Can Hussey be the 2nd greatest ever?

[shortpitched713]

I think this also puts things in perspective when it comes to people including George Headley in their 'Best XI ever' line ups...We see what Hussey has achieved thus far, and it's amazing, sure, but I don't think he deserves to get near any all-time Greatest XI's....Nor does Headley.

If Hussey plays a few more Tests and maintains this splendid average of his, then dies in a tragic plane crash, then I think we can still put him amongst the top 10-20 batsmen of all time. Hes had a very successful career and succeeded in a number of different conditions, all with a fair degree of success. I think we could extrapolate about how he would do over a long career since he has shown plenty of class so far, despite his career lacking in the longevity of others. Only thing counting against him is the fact he has played in an era with relatively flatter pitches, but that could be accounted for by scaling his average in relation to the average average of this era and other eras.

 

[Richard]

Even at a time of generally flat pitches and rubbish bowling, averaging 80-odd over your first 16 Tests is pretty remarkable.

 

[NUFAN]

If Hussey plays a few more Tests and maintains this splendid average of his, then dies in a tragic plane crash, then I think we can still put him amongst the top 10-20 batsmen of all time. Hes had a very successful career and succeeded in a number of different conditions, all with a fair degree of success. I think we could extrapolate about how he would do over a long career since he has shown plenty of class so far, despite his career lacking in the longevity of others. Only thing counting against him is the fact he has played in an era with relatively flatter pitches, but that could be accounted for by scaling his average in relation to the average average of this era and other eras.

I think he'd rather be living then be ranked in the top 10 batsmen of all time.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I also agree with the comment made by sideshowtim regarding number of innings.

I wonder if any top order batsman has ever played fewer innings than Bradman in his first 20 Tests. 28 is a remarkably low number.

 

[Manee]

May I ask what the players in your sig have in common, Nufan? Are they people you just see talent/no talent in?

 

[Richard]

In a word, yes!

Badrinath excepted.

 

[Migara]

He'll have to hell of a lot to go pass Lara and Tendulkar, who have faced much better attacks for the most of their lives on much difficult pitches. Hussey has played mainly on Austrailian featherbeds, in Bangladesh and in South Africa, where the attack is pace oriented. He has to prove hell of a lot more, has to play in gruelling heat of the sub-continet, with spinner running mad on them. If he still averaged 60+ after 15-20 test matches in the sub continent, then he'll be a great.

 

[aussie tragic]

He'll have to hell of a lot to go pass Lara and Tendulkar, who have faced much better attacks for the most of their lives on much difficult pitches. Hussey has played mainly on Austrailian featherbeds, in Bangladesh and in South Africa, where the attack is pace oriented. He has to prove hell of a lot more, has to play in gruelling heat of the sub-continet, with spinner running mad on them. If he still averaged 60+ after 15-20 test matches in the sub continent, then he'll be a great.

Well he currently averages 80.66 in the sub continent ........after 2 tests.......

 

[aussie tragic]

I wonder if any top order batsman has ever played fewer innings than Bradman in his first 20 Tests. 28 is a remarkably low number.

Keith Miller only had 27 innings in his first 20 tests (1007 runs @ 43.78)

(batting at # 3, # 4 or # 5)

 

[shortpitched713]

He'll have to hell of a lot to go pass Lara and Tendulkar, who have faced much better attacks for the most of their lives on much difficult pitches. Hussey has played mainly on Austrailian featherbeds, in Bangladesh and in South Africa, where the attack is pace oriented. He has to prove hell of a lot more, has to play in gruelling heat of the sub-continet, with spinner running mad on them. If he still averaged 60+ after 15-20 test matches in the sub continent, then he'll be a great.

Only needs 2 or 3 more Tests in the subcontinent before his "tragedy" in order to be ranked amongst the top for mine. Hes been excellent pretty much everywhere, and so far in the subcontinent as well, as another poster has mentioned.

 

[SJS]

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.

 

[Perm]

May I ask what the players in your sig have in common, Nufan? Are they people you just see talent/no talent in?

Badrinath, Amla, Ganga (by West Indian standards) and Cumming (by New Zealand standards) are all talened cricketers.

 

[Flem274*]

Badrinath, Amla, Ganga (by West Indian standards) and Cumming (by New Zealand standards) are all talened cricketers.

So in other words, extremo direro?

 

[Perm]

What people have to realise is that Michael Hussey has only played five of those 18 Tests away from home, two of them being played against Bangladesh. He hasn't prove himself in swinging conditions (England), or in the subcontinent. Until he does so, he doesn't deserve to be ranked as a great, because he hasn't performed everywhere. I'm fairly confident he be able to perform in all conditions, if his first 18 Tests are anything to go by.

 

[aussie tragic]

What people have to realise is that Michael Hussey has only played five of those 18 Tests away from home, two of them being played against Bangladesh. He hasn't prove himself in swinging conditions (England), or in the subcontinent. Until he does so, he doesn't deserve to be ranked as a great, because he hasn't performed everywhere. I'm fairly confident he be able to perform in all conditions, if his first 18 Tests are anything to go by.

Surely Hussey has proven he can bat in English conditions with all his county cricket heroics and his ODI record in the sub continent is 71.50 from 11 games, so no indication that would be a problem either

 

[Perm]

So in other words, extremo direro?

No, not at all. Amla, Ganga and Cumming haven't quite been able to be as productive in Test cricket as they have in FC games, but there is still plenty of time and reason to persist with them.

Just take a look at their domestic records, they all stack up fairly favourably. Ganga averages 44.83, Cumming 36.28 and Amla 44.74. They have deserved their chances at Test level, and there is still hope that one of them (Amla) may have a distinguished Test career. This situation looks as though it could be beyond Cumming due to his age, while Ganga's record will always look mediocre due to the large amount of time where he has been nothing more than an average Test batsmen.

 

[Perm]

Surely Hussey has proven he can bat in English conditions with all his county cricket heroics and his ODI record in the sub continent is 71.50 from 11 games, so no indication that would be a problem either

ODIs and Tests are very different games my friend, very different indeed. Also it's much, much easier to bash around county attacks than it is to score heavily against Hoggard, Sidebottom, Flintoff and Jones (for example) on pitches that assist fast bowlers. I do think Hussey will suceed in conquering other countries, but he hasn't done so yet, which means he can't really be ranked amongst the greats.

 

[Flem274*]

No, not at all. Amla, Ganga and Cumming haven't quite been able to be as productive in Test cricket as they have in FC games, but there is still plenty of time and reason to persist with them.

Just take a look at their domestic records, they all stack up fairly favourably. Ganga averages 44.83, Cumming 36.28 and Amla 44.74. They have deserved their chances at Test level, and there is still hope that one of them (Amla) may have a distinguished Test career. This situation looks as though it could be beyond Cumming due to his age, while Ganga's record will always look mediocre due to the large amount of time where he has been nothing more than an average Test batsmen.

I like Cumming. He's an experienced opener with alot of balls IMO.

Si, ze wording of zis post was on purpose.

 

[Perm]

I like Cumming.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Perm and Flem reported for spamming and taking the thread hopelessly off-topic.