When do we start mentioning Hussey amongst the greats

[perry87]

He's played 25 tests, 42 innings and still has his average at 68.

You'd think he'll only play for another 5 years tops. If he maintains the form his average above the 60, will he go down as one of the greats?

When do we start comparing him with past greats?

50 tests?

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

If he's still maintaining that average after 50 tests it'd be hard to say he isn't one of the greats. I still don't have him anywhere near Ponting, Waugh, Hayden etc.

 

[The Passenger]

it's a tough one because people mention Pollock and Headley amongst the greats. they've played less tests than him now. But then we see a lot more test cricket these days.

Even if you say well batting is much easier now than ever so we should take 10% of modern batsmen then he's still at around 65.... that's a pretty simplistic view of things though.

The thing is that Hussey wasn't exactly a dominating batsmen for Western Australia either. in the 5 seasons leading up to his call up in the one day team he average in the low 40's, then he dominated in the ODI's and moved into the test team and has dominated even more...

He, in the same vein as Stuart Clark, have just performed at a level far above what anyway was expecting from them....

 

[HBF]

Needs to get more and more Tests under his belt. Given our hectic schedule over the next 12 months, let's get back to this then.

 

[thegreenmachine]

If he continues his extraordinary run over another 5 years then you can label him a great.

 

[dr nick]

The olden day players are only considered great because of the number of years they played over, or at the time, thats about how many tests people played. If Pollock was around these days with that record he'd just about be going on his 4th year of international cricket.

 

[King Elvis]

Two years ago.

 

[BLPC08]

He's a freak, the sad thing is that the standard of International Cricket is at about the same level as Domestic Cricket at the moment. I'd still put Hayden, Punter, Gilly and Langer ahead of him - but he'll probably overtake at least 2 of those names mentioned by the end of his career.

 

[acuguy]

Hussey is a great cricketer, we can talk about it now, although it will be a much better discussion in 4 years time when he finishes test match cricket with 70 tests under his belt and an average of 55. This would have to be his most pleasing hundred, he has overcome any deficiency against spin and took us to an excellent first innings score batting with many inexperienced tests batsmen.

 

[Fritz_the_Cat]

I've been mentioning him for a while already.. regularly produces when its needed.. great to watch the way he goes about it

 

[Romeo]

If he maintains his consistency, yes he'll certainly go down as a great. The odd thing is, he's almost Bradmanesque in the way he churns out runs and yet I've followed his career since he was 19 and he's never struck me as something special.

 

[its just sporn mum]

David Hussey is already one of the greats

 

[aussiecricket]

Hussey has had the advantage of coming into the team as a fully mature player and person. I saw some interesting statistics recently, which compared batsmen from the period which Hussey made his Test debut. (Credit to Prince EWS on cricketweb).

Highest Test averages since Hussey's debut
Yousuf - 2498 runs @ 78.06
Hussey - 2471 runs @ 70.60
Ponting - 2813 runs @ 70.30
Sangakkara - 2658 runs @ 68.15
Jayawardene - 2706 runs @ 64.42
McKenzie - 960 runs @ 64.00
Younis - 2051 runs @ 56.97
Clarke - 1175 runs @ 55.95
Chanderpaul - 1932 runs @ 55.20
Hayden - 2015 runs @ 54.45
Kallis - 2341 runs @ 50.89
Pietersen - 3417 runs @ 50.25

So while Hussey is near the top of the table, there are quite a few batsmen who have achieved similar results in the same period.

I think Hussey's phenomenal and he'll easily finish with a Test average of above 60 and I'll have no qualms with rating him as an all time great with another 2-3 years of similar productivity.

 

[SouthSwans]

I already do.

 

[Bloods boy from the Bush]

When his average drops to the low 60's like the other greats. He is in the elite catagory ATM

 

[THRILLHO]

So while Hussey is near the top of the table, there are quite a few batsmen who have achieved similar results in the same period.

Great post.

This really highlights the fact that the modern game is absolutely tailored towards the batsman and the crowd-pleasing mountain of runs that get scored. There's lightning fast outfields, shorter boundaries, fielding restrictions, technological advances in the construction of the bat. All designed to help assist the batsman post huge scores to entertain the popcorn crowd. On the other hand, the ball is, fundamentally, exactly the same as it has always been.

Having said all that, Hussey's record is phenomenal and starting to reach the levels of the all-time greats. I would say 35-40 tests and an average anywhere near what he currently averages and he would go down as an elite level batsman.

 

[blackhead&boil]

This really highlights the fact that the modern game is absolutely tailored towards the batsman and the crowd-pleasing mountain of runs that get scored.

I don't think it's necessarily just the rules and conditions that are responsible for higher batting averages. over the course of the history of the game, averages have been growing steadily higher all the time. I think it has more to do with the professionalism of batsmen and a greater understanding about the art and mechanics of batting.

it's pretty clear, when you analyse results across all grades and ages, that the higher the standard of cricket the higher the scores will be. this is because mistakes will get you out. at a lower skill level this favours the bowler. as the skill level gets higher and the batsmen make less mistakes the bowlers are less able to capitalise on them.

anyway, on the topic of hussey, if he averages 50+ for the remainder of his career and plays for another 3-5 years he will probably be hailed as one of australia's most effective batsmen. if his impressive one-day performances continue he will be rated even higher...

 

[TigerCraig]

Better bats, covered pitches, helmets and smaller boundaries all make it a batsmans game. Whats the last initiative that was in favour of the bowler? Probably outside off LBW's.

Add that to the huge number of games now. If a batsman is in good form he just keeps scoring runs week after week.

Bowlers are getting more thrashed and thus injured or burnt out, and having to be rotated which lowers the quality level given the lack of depth in world bowling.

 

[dr nick]

Better bats, covered pitches, helmets and smaller boundaries all make it a batsmans game. Whats the last initiative that was in favour of the bowler? Probably outside off LBW's.

Add that to the huge number of games now. If a batsman is in good form he just keeps scoring runs week after week.

Bowlers are getting more thrashed and thus injured or burnt out, and having to be rotated which lowers the quality level given the lack of depth in world bowling.

The other one is the LBW law advantaging spinners. Assumed to be going straight on if it hits the pads on the full.

Other than that, cant think of any. They've become a bit more strict about running on the pitch

 

[footyfreak]

when the limbo club dedicate a thread to you with all and sundry proclaiming their man love for you then,

you have achieved greatness

 

[Belnakor]

Hussey has had the advantage of coming into the team as a fully mature player and person. I saw some interesting statistics recently, which compared batsmen from the period which Hussey made his Test debut. (Credit to Prince EWS on cricketweb).

Highest Test averages since Hussey's debut
Yousuf - 2498 runs @ 78.06
Hussey - 2471 runs @ 70.60
Ponting - 2813 runs @ 70.30
Sangakkara - 2658 runs @ 68.15
Jayawardene - 2706 runs @ 64.42
McKenzie - 960 runs @ 64.00
Younis - 2051 runs @ 56.97
Clarke - 1175 runs @ 55.95
Chanderpaul - 1932 runs @ 55.20
Hayden - 2015 runs @ 54.45
Kallis - 2341 runs @ 50.89
Pietersen - 3417 runs @ 50.25

So while Hussey is near the top of the table, there are quite a few batsmen who have achieved similar results in the same period.

I think Hussey's phenomenal and he'll easily finish with a Test average of above 60 and I'll have no qualms with rating him as an all time great with another 2-3 years of similar productivity.

There were also seasons where people were getting around the same averages as Bradman (obviously not quite as high, but in the same ballpark) and a great deal of rivalry.. but Bradman was able to keep it going for his entire career, instead of just one series. If Hussey averages over 70 for the next 5 years then he will certainly going down as one of the greats!

Hussey does need to get some bigger scores though. He needs some double hundreds, he needs 200 on foreign soil to be truly great.

 

[Belnakor]

Better bats, covered pitches, helmets and smaller boundaries all make it a batsmans game. Whats the last initiative that was in favour of the bowler? Probably outside off LBW's.

Add that to the huge number of games now. If a batsman is in good form he just keeps scoring runs week after week.

Bowlers are getting more thrashed and thus injured or burnt out, and having to be rotated which lowers the quality level given the lack of depth in world bowling.

the referrals system will be hugely in favor of the bowlers (particularily the spinners) because they can refer LBWs.

 

[cozmoz]

huss is achampion, the best run-machine after bradman and also a polite, soft-spoken gentleman

 

[Hodgepodge]

He's the Michael Bevan of Test Cricket.

 

[Belnakor]

you mean playing for himself?