Where does Hussey rate?

[trickyonne]

I think he is one of the greats. Fantastic international career considering his late start.

 

[damochandler]

One thing with Huss, and he isn't on his pat malone here, he was a far better test cricketer than he was a shield cricketer.

He was a top quality shield cricketer, but not one you sit back and go 'wow' this guy is going to be a star at test cricket

I always thought he could hold down a spot - but averaging over 50 in test cricket I would never have guessed.

I look back at our lat 90's batting line-up of

Campbell
Hussey
Langer
Martyn
Moody
Katich
Gilchrist
Hogg
Julian

That batting line-up would be the equal of most gun test sides


then i look at our current line-up and sigh.

that 5 year period, where they played in 4 straight shield finals. martyn, langer and hussey dominated shield cricket

 

[Carbine Chaos]

that 5 year period, where they played in 4 straight shield finals. marty, langer and hussey dominated shield cricket

Great Scott!

 

[damochandler]

Great Scott!

they had a pretty good outfit. 97 was the one that hurt the most i am tipping. moody was the only one that performed in that final.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

That's a great line up. Australian cricket is strong when WA is strong. I am sure it won't be long until you guys are producing good cricketers again.

Don't hold your breath

Something is wrong all the way back to grade cricket.

We have only produced one new shield quality quick in 15 years (Dorey) - that was shield quality, let alone test quality. Coulter-Nile might be our 2nd.

That's a huge gulf of talent right there. How can you go through 15 years and produce only one half-decent bowler. And that one not even coming through the normal development ranks.

There was a tweet that Huss was going back to captain WA next year. Hopefully he and Langer can impart the professionalism on the squad (and state) as to what it requires to be successful. And that doesn't involve drug benders in Fremantle night spots.

 

[Black Diamond]

I found that Martyn was underrated for so much of his career. People seemed to be writing him off unjustifiably for almost the entire time he was in the team. A bit like Clarke in that sense. Interesting to see that people still view Martyn's career in the same way even after he retired. He was a very good player, no doubt about that in my mind.

I think dan warna was talking about when Martyn came back in to the side for Hodge for the series in SA in 2006. Martyn's performances in the Shield of the '05-06 summer weren't good at all. Of course, he stuck around in the team until the second test of the next Ashes but never really got going again.

 

[FlowersByIrene]

Personally
Hussey is my absolute hero, an icon
If i was to personally choose an all time batting line up
Obviously Bradman is first
Then id seriously consider Hussey as the second pick, i absolutely love him

 

[ColinWood]

Once given the opportunity at top level he was elite. Shame it took so long for him to be selected. Performance aside, his approach (good character/ attitude) has been critical to the whole team. A man of substance who will be sorely missed (& who I have always had a slight crush on! N.b I'm female)

 

[Hodgepodge]

I think he'll be rated alongside Matthew Hayden, but you could rate him higher than that even. I'd rate him just below Steve Waugh on account of his timely retirement.

 

[DIG]

I think he'll be rated alongside Matthew Hayden, but you could rate him higher than that even. I'd rate him just below Steve Waugh on account of his timely retirement.

Yeah I reckon Hayden's the closest and best match when trying to find a recent Aussie player to compare Hussey to - statswise at least.

I'd personally have Hayden marginally ahead - to average over 50 with 30 tons opening was superb - but it's lineball.

In one dayers I'd put him with Bevan, maybe slightly behind - they played the same role.

 

[Partridge]

One that is often overlooked is the hundred he scored at the Adelaide Oval against the West Indies earlier that summer. He was coming off a hundred in his second game at Hobart. Clarke was dropped, Langer came back in from injury and Hussey was shifted to five. We had a middle/lower order collapse and he rocketed to 133 not out putting together sizeable partnerships with MacGill and McGrath.

Vividly remember that. That was the single worst captaincy I've ever, ever seen by a bowling side at Test level. Hussey had barely come in, and Chanderpaul put everyone back on the fence, when he had tailenders to support him. If you ever wanted evidence at how ridiculous that "tactic" is, that game was ironclad proof. Only thing Chanderpaul could have done to make it easier for Hussey was use a tennis ball.

 

[DrMike]

Not sure where to post this, does anyone have a link to the tribute video they played during the Sydney test for Hussey?

 

[worbod]

An interesting contrast in Hussey's ability was the county game he played for Northamptonshire versus Essex, July 27-30, 2001. He scored his first triple century, making 329 not out in 614 minutes as Northants racked up 6-633 declared. Essex batted well enough that they set Northants 95 to win, but they only had 15 overs remaining to do it. Hussey blasted 70 not out off 33 balls to achieve the victory, reaching his 50 off 22 balls.

 

[Zach Package]

An interesting contrast in Hussey's ability was the county game he played for Northamptonshire versus Essex, July 27-30, 2001. He scored his first triple century, making 329 not out in 614 minutes as Northants racked up 6-633 declared. Essex batted well enough that they set Northants 95 to win, but they only had 15 overs remaining to do it. Hussey blasted 70 not out off 33 balls to achieve the victory, reaching his 50 off 22 balls.

jesus, i knew about the triple century, but that is just a testament to his versatility.
Was he opening the innings back then?

 

[worbod]

Yes he opened for Northamptonshire that season. 2001 was when Hussey made over 2000 runs at an average of 79 but wasn't chosen as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year because Wisden were using their short-lived policy of choosing cricketers based on worldwide performances, not just within England.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Fantastic batman in home conditions, average away.

So much this. Good on the flat tracks of Australia and Asia, but found seriously wanting in South Africa and England. Did well to cash in on enough soft runs to get his Test average over 50.
quote="Scotland, post: 26761393, member: 25352"]Has made test hundreds in England, India, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh...[/quote]

His England ton was a nothing innings in a match that had been all but decided.

 

[The Speaker]

So much this. Good on the flat tracks of Australia and Asia, but found seriously wanting in South Africa and England. Did well to cash in on enough soft runs to get his Test average over 50.

His England ton was a nothing innings in a match that had been all but decided.

Average player by your estimation, then.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

He is nothing special in terms of test matches. His average flatters him.

 

[The Speaker]

He is nothing special in terms of test matches. His average flatters him.

Better or worse than Neil Harvey?

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

I never saw Neil Harvey play so no idea.

 

[The Speaker]

I never saw Neil Harvey play so no idea.

Neil Harvey is generally regarded as an Australian great. He's in the Hall of Fame. He was in the Australian team of the century.

His average over four tours of England was just under 34. Hussey's average in his only Ashes tour was 34.50.

In fact, Harvey's average of 48.41 is a result of smashing South Africa and India. Which would make him nothing special in terms of Test matches either, by your terms. So, is Hussey deserving of similar accolades to Harvey? Or would they both be undeserving?

 

[Super Hans]

He is nothing special in terms of test matches. His average flatters him.

Averaging anything over 50 is great. What's your knock on him? Cause to make a huge call like that you need to back it up.

I'd have Huss ahead of Martyn but just behind Hayden. He gets extra points for leaving on his terms.

 

[yabsy]

So much this. Good on the flat tracks of Australia and Asia, but found seriously wanting in South Africa and England. Did well to cash in on enough soft runs to get his Test average over 50.
quote="Scotland, post: 26761393, member: 25352"]Has made test hundreds in England, India, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh...

His England ton was a nothing innings in a match that had been all but decided.[/quote]



Well, in Hussey's first Test Tour of South Africa in 2006 he made scores of 6, 14*, 75, 73 & 89 @ 64.25.
Also, that final innings of 89 in Joburg was in a chase of 292. Hussey stepped in to open when Langer was injured and helped lay the platform with Martyn for one of our more memorable overseas test victories.

You gotta ask yourself the question why is he rated so highly on this forum? The reasons are obvious and the stats are there to back it up.

 

[Bond.ShaneBond]

Neil Harvey is generally regarded as an Australian great. He's in the Hall of Fame. He was in the Australian team of the century.

His average over four tours of England was just under 34. Hussey's average in his only Ashes tour was 34.50.

In fact, Harvey's average of 48.41 is a result of smashing South Africa and India. Which would make him nothing special in terms of Test matches either, by your terms. So, is Hussey deserving of similar accolades to Harvey? Or would they both be undeserving?

I know who Neil Harvey is, and how he is regarded, but I never saw him play. I don't review movies that I haven't seen, why would I review players I haven't seen?

Averaging anything over 50 is great. What's your knock on him? Cause to make a huge call like that you need to back it up.

I'd have Huss ahead of Martyn but just behind Hayden. He gets extra points for leaving on his terms.

I thought I did back it up. If I wasn't clear, the reason I am not as big on him are his failures in South Africa and England. To me, these are the toughest tours for modern batsmen and failing in both countries is a big asterix. As I said, he did well to average 52. He padded his numbers in Australia by cashing in against some pop-gun attacks. Good for him.

Well, in Hussey's first Test Tour of South Africa in 2006 he made scores of 6, 14*, 75, 73 & 89 @ 64.25.
Also, that final innings of 89 in Joburg was in a chase of 292. Hussey stepped in to open when Langer was injured and helped lay the platform with Martyn for one of our more memorable overseas test victories.

You gotta ask yourself the question why is he rated so highly on this forum? The reasons are obvious and the stats are there to back it up.

No doubt he had a great test match in Langer's 100th. But he was dismal on his next two tours of South Africa once Steyn and Morkel showed up. One out of three isn't good enough, if Hussey had one good home summer out of every three he would have been dropped.

Personally I think the stats back up my argument. To put it in perspective, of players still playing Tests, I prefer the following ahead of Hussey:
Clarke, Smith, Amla, Kallis, De Villiers, Tendulkar, Cook, KP, Chanderpaul.

 

[Sea fog]

Hussey is a very good player who applies himself but I think batting in a tougher era would certainly have averaged less. He prospered early in his career with quite a bit of luck and not insignificant skill. However the times in England and South Africa when he was found out. His dropping down the batting order helped him but he still looked vulnerable against pace in recent times. Lucky for him he's mainly played some powerpuff attacks at home and even against SA this year two of the tests were on pitches which blunted the pacement.

Great ornament to the game overall but think an average north of 50 does flatter him.