Notts will welcome the return of David Hussey when he turns out in the LV= County Championship fixture at Tunbridge Wells on Friday. The popular Australian batsman returns for his fifth season with the county and will have the added responsibility this summer of captaining the Outlaws for the FP T20 campaign.
This illustrates the respect the club have for this quick-scoring Australian, as the stakes are incredibly high in this competition. Huge prize pots combined with a potential home quarter-final, can make a significant difference to the club’s bottom line, but Director of Cricket Mick Newell and Captain Chris Read believe that Hussey’s energy and experience can be a significant factor in a successful campaign.
Hussey is a dynamic cricketer in all forms of the game and is feared by bowlers around the world. He likes to dominate with the bat and is a bustling ‘up and at em’ style cricketer – in contrast to Notts recent overseas signing Hashim Amla.
Where the productive South African is relaxed at the crease and pierces the field with crisply timed shots, maintaining a steady tempo to his innings, Hussey is far more energetic. An incredibly fast runner, Hussey will look to turn two’s into three’s and pinch quick signals at every opportunity. Once he has got himself in, Hussey’s strike-rate will increase rapidly. And on his day, he will bully the bowlers into submission while his power and timing helps him find the boundary whatever the size of the ground.
"Hussey is a dynamic cricketer in all forms of the game and is feared by bowlers around the world."
Notts have enjoyed a superb start to the season, especially in the County Championship – thanks in no small part to Amla’s contribution. Hussey will be desperate to build on these foundations at a club he happily calls his “second home”. He is one of the game’s thinkers and will often be seen chatting to Chris Read during Championship games, debating tactics that would give Notts the upper hand.
In the shorter formats, Hussey’s prowess in the field is such that he stands out, even when playing for an incredibly athletic Australian one-day side. A gun second slip in the longer form of the game and dynamite in the covers in one-day cricket, Hussey makes every run the batsmen take near him a contest. He is one of the Outlaws cheerleaders, and will be heard both sides of the boundary willing his side on. And as a part-time off spinner, he also provides a valuable bowling option in one-day cricket.
Hussey has obviously been wearing his Outlaws cap, even before touching down in the country, after playing a pivotal role in the signing of one-day specialist Dirk Nannes. The Australian left arm seamer revealed after signing for Notts: “Dave approached me at Victoria and said that Notts were interested and would give me a call. His endorsement was a big factor in why I wanted to sign."
Nannes has fantastic pedigree in Twenty20 Cricket, having won tournaments with the Middlesex Panthers and Victoria Bushrangers, and forced his way into the Australian side, so this should be regarded as a huge coup for the club.
With Notts currently sitting third in the Clydesdale Bank 40 and on top of the LV= County Championship table, there are tangible reasons to be optimistic about bagging some silverware at the end of the season. Much will depend on the fitness of the squad as the schedule begins to take its toll and form will obviously play a part. They certainly won’t be lacking in the effort department, and will be giving 100 per cent every step of the way. David Hussey will see to that.