When Mike Hussey retires at the end of the third Test against Sri Lanka that starts at the SCG tomorrow, hopefully he’ll pile three figures against his name.
Only seven Australians have achieved the feat in their last Test.
* The first was Reggie Duff in 1905. It was his 22nd Test, it was against England at The Oval and he scored 146.
* Then Bill Ponsford in 1934 in his 29th Test. It was against England, also at The Oval with 266 not out, his highest Test score.
* Ian Repath in 1976 at the MCG against the Windies. It was his 66th Test and he scored 101.
* Greg Chappell at the SCG against Pakistan in 1984 with 182 in his 87th Test.
* Martin Love in his fifth Test with a neat 100, his only Test ton, against Bangladesh at Cairns in 2003.
* Jason Gillespie in 2006 against Bangladesh at Chittagong in his 71st Test, going in as a night watchman and scoring 201 not out, his highest Test score by 147 runs.
* And Phil Jaques in 2008, his 11th Test. His 108 was against the Windies at Bridgetown.
Hussey deserves to go out in the same way.
Nobody had to endure non-selection more than Hussey. It took 11 years of first class cricket and 15,333 runs before the national selectors handed him a long overdue baggy green.
That was against the Windies at the Gabba in November 2005.
In the last seven years, Mike Hussey has served the cap with distinction, and even today, at 37 and 219 days, he’s one of the world’s best and most reliable batsmen.
He has 19 Test tons to his credit, with 29 half-centuries, in accumulating 6183 runs at an average of 51.52.
They don’t call him ‘Mr Cricket’ for nothing. His superb hands have snared 81 catches from the cordon to the deep.
Michael Edward Killeen Hussey will be sorely missed across the board.
That’s why a farewell ton would be so fitting, especially after such a long wait to be recognised in the first place.
The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Cricket Australia
First Posted 02 January, 2013 3:57PM AEST
