Michael Hussey – Is his time up?

[Jakester1288]

Michael Hussey started his international test career with a bang, in the Frank Worrell Trophy, 2005/06, against the West Indies, when they travelled to Australia. In 3 matches he compiled 361 runs at an average of 120.33, including 2 centuries. The West Indian’s failed to dismiss him on 3 occasions during the series, and Hussey announced to the world how great a batsman he is.

When South Africa toured Australia in late 2005, Hussey was consistent with the bat, scoring 279 runs at 55.80 in 3 outings, including a half century and a century. If he hadn’t proven himself against the West Indies, where there were doubters, he silenced critics against an attack including Pollock, Ntini, Nel, Langeveldt, Boje, Botha and part timers Kallis and Kemp.

Then in early 2006, Australia travelled to South Africa. Hussey again impressed, scoring 257 runs at an average of 64.25. Whilst he failed to make a century in the tests, he scored 3 fifty’s, including a top score of 89.

In mid 2006 Australia travelled to Bangladesh, where the sub standard bowlers were easy picking for Hussey. He averaged 80.66 and scored his career best to day 182 on his way to 242 runs in 2 games, scoring a touch under 70 runs per 100 balls.

Then Hussey achieved one of the biggest moments of an Australia cricketers life, being selected for an Ashes tour. He took the opportunity with both hands, and from late 2006 to early 2007 he destroyed the enemy, scoring 458 runs, averaging 91.60, pounding a century and 3 fifty’s in the 5 match series, helping Australia win the Adelaide test on the last day with a terrific knock of 61 of 66 deliveries proving vital. Australia needed to chase 168 from 36 over’s, which after his 91 in the first innings, didn’t seem to faze Hussey, as with Ponting he turn the match in Australia’s favour after England scored 5/551 in the first innings, helping in Australia’s reply of 513 and the final chase on the last day.

Then in late 2007 Hussey participated in the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy against Sri Lanka, in which the Australian’s denied Muralidaran of his 700th test wicket, with Hussey not only out doing Muralidaran, but also scoring a mammoth 299 runs at an average of 149.50 in only 2 tests, including 2 centuries, his top score for the series 133.

At this point, Hussey was on top of the world, averaging 86.18 after 18 test matches, including with 7 hundreds and 8 fifty’s. Then everything hit the decline.

He averaged 48.33 in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, no mean feat, but way off his Bradmanesque figures leading up to then. It was against the West Indies in mid 2008 that cracks started to appear. He averaged a mere 22.83 against a relatively poor attack, scoring only a single fifty from 6 innings, and scoring only 37.43 runs per 100 balls.
He seemed to be picking himself up again when Australia toured India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring 394 runs at 56.28, with 1 century and 3 half centuries. His strike rate was again on the up, but it wasn’t long until everything went downhill.
Against New Zealand in late 2008, he scored 105 runs at 35, beginnings a major decline. He started to look out of sorts, but most people just though it was a bad patch of form that would wear off soon.

Then South Africa toured, and destroyed him, in his 6 innings he managed 85 runs, with a top score of 45* and an average of 17. He looked particularly poor and scratchy, playing at balls he should, getting edged more regularly and making generally poor decisions and shot selections. He said he felt good in the nets, but unfortunately it wasn’t working for him in the middle. By the conclusion of this tour, his average had declined to 59.36, but worse was in store.

He then toured South Africa, and didn’t do much better, scoring 132 in his 6 innings at an average of only 22. He scored a solitary 50, and calls to drop him started to emerge and have more force behind them.

Then, he geared up for the Ashes. After last Ashes, where he pummelled the Poms for an average of 91.60, people had high expectations that he could regain form. In the first test, he scored 3 in his only innings, and now there are strong rumours going around that all rounder Shane Watson, who missed the first test due to injury, will be replacing him. Before the series, I predicted that he will average 35-45, but also said if he fails again, he should be dropped.

So what lies next for Michael Hussey? His current test average of 54.35 is still up there with the best, but is a far cry from 120.33 after his first 3 tests, and 86.18 after 18. At 34, this Ashes series could be the end of his Test career, if he continues to perform poorly. He will struggle to come back into the side at his age if he does get dropped.

Personally, I would be moving him to number 5, with Clarke moving up to 4. Hussey has averaged 78.00 at 5 in 12 matches with 3 centuries, and 46.19 at 4 with 5 centuries in 13 more games, 25 in total.

So the question remains, where to next for Mr Cricket, Michael Hussey?

[Simon]

Expect Huss to play for 2-3 more years and still finish with an average 50+. He'll score at least one century this Ashes series.

Nowhere near done.

[Jakester1288]

Originally Posted by Simon

Expect Huss to play for 2-3 more years and still finish with an average 50+. He'll score at least one century this Ashes series.

Nowhere near done.

As I said in the article, I think he will average 35-45, but I didn't mention that I think he will score a century, as long as the rumors that Watson will be replacing him for Lords are false.

[ripper868]

Hussey will notch 2 tons, one of which batting right handed.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by Jakester1288

As I said in the article, I think he will average 35-45, but I didn't mention that I think he will score a century, as long as the rumors that Watson will be replacing him for Lords are false.

Surely the selectors wont allow his average to drop that low, for him to dip under 45-46 hes going to have a seriously poor run, even worse than the one hes in now and I dont think he can stay in the side long enough while out of form. Also at his age he'd find it almost impossible to get back in.

[Jakester1288]

Originally Posted by Simon

Surely the selectors wont allow his average to drop that low, for him to dip under 45-46 hes going to have a seriously poor run, even worse than the one hes in now and I dont think he can stay in the side long enough while out of form. Also at his age he'd find it almost impossible to get back in.

You know I am talking about the series, right? I reckon he will be dropped if he fails at Lords, TBH.

[jondavluc]

HowSTAT! Player Batting Graph

Well here is his batting graph I tink it helps put things in perpective.I have seen worse batsmen get away with it longer than Hussey.I mean lets be resonable we all expected him to have a form slump eventually it had to come he is a good player but he isn't Don Bradmen.I hope the Selectors see it my way and give him this series and maybe the next one after that.

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by ripper868

Hussey will notch 2 tons, one of which batting right handed.

[frey]

Originally Posted by Simon

Expect Huss to play for 2-3 more years and still finish with an average 50+. He'll score at least one century this Ashes series.

Nowhere near done.

Totally agree. Mr Cricket will be there for a while and I feel that he will score well for the remaining four tests. He is a class batsman who unfortunately is out of form. Many class players go through a bad spell of sorts (and his has been really 'bad' by his standards).

[Noble One]

Hussey is simply mirroring how his first class career has panned out. Periods of incredible high scoring mixed with extended form slumps. Very much the reason it took Hussey until his early 30's to make his Test debut.

Confident Hussey will turn things around again.

[Simon]

Originally Posted by Jakester1288

You know I am talking about the series, right? I reckon he will be dropped if he fails at Lords, TBH.

Oh yeh with you now. Really I don't see him being dropped in this series, it pretty much goes against history and what the selectors do. Unless theres off field troubles or something Australian batsmen rarely get dropped mid series, particuarly in a side going well, we dominated that first test and if we get ahead in the series I doubt anyone will be dropped unless its tactical.

[wfdu_ben91]

He won't be dropped in this series, although he might be dropped if we lose the series, however England have a pretty poor bowling attack so you'd expect him to score sooner rather then later.

[SJS]

With due regards to Jakester who started this thread, I really find all this Michael Hussey business very amusing. I have always been amused at the Michael Hussey deification, the strengthening of it with more devotees joining in till the cult was an overwhelming majority, the small disappointments along the way, the doubts creeping in and the downgrading of the poor guy from Bradmanesque (someone had even used the term "Hussysque" if I mistake not), to comparing him with smaller and smaller fry in the pantheon of batting Gods.

Its raining hard in Bombay. Not only am I not able to take the car out for fear of getting stuck, I cant even take the dogs out for a walk. So I thought let me trace the journey of 'Mr Cricket' (what a ridiculous term excuse me) up and down the mount Everest, not on the field of play but right here on our lovely little Bat and Ball Inn at CW

So here goes and dont take it too seriously or to heart

Hussey in CW's “Bat and Ball Inn”

Michael Hussey made his International debut in the limited overs format on 1st February 2004. Seventeen months and thirteen ODI’s later his batting average stood at 129. He had not yet scored an ODI century; in fact, his aggregate runs till that stage (7th July 2005) was a mere 387 runs. But ignoring his 7 not outs out of ten innings, a poster started a thread.

Bevan = Hussey????
Stating :
“In my opinion both are fine left handers, both are hugely underrated, both belong/belonged in the test side but rarely ever get any mention in team discussions and both have the soundest temporament in World Cricket.”

It was a modest beginning considering his batting average was already beyond being a threat to Bradman. I decided not to participate. It went up to a 103 replies.

Exactly eight months (and 20 ODI’s) later Hussey reached 1000 runs in ODI’s and his batting average stood at 83.5.

More importantly, He had made his Test debut 4 months ago and his Test average stood at 80.0 (646 runs, 3 centuries). He had slightly slipped behind the Don but it was close fight. He would catch up.

Three days later (10th March 2006) a thread started..

Hussey Best in World
Asking …
is he the best Batsmen in the World right now

This time there were 95 replies. I reused to take it seriously and made a few light hearted posts. It too passed.

Another six months passed before we got into Hussey again. By now his record stood at

Format	Runs	Avg	100's
ODI's	1265	84.3	1
Tests	1139	75.9	4

The new thread on the day he got his maiden hundred in ODI’s (18th Sept 2006) asked …

Michael Hussey - best ODI batsman in the world?
Do people here think it's fair to call him the best in the world yet?
After today's unbelievable innings, I think it's hard to find comparisons for him any more.

The response was very enthusiastic and people were placing him on the highest pedestals they could find. Finally I intervened seriously

Basically, I took Hussey’s record, till that time and Pietersen’s record till the time he had scored the same number of runs and showed that while both had terrific records with similar strike rates, Hussey’s average of 84.3 against KP’s 63.1 was because of the massive difference in number of not outs (15 against 6). Take away that and it is the same.

I also said that as and when Hussey’s moves up the batting order, his batting average would drop since the proportion of not outs will come down.

On being asked why other number sevens in the world did not have Hussey’s record I said that’s because no team has such a high caliber batsman coming so low down the order.

I tried to argue in that vein. Its an interesting one for those interested but I finally stopped saying … “I rest my case” realizing this wasn’t going to convince anyone.

Before that I posted two very interesting graphs to show how batting orders more or less vary the proportion of not outs and the effect these have on batsmen’s batting averages.

I went back to wait for Hussey’s average to come down to more mortal levels.

Over the next five months we had five more Hussey threads.

• Hussey goes to top of rankings

• Mike hussey …… he has been in Devastating form almost bradman like wat do u think are his weak links and the way u could get him out

• Mike Hussey vs Pakistani Bowlers!! Pakistan seem to be the only country who will have the better of Mike Hussey

• Hussey v Ponting Will Hussey ever be able to overhaul Ponting in terms of status as a batsman?

• SA,SL,PAK,NZ Are the 4 big threats in the WC for us- Mike Hussey

The Ponting versus Hussey thread was the first of many polls involving Hussey. It is interesting to see how, starting with Bradman and second greatest ever, the players with whom Hussey was compared kept becoming less in stature.

By the time of that last thread, Hussey’s ODI average had come to 66.9 and his Test average was still very high at 79.9.

I stayed away from these threads.

... continued

[Uppercut]

Mike Hussey is an absolutely awesome batsman who once had an extremely flattering average, and now that he's reverted to his norm (averaging a quite brilliant 55 in tests) he's suffering a backlash in knee-jerk public opinion. He's no Bradman, but there's not a team in the world I wouldn't pick him for.

[SJS]

Hussey in CW's “Bat and Ball Inn”... continued
On 28th March 2007 came the first thread of disillusionment with the Hussey phenomenon.

Is the Hussey magic over? … I hope Hussey proves his critics wrong quickly.

I felt like putting in my two-penny-worth. Just two posts.[INDENT]Anyone who starts off like Hussey, Smith or Pietersen did is going to face such a situation. Its just the law of averages catching up as it always does. There is nothing wrong with Hussey except that he never was super human.[/INDENT] AND

.....and mortals do have their share of bad form, bad luck and plain bad performance. He is fine and a great prospect ( I mean prospective great). I would love to see him against a couple of quality spinners against a slightly helpful surface. I am not suggesting he will fail. Just that it will show us another aspect of his capabilities.

Throughout 2007, Hussey’s ODI average remained at the 57 level. Very good but not enough for the hardcore devotees.

Finally a bombshell. On 12th May 2007

Mike Hussey ……..
Mike Hussey hasn't scored much runs for a decant amount of games.And the only time when he actually gets a wicket it's a simple run out or a catch.So what's the point in him being in the Australian team?

What's your views about "Mr Cricket"?

The opinions were divided. Some disagreed but almost everyone agreed that thie time was right for such a question to be asked. The cricketer in question was still averaging 80 in Tests but his ODI performances of late were disappointing. But his fans were not willing to grant him a spell of bad form. They had far too much at stake. There own credibility ☺

Another poll came up with Kallis, and purely on batting – what a fall.

Who would you rather have in your team as a batsman - Hussey or Kallis

Guess what? Kallis won 35 votes to 33 !!

The fans decided to concentrate on his Test record. After all he was continuing to average in the eighties – still phenomenal. So he beat KP in a poll in September 2007 by more than two ito one.

Then in November with his Test figures standing at 1896 runs at 86.2 someone finally asked, nay emphatically stated…

Hussey is the best ever…
Yes I have to say it. IMO Hussey > Bradman the way things are going right now.

I was provoked but better sense prevailed. I stayed away from this, the polls that came before and after.

Then someone threw in another. He assumed that Hussey was going to do so much in cricket over the next two years that he would be bored and there would be nothing for him, no incentive to perform as it were. He asked…

Let's say you were Mike Hussey .......
in two years, youve won a couple of Ashes (possibly), played 40 tests, average 65 with umpteen centuries after being "no chance"just a season or two before.

Would you:

a. continue in the full knowledge that you've passed your peak; or

b. retire as a guaranteed legend of the game who is discussed in the same terms as Pollock, Richards, Barrington, Sobers, etc?

104 replies, none from yours truly.

On the same day (17th Nov 2007) someone asked..

Mike Hussey vs. Ricky Ponting…
Has Hussey taken the mantle of best Australian batsman from Ponting?

(Less than 14% voted for Hussey)

Six days later another poll this time against a stodgy batsman like Dravid.
Hussey just got through with 52%.

Now a fan decided that Hussey could not catch up with Bradman so it made strategic sense not to get some of the hostile votrs on his side by lowering the bar. The question came up…

Can Hussey be the 2nd greatest ever?
Thereafter were listed the stats after stats in the first 20 Tests of Bradman, Headley, Sutcliffe, Hammond, Hussey, Richards, Walters, Worrell, Pietersen, Arthur Morris

This was received enthusiastically.
He presented a compelling case with his statistics..

Batsman	Avg
Bradman	111.9
Hussey	86.2
Sutcliffe	68.8
Walters	67.5
Headley	65.8
Worrell	64.7
Morris	64
Hammond	61.9
Richards	57.3
Pietersen	50.4

Yes Hussey was a comfortable second but that was not all. There were some surprises here like Walters, Worrell and Morris. A look at their career ending figures would have shown that figures can drop dramatically and the first 20 are not a guarantee of what will follow.


I posted one serious post (besides four none serious ones) saying…

He does have a fabulous record but things can and do change dramatically as a career progresses. Lawrence Rowe is a striking example.

After 13 tests and 19 innings (as against Hussey's 18 and 29) he had scored 1266 runs at 70.33 (1896 at 86.2) with 6 centurires (as against 7) and a top score of 302 besides another double hundred.

He scored only 781 runs in another 17 tests without ever scoring another century. He ended with an average of 43.55 for various reasons including health.......A lot can happen. Lets wait and watch - and enjoy his batting in the meanwhile.

Not because of what I said but there was a lull in Hussey-centric posts for six months and then when one came it read…

Mike Hussey - Is he now human?
With a Poll : (Can Mike Hussey be now considered to be in a form slump?)

He added : I think so…...to be honest (it) shows how hyperbolic (and idiotic ) some people were on here comparing him with the likes of Lara, Tendulkar, Sobers, Pollack, the two non-related Richards etc. (38% of those who gave a specific (yes/no) answer to the poll, said NO.)

Hussey in his last Test series (West Indies) had averaged 22.8 and in the series before that (India) : 48.7. Not the end of the world as rummaging through the stats of most top batsmen will tell you but Hussey was not in their class. He was NEVER expected to fail.

I did not take part in the poll as with others on Hussey but posted once saying ..

Of course he is human - he always was. In the stats mad cricket world of today, we just assigned the superhuman attributes to him. He never was superhuman. It is not the first time a player has had a fantastic twenty odd games and then come down to normal levels. The same is also true in reverse. There are players who have a poor start to their careers and more than make up later.

Here are examples of those with Hussey like starts. I know the figures are slightly lower but the point is that despite a great start a player can drop 25-30% in average. I have taken a cut off of 20 Tests for the start for I think that is a reasonable number and most eligibility criteria for comparisons use it.

Javed Miandad

• At end of 22 Tests : 71.7
• Career (124 Tests) : 52.6

Frank Worrell

• At end of 22 Tests : 63.7
• Career (41 Tests) : 49.5

Doug Walters

• At end of 22 Tests : 64.7
• Career (74 Tests) : 48.3

I am sure there are others. The surprise is not that his average has come down to 56 but that some thought he was the next thing after Bradman. Inspite of the high average he was having, he never looked as if he was in a league of his own on the basis of his game. Stats can be very misleading either way but who wants to believe that

continued....