Michael Hussey - best ODI batsman in the world?

[Craig]

Yeah go back over the last few years he would play very well suring the Pura Cup season and then get an ACB/Cricket Australia contract, go to England become a run glutton, come back to Australia play like crap and lose his contact, then go to England and repeat process, then comeback to Australia and score heavily as well, and geniunely repeat process until now.

Really until the Waugh's were vacated there wasn't a spot for him.

[shortpitched713]

I'd go so far as to say hes also the best Test player in the world right now. Hes scored over a thousand runs at over 70. What more can you ask from him.

[pasag]

I'd also say he's the best fielder in the world atm.

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by pasag

I'd also say he's the best fielder in the world atm.

And the best bowler too...

(Well why not? )

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Worst captain in the world. He lost to the West Indies. Pathetic. Drop him. (please )

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Mr Mxyzptlk

Worst captain in the world. He lost to the West Indies. Pathetic. Drop him. (please )

His captaincy was distinctly average, but I think we'll hang on to him anyway.

[Great Birtannia]

Originally Posted by Steulen

That's becoming a bigger mystery by the day. How can someone so good be ignored for so long?

Made lots of runs in England but never piled them up for WA to the same extent as Lehmann and the others that came before him did in Australian domestic cricket.

[Slow Love™]

Originally Posted by age_master

Bevan batted selfishly in alot of the innings he did play, particularly later in his career.

I wouldn't quite say that - I think it was more the case that he lost his mojo (albeit temporarily, maybe if you consider his Tasmanian domestic career).

But Bevo always had a problem when the scoring rate needed to escalate into the 9-10 run an over range, because he wasn't a real power hitter. IMO, as the batting lineup got stronger and stronger, he became substantially less important to our fortunes. The pace of scoring in general has just accelerated a great deal in recent years, and the times suited him less. Mind you, he frequently had a tendency to get a little bogged down early in his innings, sometimes getting temporarily stuck hitting straight to fielders before he started picking the gaps.

So, what are people's opinions as to how Hussey fared with the captaincy (in some kind of detail) today? I didn't see any of the match... Did he look in control, and how well did he handle the bowlers?

[R_D]

One word to describe the guy " FREAK ".

He's definately the best ODI batsman going around at the moment but it would be interesting to see how rest of his career pans out. He hasn't been around for very long we'll see how he goes after teams around the world have had a good look of him.

Good player thou can keep the score board ticking over without havign to resort to risky shots and he can certainly accelerate towards the end of teh innings as well.

[Barney Rubble]

Hussey's over-rated for mine. Fantastic batsman, but one whose average has been drastically inflated by a lot of not-outs, and who is simply in an extended run of good form, a la Vaughan 2002.

He needs to bat higher than six or seven for me to even consider calling him the best ODI batsman in the world - I'd bet money that if Kevin Pietersen batted seven his record wouldn't be much worse, and likewise Ponting, Lara and a few others.

Like I said, though, fantastic batsman.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

Hussey's over-rated for mine. Fantastic batsman, but one whose average has been drastically inflated by a lot of not-outs, and who is simply in an extended run of good form, a la Vaughan 2002.

He needs to bat higher than six or seven for me to even consider calling him the best ODI batsman in the world - I'd bet money that if Kevin Pietersen batted seven his record wouldn't be much worse, and likewise Ponting, Lara and a few others.

Like I said, though, fantastic batsman.

How much have you seen him bat in the last year, out of curiosity?

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Slow Love™

So, what are people's opinions as to how Hussey fared with the captaincy (in some kind of detail) today? I didn't see any of the match... Did he look in control, and how well did he handle the bowlers?

I thought he made a handful of errors, but obviously they're just a matter of opinion. I think he should have brought on Cullen as soon as he delayed the last power play instead of using Symonds' mediums. He certainly should have taken Clark off earlier in his second spell, and I think he should have brought him back at the death when the Windies needed 17 off 30 or whatever instead of bowling Symonds again.

I think he seemed to not know what to do some of the time. I'd be much happier with Ponting or Gilchrist leading the side next time, that's for sure.

[Barney Rubble]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

How much have you seen him bat in the last year, out of curiosity?

Admittedly not a lot. Highlights packages here and there, never a full game due to the lack of coverage over here. Which is why I'm basing most of my argument on his stats - I don't have a lot more to go on (thing that gets me is that he's been not out in over half his ODI innings). However, you guys all seem pretty convinced by him, so I'll make an effort to see him soon if I can - knowing me I'll probably be forced to take back everything I've just said.

EDIT: Btw, Sean, do you ever sleep?

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

Admittedly not a lot. Highlights packages here and there, never a full game due to the lack of coverage over here. Which is why I'm basing most of my argument on his stats - I don't have a lot more to go on (thing that gets me is that he's been not out in over half his ODI innings). However, you guys all seem pretty convinced by him, so I'll make an effort to see him soon if I can - knowing me I'll probably be forced to take back everything I've just said.

He's not out in half in his innings because he makes himself almost impossible to dismiss, as I'd imagine you'd remember from the ODIs in England last year. Take today for instance - he came in at 4/60 and batted for over 30 overs without giving a chance, and in the last 5 overs of the innings he scored 33 runs on his own. There's been other times where he's come in with 5 overs left and been not out with a strike rate over 200. Being not out in half his innings would only be a drawback if he was playing for not outs, which he certainly doesn't.

Anyway, it's only 2am here.

[Slow Love™]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

I thought he made a handful of errors, but obviously they're just a matter of opinion. I think he should have brought on Cullen as soon as he delayed the last power play instead of using Symonds' mediums. He certainly should have taken Clark off earlier in his second spell, and I think he should have brought him back at the death when the Windies needed 17 off 30 or whatever instead of bowling Symonds again.

I think he seemed to not know what to do some of the time. I'd be much happier with Ponting or Gilchrist leading the side next time, that's for sure.

Haha, fair enough, although Ponting's still like that fairly often, IMO, only with loads more experience. But I think our respective positions on Punter are obviously pretty settled by now.

You're probably right about Clark, although the prime motivating factor there was possibly just protection of his figures. In a way it's always puzzled me how often that happens at this level, but it's one of those funny aspects of the friendship and loyalty that can exist within sporting teams, as opposed to the hardcore professionalism that's affected so much of the game. I must say though that poor Bing rarely seems to get that kind of relief, no matter how bad things are going...