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December31,2012

DavidHussey

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BeforethehomeAshesseriesin2010,IwasabitworriedIhadfinishedoffmybrotherMike'sTest
career.
VictoriaplayedWesternAustraliainthelastSheffieldShieldgamebeforetheAshes,andinthefirst
innings,MikegotanickoffAndrewMcDonald,andIcaughtit.Wedidn'tcelebratebecausewe
thoughtthatwasanailinthecoffinforhim.
IdroveoutofthecarparkattheMCGthatnight,andhewaswalkinghometothehotel.Isaid,''Jump
in,I'lldriveyou.''Buthewantedtobebyhimself.Ithought,''Thisisnotgood,he'sgone.''Icalledhim
onthewayhome,andwejusttalkedaboutfamilybuthewasprettydown.Isaidtohim,''Whatare
youdoingwithyourbatting?You'reabloodygoodplayer,whydon'tyoujustbelieveinyourself?You
don'tevenlooklikeyou'rehittingtheball.Gooutinthesecondinningsandjustsmashuseverywhere,
willyou?''Sureenough,hegotahundredoffabout60ballsand,sadly,Victorialostthegame
becauseofit.
ThatstorysaysalotaboutMike,andaboutthestubbornstreakinbothofus.Everybodywantedhis
head.AndrewHilditchwaschairmanofselectors,andheandGregChappellwantedhimout,wanted
somenewbloodintheteam.Mikeclaimshedoesn'treadthenewspapersbutIknowforafacthe
does,andIreckonitreallygottohim.Hethought,''Right,thesebuggerswantmeout,whatIamI
goingtodoaboutit?''Heshowedeveryonehecouldstillplayatthehighestlevel,andnowhe's
decidedtoretireontopofhisgame.
Ididn'tseeitcoming.Healwaystoldmehewantedtoplayforever.SowhenherangonSaturdayand
saidhewasgoingtoannouncehisretirement,Icouldn'tunderstandwhy.Isaid,''Whyareyoudoing
this?You'vestillgotsomuchcricketinyou,andweneedyoufortheAshes.Justhavethenextseries
offandgotoEngland.''Hesaid,''No,I'mdone.''Hewasquitecontent.

BlackdayMikeHusseyaftermakingaduckagainst
Victoriain2010.Photo:GettyImages

It'sgoodhehasgoneoutontop.YoucouldputhiminthesamecategoryasMatthewHayden,AdamGilchristandJustinLangerprobablynotinRicky
Ponting'sleaguebutrightupthere.Mike'sdeterminationenabledhimtobuildsuchasuccessfulcareer,evenbeforehemadetheTestteamattheage
of30.Acoupleofyearsbefore,hewasdroppedfromtheWAteambuthereignitedtheflamebymakingalotofrunsincountycricketwithDurham,then
camebackandkilledtheminShieldcricketandwasbackinfavour.Hejustfoundaway,andthat'swhatwedidaskids.Ifourparentstolduswe
weren'tallowedtodosomething,we'dfindawaytodoit,whetheritwasgettingdowntothebeachatMullalooforaswimorplayingclassiccatches.
We'rethatstubborn.
Ourbackyardwasafiercelycompetitiveplacebutwe'veonlyeverhadonealtercationonacricketfield.ItwastheShieldmatchinwhichMikesavedhis
Testcareerwithasecondinningscentury.MattWadeandmyselfwerebatting.Wadeplayedandmissedandwasgivenout,caughtbehind,andthey
gavehimahugesendoff.IstuckupforMattandtoldmostoftheWAboystheywereabunchofshitblokes.IpointedtoMikeandsaid,''Thatincludes
you!''Thatwasthelastthingwesaidtoeachotheronacricketfield.
Outinthemiddle,Mikeisintensebutawayfromthegame,heisrelaxed,andwe'regoodmates.Wedon'ttalkmuchaboutcricketbutseeinghim
achieveallhisgoalshasmotivatedme.
WhenhetoldmeabouthisretirementhesaidmaybeIcouldreplacehimintheTestteam.Idon'twanttogetmyhopesupatthemomentIthinkI've
gota1percentchancebutI'mnotgivinguphope.

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