 20 tests which then dropped and he is clearly not considered in the best ever.
How would the Huss be remembered?
He'll be remembered as a good cricketer. Not a great, but good, which is what he is. Typical media over reaction when he had the average of 100 and now decreasing rapidly. Will finish somewhere between 45 and 55.
2 100's in the past 32 innings
4 ducks in his past 10 innings
Black Thunder
1 Mar 2009, 18:23
well that shot he played tonight was just dreadful. first ball when out of form, is not really the time to be pulling a ball thats pitch on a good length.
although he's still a likely starter for the ashes, he's definetaly no certainty.
Flat track bully, hid behind the likes of Ponting, Hayden, Gilchrist etc, now he has the pressure on, he can't handle it, get rid of now.
Black Thunder
1 Mar 2009, 18:35
his formline now reads:
6 tests, 194 @ 19.40
9 tests, 411 @ 27.4
15 tests, 793 @ 30.50
not particularly pretty unfortunately....
Cooldude
1 Mar 2009, 18:36
If you look at a video of his batting stance when he's scoring runs and a vid of his stance right now, you'd see some big differences. His knees are too stiff and he's standing too upright. He needs to relax, bend his knees more and lower his centre of gravity, which helps him get the weight on the balls of his feet and allows a greater range on his footwork. At the moment his front foot movement's looking hopeless
The Grover
1 Mar 2009, 18:56
We need to persist but he is letting the team down badly against SA, he's the only batsmen who hasn't contributed something against them.
XFactor1979
1 Mar 2009, 19:09
at the way hes going he'll probably average barely above 50 (or even slightly less than) at the end of his career...
a theory to his decline, age? reflexes, technique not the same... oh another asset he had in his prime: his running between wickets, he had that as an asset in one day cricket. it also means his fielding has declined as well
He needs a hug. And I'm prepared to give him one. It hurts seeing Mr Cricket in such a state.
LIONS then DAYLIGHT
1 Mar 2009, 20:06
He'll be fine.
aaronm46
1 Mar 2009, 20:08
shocking shot today. he really seems to be trying too hard and his intensity levels are always extremely high.
also i dont understand how he can come of a MOTS against NZ and suddenly be out of form again
I'm willing to give him until the end of the ashes, or half way through... only because I think the slower wickets and shorter boundaries will help him
I think his main problem at the moment is he just doesn't even look like trying to score a run. He just gets very bogged down which seems to be his downfall.
Agreed he does let the ball go alot as compared to ponting, his feature in his first 2 years was being able to score freely (not quickly) easpecially with the cover drive. Now he seems determined to dig in but he just gets out, he can easily be in for 30 balls but only get bat on ball for 5 or 6 of those.
Get him down to 5 and tell him to get bat on ball.
Nugget1985
2 Mar 2009, 12:40
People forget he has a poor Shield record i think he went maybe four or five seasons where he averaged between thirty and forty.
In county cricket he just slays it. Which is obviously a lesser standard of cricket. It might indicate against the better bowling attacks he just doesn't have the talent to consistently make runs.
As a younger player was never considered a big shot maker. I think that is showing now. What has got him through in other tests is his ability to be positive and turn the strike over and the fact his shot selection was impeccable, that seems to be missing.
Good luck to the bloke, hope he gets some runs because he has worked incredibly hard and done incredibly well.
wce4premiership
3 Mar 2009, 16:55
Another idea is to bat North at 4, Clarke at 5 and Hussey 6.....I wouldnt mind if they went with that option.I like this idea :thumbsu:
if you can remember early on in his career, pull shot got him out a bit then too. both innings of his first game? something like that.
the selectors would never do this, but out: huss, in: mcgain? doing sweet ****-all with the bat, but there's always that hope that he'll turn it around.
A move down the order is an absolute must, particularly if he fails again in the next test at four.
If this occurs and he fails in the last test, then he should be in strife for the Ashes. It's the Australian Test team FFS, and you can't go into a third consecutive series having not made a run without some serious questions being asked.
PaddleFoot
7 Mar 2009, 11:10
Gets a lucky break via Referral . can he take the opportunity ? - reminds me of Mark Taylor in England. Deano dropped him in a warm up game and he scratched out a ton in the test to revive a flagging career ..
He's just got to get a big score .. it's all set up for him.
japaljarri
7 Mar 2009, 12:03
l don;t think he is gone yet, still have faith he will pull himself back in this series. Hoping he scraps his way through to something here and that engenders the confidence to reinvigorate his game.
realsniper09
7 Mar 2009, 12:30
No need to drop him.
I still have more confidence in him than any other batsman we can put in his place. I don't think we need another new-face in the team just yet.
Tripwire
8 Mar 2009, 15:41
Everyone has bad moments, I think he will get back to his usual best before the Ashes. :thumbsu:
Huge moment for Hussey right now. His recent performances have been nothing short of terrible, and he should be by all standards be fighting for his spot as the number four in the Australian Cricket Team (considering this spot has historically been preserved for the best stroke maker in the country).
I'm biased because of my lack of faith in people that insist on wearing zinc cream under lights, with Hussey being one of those (see Andrew Symonds' level of intelligence for a reference point), I just can't see how on recent performances this guy can still be in the side.
If he fights it out and forms some semblance of resistance throughout this innings then yeah, perhaps he should be retained, but if he doesn't he should be given the chop.
LIONS then DAYLIGHT
22 Mar 2009, 02:49
Well if you don't want him in the side, why don't you suggest a replacement so we can evaluate his merit for a place in the side.
It's fine if you don't want him in the side, despite his sensational record, but who would you want to replace him?
DeadlyAkkuret
22 Mar 2009, 03:20
I find it ironic, LtD, that you've had so many differences with Gunnar, yet you're now starting to become just like him.
TorresIsGod
22 Mar 2009, 04:42
Well if you don't want him in the side, why don't you suggest a replacement so we can evaluate his merit for a place in the side.
It's fine if you don't want him in the side, despite his sensational record, but who would you want to replace him?
An equally young bloke.
Bradley John Hodge
Or that other Hussey, apparently he can bat too...
courtjester
22 Mar 2009, 04:50
Well if you don't want him in the side, why don't you suggest a replacement so we can evaluate his merit for a place in the side.
It's fine if you don't want him in the side, despite his sensational record, but who would you want to replace him?
Brad Hodge, Cameron White or Dave Hussey
scottywiper
22 Mar 2009, 09:24
Brad Hodge, Cameron White or Dave Hussey
I think not.
Lets Roar like '44
22 Mar 2009, 09:30
Simple answer- drop him
If his last name was Hodge he would have been dropped before the SA series. Rogers has made plenty of runs, how about rewarding these guys who make century after century
Mario the Lothario
22 Mar 2009, 09:33
Hussey needs a hundred.
Right now.
The Reaper
22 Mar 2009, 10:49
Well if you don't want him in the side, why don't you suggest a replacement so we can evaluate his merit for a place in the side.
It's fine if you don't want him in the side, despite his sensational record, but who would you want to replace him?
Rogers or Ferguson
Rogers is the more logical selection and Ferguson for the long term
wce4premiership
22 Mar 2009, 14:58
Hoping he pulls through here and gets a big score
Offsider
22 Mar 2009, 15:39
He should move down the order for the first two Ashes tests to five or six. If he still does not score runs then he should be replaced with Ferguson or Watson (allrounder).
DoubleO7
23 Mar 2009, 00:05
And his fluctuating form continues.
Only 39 runs this innings to go with his 20 in the first innings.
blackhead&boil
23 Mar 2009, 00:19
not to suggest that he should be dropped, or anything, but ponting seems to have lost a lot of his mojo, too. do you think a bit of a drop down the order might do him some good? perhaps clarke could step up to number 3 for a while and give him a break.
as for hussey, at least he's been getting some starts lately. time in the middle is the best cure for vitamin m deficiency...
not to suggest that he should be dropped, or anything, but ponting seems to have lost a lot of his mojo, too. do you think a bit of a drop down the order might do him some good? perhaps clarke could step up to number 3 for a while and give him a break.
as for hussey, at least he's been getting some starts lately. time in the middle is the best cure for vitamin m deficiency...
Some vitamin R (runs) and vitamin F (form) would do the trick, too. I wouldn't recommend Ponting moving down the order - not yet, anyway.
blackhead&boil
23 Mar 2009, 00:43
Some vitamin R (runs) and vitamin F (form) would do the trick, too. I wouldn't recommend Ponting moving down the order - not yet, anyway.
ponting just seems tired, to me. like he's lost interest in the game. when he's at the crease it doesn't seem as though he is committed to playing a really long innings the way he used to. you need a lot of energy for that task - physical and mental. I would say that clarke actually seems like he's got a bit more get up and go in him than ponting right now...
aussie1st
23 Mar 2009, 07:36
ponting just seems tired, to me. like he's lost interest in the game. when he's at the crease it doesn't seem as though he is committed to playing a really long innings the way he used to. you need a lot of energy for that task - physical and mental. I would say that clarke actually seems like he's got a bit more get up and go in him than ponting right now...
That is exactly what I feel with Ponting, he just looks totally disinterested to the point where he looks like he could call stumps on his career at any point.
Hussey needs to open up a bit more as you can face 150 balls but if you only made 30 odd when you finally get that good ball you have done nothing for the team.
courtjester
23 Mar 2009, 07:58
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Brad
Brad who?
Brad who excels in English cricket conditions and knows how to make big hundreds.
Huh?
Brad who should have played 100 tests by now.
Huh?
Brad Hodge.
Simon_Nesbit
23 Mar 2009, 09:55
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Brad
Brad who?
Brad who excels in English cricket conditions and knows how to make big hundreds.
Huh?
Brad who should have played 100 tests by now.
Huh?
Brad Hodge.
"Brad, you know you're not allowed here. The court order forbids you to be within 200m of the selectors. And stop bloody calling, we've had to change the number 3 times allready."
:D
King Elvis
23 Mar 2009, 13:04
He'll rightly get the first couple of Ashes Test, but if he fails, he's gone.
Sad, because I love the bloke, but at the moment it's terrible watching him out there - he's lost all confidence in himself.
ParaBellum
24 Mar 2009, 00:02
Knock Knock
Who's there?
Brad
Brad who?
Brad who excels in English cricket conditions and knows how to make big hundreds.
Huh?
Brad who should have played 100 tests by now.
Huh?
Brad Hodge.
Wasn't Hussey in that exact position last time we played the Ashes in England?
Jimthegreat
24 Mar 2009, 11:27
not to suggest that he should be dropped, or anything, but ponting seems to have lost a lot of his mojo, too. do you think a bit of a drop down the order might do him some good? perhaps clarke could step up to number 3 for a while and give him a break.
as for hussey, at least he's been getting some starts lately. time in the middle is the best cure for vitamin m deficiency...If Hussey was to be left out maybe pick a 3rd opener to bat at 3 and move Ponting down the order a sport. He's not getting any younger and finding it harder to get starts. Once he does he bats very well. Down the order against the older ball might be great. Just a thought not a definite.
Belnakor
24 Mar 2009, 11:29
Considering the kind of pies the English are dishing up lately, i wouldn't be suprised for Hussey to come roaring back to form.
Clarke isn't good enough for 1st drop. If Hussey gets dropped B.Hodge will slot straight into no.4
Belnakor
24 Mar 2009, 11:31
If Hussey was to be left out maybe pick a 3rd opener to bat at 3 and move Ponting down the order a sport. He's not getting any younger and finding it harder to get starts. Once he does he bats very well. Down the order against the older ball might be great. Just a thought not a definite.
So basically you want Ponting to do a "Tendulkar" and have someone shield him a bit more from the new ball? :)
Ponting's form is a bit worrying, but the other thing is he is throwing away his wicket in the 70s and 80s, something he never used to do... thats mental, not technique.
Cousin Jed
24 Mar 2009, 11:33
Hodge will never be picked for Australia.
ben_cats_fan
24 Mar 2009, 11:39
Hodge will never be picked for Australia.
again*
Miss Cricket
24 Mar 2009, 11:46
As has been Hussey's main problem through the years, he puts too much pressure on himself and he over analyses. I think thats whats happening to him now. he is over thinking it and wavering instead of acting descisively which is what we are used to seeing from him.
I agree about him moving down the order but mainly because I think he thrives under the conditions down there. He is a stubborn, gritty player and when the going gets tough, he gets going. Up the order the collaspse is often including him, so he flounders.
Also it happened with Strauss as we saw during the 06/07 Ashes. Get a couple of shocking desicions and your form just disintergrates. He will come good, he thrives in England and I'm sure he will be back to his peak to face them.
Cousin Jed
24 Mar 2009, 13:10
Seems to have coincided with a drop in usage of the "Mr Cricket" term.
Which came first the chicken or the egg.
Jimthegreat
24 Mar 2009, 13:33
So basically you want Ponting to do a "Tendulkar" and have someone shield him a bit more from the new ball? :)
Ponting's form is a bit worrying, but the other thing is he is throwing away his wicket in the 70s and 80s, something he never used to do... thats mental, not technique.If it works, why not. One of the problems of being older, you're not as sharp.
Ponting like a normal older batsman. Finds it harder to get starts, as the nervous system takes longer to kick in, but when he does he goes right on. Makes him more inconsistent. The last 80 he made we were after quick runs. I was more worried about the 9 he made in the Second Test where he miscued Harris over mid-on only to repeat it and go out the very next ball.