Michael Hussey - best ODI batsman in the world?

[Barney Rubble]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

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.

Fair enough then.

But if he's that good, the question must be asked - why isn't he batting four for Australia behind Ponting? I can't see a reason why it wouldn't benefit you to have Symonds down at six with Watson at seven, with Ponting-Hussey-Clarke at 3-4-5.

[open365]

The thing that's so special about Hussey for me is that he's so good all round.

When you watch him play, you can't really think of anyway you can get him out or stop him scoring, his technique is brilliant for scoring runs in all areas and situations and the ability he has to pick up the singles AND hit the big boundaries is scary.

It's like having the rotating the strike ability of Andy Flower, the big hitting of Shaid Afridi and the all round class of Ponting/Tendulkar all in one.

[Barney Rubble]

Originally Posted by open365

The thing that's so special about Hussey for me is that he's so good all round.

When you watch him play, you can't really think of anyway you can get him out or stop him scoring, his technique is brilliant for scoring runs in all areas and situations and the ability he has to pick up the singles AND hit the big boundaries is scary.

It's like having the rotating the strike ability of Andy Flower, the big hitting of Shaid Afridi and the all round class of Ponting/Tendulkar all in one.

Holy ****.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

Fair enough then.

But if he's that good, the question must be asked - why isn't he batting four for Australia behind Ponting? I can't see a reason why it wouldn't benefit you to have Symonds down at six with Watson at seven, with Ponting-Hussey-Clarke at 3-4-5.

Because Clarke and Hussey are so good down the order. Basically, if Hussey was batting at 4, someone like Martyn or Watson would have to bat down the order where they are less effective. Hussey can always come up the order when necessary, but at 7 he's perfect because he is so versatile. He can rescue the innings like he did today, or he can come in and hit from the very first ball to raise the run rate. Watson is much better at 4 because he takes time to get into his innings and he only has so many gears.

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

Holy ****.

It's only a bit of an exaggeration. One thing which really underlined Hussey's class last season for me was that game where Murali went for 99 or whatever off his 10 overs. Symonds and Ponting had made huge scores and Clarke had hit a 50 off 30 or whatever, and Hussey came in facing Murali in like the 49th over and slog-swept the first ball he faced for six. He finished unbeaten with 23 runs off 8 balls. This is the same guy who was the only person who could handle the seaming wickets in England, and the guy who rescued the innings a few times in that same VB series after the team collapsed.

[aussie]

on current form he is the best, if he can keep it up by the end of his career & be ranked among the all time ODI greats will be interesting but i think he really can.

On his captaincy wasn't special nor was it poor, only big mistake i thought he made was when he used his final power-play & put Clark to bowl in it, other than that he was pretty good.

[Anil]

Originally Posted by FaaipDeOiad

It's only a bit of an exaggeration. One thing which really underlined Hussey's class last season for me was that game where Murali went for 99 or whatever off his 10 overs. Symonds and Ponting had made huge scores and Clarke had hit a 50 off 30 or whatever, and Hussey came in facing Murali in like the 49th over and slog-swept the first ball he faced for six. He finished unbeaten with 23 runs off 8 balls. This is the same guy who was the only person who could handle the seaming wickets in England, and the guy who rescued the innings a few times in that same VB series after the team collapsed.

oh yeah? he is playing brilliantly but comparing him to an amalgam of ponting and tendulkar doesn't sound like a bit much to you?

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble

Fair enough then.

But if he's that good, the question must be asked - why isn't he batting four for Australia behind Ponting? I can't see a reason why it wouldn't benefit you to have Symonds down at six with Watson at seven, with Ponting-Hussey-Clarke at 3-4-5.

Watson is fairly useless in the lower order. He needs to bat in the order or he is essentially wasted.

The reason Hussey has remained at seven batting below Clarke and is simply the fact that he's been so successful at it. There is little reason to move the guy - he finishes the innings so well.

[Johnners]

Hussey & Clarke are the 2 best finishers in ODI cricket IMO. Moving them higher up the Order than Watson, Martyn & Symmo would be a huge mistake. As it has already been mentioned, Watson needs time to settle, thats the case for Symmo as well.

In years leading up to the 03 world cup symonds had been batting down at 7, putting him in the same position as Hussey. Whilst he may have been a huge hitter he needs time to get his eye in. Take note of his century against SL in the 2nd VB series final, his strike rate was down in the 70's for most of the innings until he cut sick when he reached 90 odd.

Martyn is too one paced. He doesn't have the ability to accelerate that either clarke or hussey do, he's probably more a bevan type player than hussey is for the fact that he's so good at rotating the strike, but like bevan doesn't have the ability of hussey to go up a level and score 10/12 runs an over.

Keep Hussey at 7, he's currently eating all opposition bowlers there for breakfast. Whether he's stabilising the innings after an early collapse, or finishing of the work already done by those ahead of him, he's the most dangerous ODI bat in the world!!!

[C_C]

Promising guy but the best ODI player ever tag is still firmly between Tendulkar and Viv.

[andyc]

Michael Hussey> New Zealand

[Johnners]

His innings in the 400+ game was nothing to be sniffed at either!!! 80 from just 53

[FaaipDeOiad]

Originally Posted by Anil

oh yeah? he is playing brilliantly but comparing him to an amalgam of ponting and tendulkar doesn't sound like a bit much to you?

Well, he really said that he had the "class" of Ponting and Tendulkar, not that he was as good as them.

[sqwerty]

I know we're talking ODI's here but as I have constantly maintained for the last 12 months or so:

IF HUSSEY PLAYED IN THE LAST ASHES SERIES AUSTRALIA WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY STILL HOLD THE ASHES !

[Sanz]

Hussey has been great so far, but 30 odd ODIs are not enough to declare him the best ODI batsmen in the world. If I am not wrong, he is yet to play in the subcontinent, wasn't any special in SA either. In other words, NOT YET.