Bevo out of VB series. Hussey in

[Donny]

Bevan out of VB Series finals

Wisden Cricinfo staff

Australia's injury worries have intensified, with the news that Michael Bevan has fractured a rib and will miss the remainder of the VB Series, including the best-of-three finals against India which start on February 6.

Bevan sustained the injury in the nets earlier this week, although it did not prevent him from playing against Zimbabwe at the MCG on Thursday, where he even top-scored with a run-a-ball 56. But the pain intensified during the course of his innings, and he is now likely to be sidelined for up to six weeks.

"I just got hit under the ribs," explained Bevan. "I felt it became a little bit worse halfway through my innings on Thursday." With Australia due to depart for Sri Lanka for a five-match one-day series straight after the VB Series finals, Bevan faces a race for fitness.

Meanwhile, Ricky Ponting will be rested for Australia's final group game against India, so that he is ready for the finals. The captaincy will pass to Adam Gilchrist, who has been rested for the past two matches.

[Donny]

Hussey replaces Bevan

By AAP and Scott Coghlan - Fox


WEST Australian batsman Mike Hussey will replace the injured Michael Bevan in the Australian one-day squad.

A Cricket Australia spokesman said this morning Hussey will come into the squad for Sunday's match with India in Perth.

National selectors will then review the squad ahead of the finals series, also with India, starting in Melbourne next Friday.

Bevan will miss the Perth match and the finals because of a fractured rib.

Opener Hussey, 28, has captained the A side but is yet to represent Australia.

National selection chairman Trevor Hohns said Hussey has been knocking on the selection door for some time and deserves the opportunity.

"His form as one of the ING Cup's leading run-scorers this summer has been excellent and it is clear that he has played a big part in the Warriors' strong limited-over performances to date.

"We will sit down and review the squad following the match in Perth as the side moves into the finals series," he said.

Hussey has scored 326 runs from five ING Cup innings this summer at an average of 81.50, including a century against New South Wales at North Sydney Oval in November.

[Canberra]

Gee Donny,I think they picked the wrong Hussey on form.

[Yobbo^LuKa]

Bout time a bloody Vic got a go! Bevan will never get back in cos Hussey will own him! haha

[Donny]

Wrong Huss, Luke.

It's Dave's older bro, Michael, but Hussey the younger certainly kept his name up in lights with a run-a-ball ton in the ING Cup game today.

[Yobbo^LuKa]

lol bugga me haha

[Johnson#26]

Well done Huss! He deserves a chance. Does he have the record of the most amout of Australia A matches in the past 5 years?!

[Collies4Eva]

Really looking 4ward to seeing Huss play!!!!!

[commonwombat]

Hussey certainly deserves this chance but it will be tough.

He is primarily a top order player and it will be interesting as to whether he bats up high with Ponting out or down about 6.

Will be interesting to see how much of an opportunity he does receive. He certainly should not be thrown on the scrapheap on scant opportunity.

[Donny]

Let's remember, he's only in as a replacement for Bevan.

As this match is to be played in Perth, it was odds on a Warrior would be used and could just as easily have been Langer.

Unless he plays an outstanding innings, he'll be back in the queue but it is a great opportunity for him to impress.

Wombat, it's only been the last couple of seasons and his county stint that he moved up to opener. He's played most of his cricket for W.A. at 4 or 5.

[Donny]

'It was a surreal feeling'

David Bebb at the WACA - Cricinfo

After a cracked rib ended Michael Bevan's tournament, Trevor Hohns, head of the Australian selectors, gave Michael Hussey a ring at about seven o' clock last night to tell him he was in the international team. Hussey wasn't expecting it.

"I was pretty shocked really. It was a surreal feeling. He [Hohns] said I was in to replace Bevan for this game. It is a strange feeling really. It is something you obviously dream about as a kid. For all your life you are hoping you get the call. And then when it does finally come, it is a bit of a bizarre feeling. I was hoping and praying that I wouldn't wake up to find out it was all a dream."

He realised it wasn't, and spoke about his intended approach to the game on Sunday. "I think I will feel a bit nervous. It is great that it is at the WACA in front of my home crowd and my family and friends will all be able to be there. So I have plenty of support in that respect. I am just going to go and try and enjoy the whole experience.

Hussey has been a prolific middle-order batsman for Western Australia, scoring over 12,000 runs in nine seasons. And with more than 5000 in 146 one-day games, with eight hundreds and 39 fifties, he has been one of the most consistent batsmen in Australia. Though he comes in for Bevan in the middle-order, and serves the same purpose, he hasn't modelled himself on the man he's replacing.

"I haven't really molded myself on him. But we do play a similar role. I guess that they wanted a like for like player. The main thing is to score runs. Quite often you come in with four or five overs to go, and you pretty much have to slog from ball one. That is the great thing about batting in the middle order, you get so many different challenges, and you have just got to try and cope with them as best as you can."

Though the tour of Sri Lanka was imminent, Hussey preferred to concentrate on the job at hand. "I am really just trying to get my head around this game on Sunday. After Sunday I can sit down and see where they are going and if they want to have a chat to me I don't know. I will go to Sri Lanka if they need me.

"I am going to try and concentrate on scoring as many runs as I can, and whatever will happen will happen. I hope that it is not the one and only experience, I am sure the selectors will keep me in the forefront of their minds over the next few years. Hopefully there will be more opportunities as well."

[piedys]

Our selectors are that dumb that they picked the wrong one. Maybe higher honours are at stake here?
Perhaps he is going to play for NSW soon?

dyso