Michael Hussey – Is his time up?

[Pigeon]

Me and lot of other Aussie fans were calling for Ponting to be stripped of captaincy after the Indian tour, but realistically there is no one more worthy then him of leading this side in the present scenario, its been said time and again that a captain is only as good as his players, and results since the time all the greats have retired clearly show that, but I think Ponting has been pretty good at handling this side through the transition period.

Of course one can look at the results and say they have been a bit up and down, which is really something you expect from an inexperienced group, but things would get better with time, a good Aussie side is being developed atm, and Ponting should remain the captain and guide this young group of players.

Mate, I do buy this "captain is only as good as his team" stuff.

However, should Australia go and lose this one, it will be really difficult to justify Ponting's captaincy, regardless of what he has tried to do in this series. It is not as if the bowlers in the team are spring chickens. Johnson, Siddle, and the rest all have got permanent run in the last one year or more, which bowlers in other teams usually never get the luxury of. So Ponting got what he wanted in terms of support from the selectors, but mucked it up somehow.

And his captaincy record since Indian tour reads as Won - 6, Lost -6, Draw - 4. Should Aus go to lose this test match, which looks probable enough, it becoms Lost-7 vs Won - 6. Plus that would also mean 3 series losses in less than one year, with only 2 series wins against the depleted NZ side and of course a strong SA. The ODI team also has been struggling and has not won a single home series since 2005-06 summer.

And his personal batting record during this time also looks for bad reading : 1180 runs from 17 matches @ 40.

I am really afraid now that Ponting might get even the boot from the team, alongwith Hussey should they lose this test match and the Ashes.

 

[pup11]

There's really no point replacing Mike Hussey unless you replace him with a decent batsman like Hodge, Jaques (once he gets back in form) or Hussey. It's not like there are any more specialist middle order bats left in the country and the selectors are stiff necked to not pick players out of position, something which is sackable offence in itself. Personally I would just wish the selectors play the top 6 batsmen in the country no matter what position they usually play at and in doing so get this:

Jaques
Hughes
Ponting
Katich
Clarke
Hodge

Even if Mike Hussey averages 20 for the next 2 years, I'd rather have that than an imposter like Marsh come in an, average 35 and be hailed as the next best thing since sliced bread (something which has already happened in the one day game) and cement his position in the middle order for the next 10 years. The point is there is no one good enough to replace him in the long term from the pool of players the selectors are willing to pick.

I think if Hussey goes, then Watson would and should come down to no.4, leaving the opening slot to be filled by either Jaques or Hughes, but then again its too early to write Mr.Cricket off, whether he lengthens his test career or not, largely depends on how he goes in the 2nd innings at the Oval, but if he maintains his ODI form, that too can help him save his test spot, rightly or wrongly.

 

[Flem274*]

Mate, I do buy this "captain is only as good as his team" stuff.

However, should Australia go and lose this one, it will be really difficult to justify Ponting's captaincy, regardless of what he has tried to do in this series. It is not as if the bowlers in the team are spring chickens. Johnson, Siddle, and the rest all have got permanent run in the last one year or more, which bowlers in other teams usually never get the luxury of. So Ponting got what he wanted in terms of support from the selectors, but mucked it up somehow.

And his captaincy record since Indian tour reads as Won - 6, Lost -6, Draw - 4. Should Aus go to lose this test match, which looks probable enough, it becoms Lost-7 vs Won - 6. Plus that would also mean 3 series losses in less than one year, with only 2 series wins against the depleted NZ side and of course a strong SA. The ODI team also has been struggling and has not won a single home series since 2005-06 summer.

And his personal batting record during this time also looks for bad reading : 1180 runs from 17 matches @ 40.

I am really afraid now that Ponting might get even the boot from the team, alongwith Hussey should they lose this test match and the Ashes.

Wrong

 

[Pigeon]

Wrong

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

 

[Matt79]

Mate, I do buy this "captain is only as good as his team" stuff.

However, should Australia go and lose this one, it will be really difficult to justify Ponting's captaincy, regardless of what he has tried to do in this series. It is not as if the bowlers in the team are spring chickens. Johnson, Siddle, and the rest all have got permanent run in the last one year or more, which bowlers in other teams usually never get the luxury of. So Ponting got what he wanted in terms of support from the selectors, but mucked it up somehow.

And his captaincy record since Indian tour reads as Won - 6, Lost -6, Draw - 4. Should Aus go to lose this test match, which looks probable enough, it becoms Lost-7 vs Won - 6. Plus that would also mean 3 series losses in less than one year, with only 2 series wins against the depleted NZ side and of course a strong SA. The ODI team also has been struggling and has not won a single home series since 2005-06 summer.

And his personal batting record during this time also looks for bad reading : 1180 runs from 17 matches @ 40.

I am really afraid now that Ponting might get even the boot from the team, alongwith Hussey should they lose this test match and the Ashes.

Even by your standards Precam, there's a lot of silliness in this. You agree that a captain is to a degree hostage of the performance of the other ten players, but you can't justify his captaincy because he's lost a couple of series. Averaging 40 with the bat in test cricket is "bad". He's got a decent, but not great team, and there performance reflects that.

 

[Flem274*]

Batting records | Test matches | Cricinfo Statsguru | Cricinfo.com

Averaginf 40 is not bad. Its not amazing, but its worthy of a place in the side.

 

[Pigeon]

Even by your standards Precam, there's a lot of silliness in this. You agree that a captain is to a degree hostage of the performance of the other ten players, but you can't justify his captaincy because he's lost a couple of series. Averaging 40 with the bat in test cricket is "bad". He's got a decent, but not great team, and there performance reflects that.

All my clauses were subject to Aus losing this Ashes, then it becomes 3 series losses against 2 wins in the last 11 months alone, which indeed is bad by Aussie standards. Also considering 1 of them has been against NZ.

40 is hardly a groundbreaking average especially when the team is dependent on you more than ever. The sample has been large enough, 17 test matches. Ponting looks like a man under fire since his captaincy's litmus test began.

 

[Pigeon]

Averaginf 40 is not bad. Its not amazing, but its worthy of a place in the side.

Maybe, maybe not. But 40 is not the average I'd expect from the side's best batsman in the most desperate hour.

 

[aussie]

He qualifies to be called an FTB given his poor record in trying circumstances. All his major innings have come on flat Aussie tracks against insipid bowling.

Haa, clearly you haven't seen any or much of Hussey's test matches. SA 05/06 (especially in SA) was a very good bowling attack on bowler friendly pitches & Hussey did well. Which was a better bowling attack than ENG currently.

Hussey por form since IND 08, if you had actually watched all the test has been an unsual decline, since he has been doing well in ODIs. It has hit rock bottom now since his technique is all over the place.

 

[Pigeon]

Haa, clearly you haven't seen any or much of Hussey's test matches. SA 05/06 (especially in SA) was a very good bowling attack on bowler friendly pitches & Hussey did well. Which was a better bowling attack than ENG currently.

Hussey por form since IND 08, if you had actually watched all the test has been an unsual decline, since he has been doing well in ODIs. It has hit rock bottom now since his technique is all over the place.

In SA, Hussey did not get a single 100 if you remember. Also the bowlers were Ntini, Nel and over-the-hill Shaun Pollock and Nicky Boje.

His ODI form also has been patchy of late. Although, ODIs are never any good indicator of how test ready the batsman is.

 

[aussie]

All my clauses were subject to Aus losing this Ashes, then it becomes 3 series losses against 2 wins in the last 11 months alone, which indeed is bad by Aussie standards. Also considering 1 of them has been against NZ.

This is the post McWarne era. This AUS team has been in transition since 07/08. Due to poor selectorial decisions etc & inconsistency, the team hasn't yet found it feet. So their is no "standard" to gauge this side by.

40 is hardly a groundbreaking average especially when the team is dependent on you more than ever. The sample has been large enough, 17 test matches. Ponting looks like a man under fire since his captaincy's litmus test began.

You are stats picking yo. There has been nothing wrong with Ponting's batting since IND 08 & he wont get axed as the captain if the Ashes are lost. So you can ease your mind off that hypotetical scenario.

 

[aussie]

In SA, Hussey did not get a single 100 if you remember.

So, the point is it was testing batting condtions & he did well. So that dispells any notion that would make him a FTB.

Also the bowlers were Ntini, Nel and over-the-hill Shaun Pollock and Nicky Boje.

Ntini & Nel where at their peaks & in the typical 5-man SA attack - Boje=Harris.

His ODI form also has been patchy of late. Although, ODIs are never any good indicator of how test ready the batsman is.

I used the example to show as his form started to drop off after his hundred in IND. His test batting although patchy didn't really hit rock bottom until this series, his technique is all over the place now.

 

[kingkallis]

There's really no point replacing Mike Hussey unless you replace him with a decent batsman like Hodge, Jaques (once he gets back in form) or Hussey. It's not like there are any more specialist middle order bats left in the country and the selectors are stiff necked to not pick players out of position, something which is sackable offence in itself. Personally I would just wish the selectors play the top 6 batsmen in the country no matter what position they usually play at and in doing so get this:

Jaques
Hughes
Ponting
Katich
Clarke
Hodge

Even if Mike Hussey averages 20 for the next 2 years, I'd rather have that than an imposter like Marsh come in an, average 35 and be hailed as the next best thing since sliced bread (something which has already happened in the one day game) and cement his position in the middle order for the next 10 years. The point is there is no one good enough to replace him in the long term from the pool of players the selectors are willing to pick.

Its not about names - its abour numbers!

Average of 35 is way better than 20

 

[Pigeon]

This is the post McWarne era. This AUS team has been in transition since 07/08. Due to poor selectorial decisions etc & inconsistency, the team hasn't yet found it feet. So their is no "standard" to gauge this side by.

Still living in the old era aren't you? Wake up and smell the coffee. Australia are on the verge of being relegated to No.4 in test cricket. Still trying to wait for that miracle to happen which would restore Australian cricket back to the glory days? Not going to happen if you sit and wait.

You are stats picking yo. There has been nothing wrong with Ponting's batting since IND 08 & he wont get axed as the captain if the Ashes are lost. So you can ease your mind off that hypotetical scenario.

Whom areyou kidding mate? An avg of 40 is not the end of the world. However it is hardly stuff to say "There is nothing wrong..." and all that accompanying BS.

 

[Pigeon]

So, the point is it was testing batting condtions & he did well. So that dispells any notion that would make him a FTB.

Hardly. He had a good series overall but the conditions were hardly "testworthy". Bowlers were mediocre considering Polly was not in form.

Ntini & Nel where at their peaks & in the typical 5-man SA attack - Boje=Harris.

Lol, even at their relative peaks, they are no way near what ideally we have come to expect of SA. It was a transition phase where SA was slowly phasing out Pollock and trying to find the next fast man. Nel it was never.

I used the example to show as his form started to drop off after his hundred in IND. His test batting although patchy didn't really hit rock bottom until this series, his technique is all over the place now.

His fall started as soon as Australia toured WI in fact. There is nothing really to be proved there. I am not saying he had to be dropped then. That would be BS. But the signs were there. He had a reasonably good series in India, I agree. But then that was to be the exception. There is no point debating the fact that Hussey's major runs came in his prime against average and substandard attacks in non trying conditions.

 

[aussie tragic]

Hussey will now be batting for his career in the next Innings. If he doesn't score a century then I think this will be the first Test Team for the West Indies series

1. Hughes/Jaques/Rogers
2. Katich
3. Ponting*
4. Clarke
5. Watson
6. North
7. Haddin +
8. Johnson
9. Hauritz / Lee
10. Siddle
11. Hilfenhaus

If Hussey does a score a century (which hopefully means Australia win the Ashes) then I'd just leave Watson as opener, however it would be a shame to be leaving Hughes, Jaques and Rogers out while opening with two middle order players

 

[aussie]

Still living in the old era aren't you? Wake up and smell the coffee. Australia are on the verge of being relegated to No.4 in test cricket. Still trying to wait for that miracle to happen which would restore Australian cricket back to the glory days? Not going to happen if you sit and wait.

Thats just a stupid rating. AUS on paper & in depth still remains the best team in the world. As i said their ppor performances since 07/08 has mainly been due to poor selections & inconsistencies. AUS just won in SA now they are going to lose in ENG - that shows the inconsistency, no rating system can't tell you that.

Whom areyou kidding mate? An avg of 40 is not the end of the world. However it is hardly stuff to say "There is nothing wrong..." and all that accompanying BS.

Well what is wrong then?. Is he showing any technical flaw in his batting? - no. Thats all that matters, that why you are stats picking.

Id admit he's probably passed his ultimate peak as a batsman. But he absolutely fine.

 

[aussie]

Hardly. He had a good series overall but the conditions were hardly "testworthy". Bowlers were mediocre considering Polly was not in form.


Lol, even at their relative peaks, they are no way near what ideally we have come to expect of SA. It was a transition phase where SA was slowly phasing out Pollock and trying to find the next fast man. Nel it was never.

Unfortunately yo, you are doing a great in proving you don't see AUS cricket where you are. If you say that SA attack was mediocre, it pretty much even with the SA attack right now. The only difference with the two sides now is the SA have a better batting-lineup now.

SA 5-man attack of 2005/06 vs 2009:

Steyn currenty>Ntini at his peak
Pollock 2005/06=Ntini 2009 - Since both in these periods they where past their best
Nel 2005/06>>Morkel 2009
Kallis 2005=Kallis 2009
Harris>>Boje/Botha 2009

So comparatively the level of quality from the pace attacks are very close & Hussey did well then & in the MCG test on a difficult wicket, where he scored a brilliant hundred.

His fall started as soon as Australia toured WI in fact. There is nothing really to be proved there. I am not saying he had to be dropped then. That would be BS. But the signs were there. He had a reasonably good series in India, I agree. But then that was to be the exception. There is no point debating the fact that Hussey's major runs came in his prime against average and substandard attacks in non trying conditions.

Again nonsense. You clearly dont watch AUS cricket where you are at. Hussey was not showing any signs of decline in the WI. It all started after that hundred in IND.

 

[pskov]

In his last 20 tests, Hussey averages 29.64 with a solitary century. Tough to see how anyone can justify him keeping his place really.

Edit: That period goes back to the start of the Windies tour. It also almost half of his test career (he has played 42 matches so far).

 

[Pigeon]

Thats just a stupid rating. AUS on paper & in depth still remains the best team in the world. As i said their ppor performances since 07/08 has mainly been due to poor selections & inconsistencies. AUS just won in SA now they are going to lose in ENG - that shows the inconsistency, no rating system can't tell you that.

:Facepalm: Massive.

Well, should'nt be. But still will. They are hardly the 3rd best team in the world. SA and India have leapfrogged Aus in the last year, and perhaps SL is on the way. Aus's win in SA was kind of exception than the rule. They lost the one before. won against a weak NZ at home, and was thrashed in India. Add to that ODI worries and you get the picture.

Well what is wrong then?. Is he showing any technical flaw in his batting? - no. Thats all that matters, that why you are stats picking.

Id admit he's probably passed his ultimate peak as a batsman. But he absolutely fine.

:Facepalm: Massive.

He always had his outside off stump issues throughout his FC career. I am surprised you sermonise I don't know enough Aus FC cricket, and yet you don't know this.