Five unforgettable moments from Mike Hussey's career
Mike Hussey is one of the best cricketers to represent Australia in the 21st century.
He played 79 Tests, 185 ODIs and 38 T20Is for the Aussies. Hussey scored 22 international hundreds. Known as Mr Cricket, he made a late debut, not playing his first Test until the age of 30.
He finished with a Test batting average of 51.51, and an ODI average of 48.15.
#5 2010 T20 World Cup semi-final
Batting first, Pakistan posted 191 on the board in the 2010 T20I World Cup semi-final. Australia were up against the odds, especially in a format where they had not enjoyed much success at that stage. After 17.1 overs, Australia were reeling at 144/7, having just lost Steve Smith.
Hussey, who had walked out to the crease in the 12th over, was resolute in his determination to get the Aussies across the line. In the space of 17 balls, he hit three boundaries and four sixes (including three in the last over), to drag Australia into the final.
Does Mike Hussey’s match-winning 24-ball 60* in the 2010 #T20WorldCup semi-final get your vote for @postpeapp Greatest Moment? 👀
🗳️ bit.ly/PPGreatestMome… https://t.co/N0y1Lz99Vo
It was a heroic 60* off just 24 balls that helped Australia beat Pakistan in the high-octane semi-final.
#4 Rescuing partnership with Siddle in Sydney (2009)
In the 2010 New Year's test, Australia slumped to 8-257 in their second innings. They only had a 41-run lead over Pakistan.
Hussey and Siddle were occupying the crease at that point. Hussey showed his incredible cricketing intelligence by stitching a 133-run partnership for the ninth wicket with Siddle. The Aussie bowler scored a career-high 38, while Aussie hit yet another century (134). Australia were bowled out shortly after for 381.
Pakistan's fourth innings target was a competitive 176. Australia then bowled Pakistan out for 139, in a miraculous turnaround attributed to his innings.
#3 Amazing Adelaide
Hussey played a major role in one of the most famous Ashes matches ever. Not only did he hit the winning runs in an Ashes Test that gave Australia a 2-0 series lead, but his efforts throughout the entire second innings were crucial, having arrived at the crease at 33/2.
Australia were chasing 168 runs for victory with just 36 overs on offer and Hussey used his brilliant batting skills to deliver a famous test match run chase. His score of 91 was also a critical part of the first innings.
#2 2013 Indian Premier League series
The IPL is a very lucrative competition and outstanding performances here should not be overlooked.
Hussey scored 733 runs in the 2013 IPL, the fifth-highest individual run total in one edition of the IPL. His batting with the Chennai Super Kings saw him score 6 half-centuries at an average of 52.35.
Despite being a middle-order batter, he opened the batting that season and was solid in his ability to continue ticking over the score, with a strike rate of 129.
#1 2010/11 Ashes series
Hussey was almost the sole shining light on Australia's unsuccessful home Ashes campaign in 2010-11. His effort in Brisbane was his career-high score of 195.
He hit that mammoth hundred in Brisbane, before scoring 93 and 52 in Adelaide, and 61 and 116 in Perth. He had proven himself to be the backbone of Australia's batting lineup.