Ashes run-up: Hussey, North fail again
November 1st, 2010 - 12:05 pm ICT by ANIPerth, Nov.1 (ANI): Western Australian batsmen Michael Hussey endured a first-ball failure while his skipper Marcus North fell for 10 on Sunday against South Australia in Adelaide, suggesting that the road to Ashes team selection could become difficult for both.
Both exited to cavalier strokeplay against unheralded left-arm spinner Aaron O’Brien.
National team coach Tim Nielsen rated South Australian bat Callum Ferguson “a big chance” for an Ashes call-up following an imperious 129 against a Warriors attack featuring Australian spearhead Mitchell Johnson on Saturday.
He also said that New South Wales middle-order batsman Usman Khawaja, who top scored with 60 against Queensland at the Gabba yesterday following a recent double ton against South Australia, had a very good chance of making it to the national squad.
By contrast, Hussey and North needed runs to impress selectors, with a shaky Test middle order being blamed for faltering at key moments in recent series defeats to India and England.
“I think all our players need runs. That’s the big message we’ve been receiving across the board. We know from the Ashes series in 2009 - and we have just seen in India - that the critical thing for us is to have all of our players contributing as well as they can,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Nielsen, as saying.
South Australian skipper Michael Klinger brilliantly took Hussey, who attempted a first-up smash through cover.
“From a personal point of view, the thing for Huss would be to get a couple of really big scores to confirm in his own mind he can keep doing it and he’s back in form,” said Nielsen of 54-Test veteran Hussey, now 35.
“He will have a couple of weeks to get that going.”
North’s early departure yesterday was a reminder of his feast-or-famine existence in 19 Tests featuring five ducks and five tons.
“There has been a lot of talk about Marcus North but he has made five Test hundreds now,” Nielsen said.
North was dropped by James Smith at short leg on 0 yesterday before miscuing a loft over mid-on soon after. (ANI)
- Pressure piling on North, Hussey to deliver before Ashes - Nov 01, 2010
- Border backs besieged Hussey, North to lift their game - Nov 17, 2010
- Ferguson, Khawaja selection is good news for Hussey - Nov 09, 2010
- North draws inspiration from Hussey to save his Test career - Jan 10, 2010
- Ashes: Aussies will err if they leave out 'Mr.Cricket' Hussey, says Arthur - Nov 03, 2010
- Katich among seven players to lose Australian contract - Jun 08, 2011
- North battling to demystify enigma behind his batting peaks and troughs - Nov 24, 2010
- Oz selectors will need to decide on Katich, Hussey's future in national squad - Mar 30, 2011
- North denies rumours of replacing Ponting as Test skipper - Nov 04, 2010
- Ferguson predicts Hussey will hit top Ashes form - Nov 10, 2010
- Border says extended Oz Ashes squad shows 'depth, not selectors uncertainty' - Nov 17, 2010
- Pakistan on verge of victory over Australia in Sydney Test - Jan 05, 2010
- Hussey urges Oz selectors to maintain status quo ahead of Ashes - Nov 05, 2010
- Awesome to represent Australia in Test cricket: Khawaja - Oct 19, 2010
- Ferguson called into Australia one-day team - Nov 04, 2010
Tags: callum, early departure, feast or famine, good chance, james smith, khawaja, klinger, left arm, michael hussey, mitchell johnson, national team coach, new south wales, o brien, personal point, selectors, south australia, spearhead, sydney morning herald, team selection, test hundreds