God knows who is going to stonewall the Indian and English attacks when Australia is four for fuck all, but it is a smart move by Mike Hussey to quit while he's ahead:
Mike Hussey will retire from international cricket after the Sydney Test. His last international appearance will be the New Year’s fixture against Sri Lanka at the SCG, starting on Thursday.
Of all the players that I thought might play international cricket successfully into his forties, Hussey was it. I thought he would be good until at least this time next year. Strange timing as well - surely a back-to-back Ashes year would be the ultimate for an Australian cricketer, and the perfect way to bow out?
Not sure if Maxwell had already been selected before Hussey told everyone, but you'd have to think that he'll debut in Sydney now - he might have anyway if Watson isn't fit. He's an interesting selection, and potentially a very intelligent one for India. My prediction is that he'll be a bit Symonds-esque though - he might end up being an excellent player, but the bluff and bravado might not pay off for awhile yet.
Posted by: Carrot | Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 08:45 PM
I think Hussey saw Ponting, Hayden, and Tendulkar play on past their use by dates. Why not go out on top? I'm sure the IPL and BBL will provide some superannuation for him if required. Have Nine offered him a job for life?
Posted by: nick | Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 09:33 PM
Nine will appoint Hussey the bloke who interviews the players' kit bags.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 09:38 PM
Hussey can't go on nein. He's too low-key for that bunch of mouthy bullshit artists.
Posted by: lou | Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 11:34 PM
Given the other channels are going to try to poach the cricket - maybe he could be the face of a new era...
Mr Cricket and the two Gregs. There'd be some beers going down there.
Posted by: nick | Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 12:04 AM
Agree with nick.
playing against hapless water buffaloes now and gets runs.
goes to England with the ball swinging around and struggles maybe even against the poms here.
He has done better than Border, Taylor, Waugh as well as the rest.
Have to say couldn't stand watching him play
Posted by: The Don has risen | Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 12:14 PM
Wot? Not even in ODIs?
Posted by: lou | Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 05:57 PM
We Heineken drinkers only watch tests
Posted by: The Don has risen | Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 06:18 PM
Well, what about his catching then? He was very fine in the gully.
Posted by: lou | Sunday, December 30, 2012 at 06:43 PM
sorry there was something about him.
Posted by: The Don has risen | Monday, December 31, 2012 at 12:43 PM
Hussey out, Hussey in? Disagree. Give Clarke a young team and let him run with it. Khawaja, Hughes, Doolan, Smith, O'Keefe, Bird, Starc, Cummins, Pattinson, Copeland, Hazlewood, Henriques, Maddinson, Forrest, Ferguson,Cosgrove....plenty to pick from.
Posted by: nick | Monday, December 31, 2012 at 08:52 PM
Too late for Hussey D. He has some tidy first class numbers, but for whatever reason he's missed the boat.
A serious benefit of Hussey M. retiring is that now a new bloke can come in and bat at 6, like new blokes should.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Monday, December 31, 2012 at 09:01 PM
If Mr Cricket jnr got a go, Klinger would kill him.
Posted by: nick | Monday, December 31, 2012 at 09:19 PM
David Hussey batting at 6 against India? In India? Sheesh, what exactly would we gain except more knowledge that he can only hit poor quality spin? Anything above Jadeja's level and he's mince.
Happy 2013.
Posted by: lou | Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 07:57 AM
Not sure if it's significant or not, but Hussey was apparently given a bit of a thumbs-up from Inverarirty about his Test prospects ahead of the one-dayers in England during the European summer. We got pummelled of course, but there was also a moment or two where Hussey looked very uncomfortable against pace. I was listening to the TMS coverage and Finn made him look very ordinary indeed - he wasn't getting in to line, he was backing away and generally looking like a rabbit in headlights. Not the sort of thing you want from a Test bat.
Posted by: Carrot | Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 10:20 AM
Well how about that. I thought the cricket was on today. And it isn't.
Posted by: M. Patard | Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 10:26 AM
What about putting Watson at 6 and finding a no3 and 4?
Posted by: The Don has risen | Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 11:00 AM
The last Test which started on January 2 was - fanfare: duh, duh, duuhhhhh - Wild Dawgz!
Posted by: Tony Tea | Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 11:01 AM
Carrot, Ponting had a massive chance to go out on a high after last season. He was gifted a chance to score big against a series of pie distributors, but sadly he did not accept the writing was on the wall, read too much into last year's easy runs, and went on a year too long.
Hussey, like a golfer hitting second, was able to "go to school" on Ponting's 2011/12. At least, that is what I will read into his so-called shock retirement.
Posted by: Tony Tea | Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 11:11 AM
Sorry - should have been clearer with the above - I meant David Hussey, not Mike. Mike didn't actually go on that tour.
Posted by: Carrot | Tuesday, January 01, 2013 at 01:54 PM