Hussey Shines With Ball Against Wa

The Age

Saturday October 14, 2006

By LYALL JOHNSON, PERTH

WHEN David Hussey intimated during the week that a potential win in last night's Ford Ranger Cup match would be set up by the Bushrangers' batsmen, what he could not have known was that the batsman who would have the biggest impact would be masquerading as a bowler.

While Shane Harwood would be the pick of the bowlers on the scoreboard, capturing 5-40 off 9.4 overs, it was Hussey who changed the shape of the game against Western Australia with two wickets when WA had looked like consolidating a sound start.

With WA on 3-143 from 28 overs and looking set to post 300-plus, Hussey strolled in from the northern end of the WACA Ground for his second over of off spin and enticed vice-captain Marcus North down the pitch.

Whether North, who had toiled well for 30, didn't rate Hussey's tweakers, was frustrated by the screws being put on the run-rate, or was merely trying to assert his authority early, it mattered little as his lofted drive found Gerard Denton at long-on.

Four overs later, Hussey executed the Victorians' trap to get Justin Langer sweeping, the top edge snapped up smartly by Harwood at backward short leg. The WA skipper was back in the dressing room for six and the Warriors were 5-160.

In between, had it not been for a beautifully timed, accidental block by Langer at the non-striker's end, Hussey would have had Adam Voges caught and bowled when he was on 24.

Voges went on to top-score with 82, but not to be outdone, Hussey got his revenge when he caught him at long-on off Harwood.

Harwood then dismissed Steve Magoffin and Peter Worthington in the final over to have the Warriors out for 260.

Whether influenced by the greenish top to the wicket or slight moisture from the rain in recent days, Victorian skipper Cameron White bowled after winning the toss, but the pitch seemed to offer the quicks precious little.

Not that they bowled well enough early to deserve much assistance. Denton was swinging the ball but at times was too full; at the other end, Michael Lewis struggled with his rhythm.

When he wasn't bowling too full, Lewis was bowling too short or too wide and opener Luke Ronchi in particular enjoyed the freedom and played an array of strokes, hitting eight fours and a six in his 59.

Having got the ball to swing in to the left-hander, Denton had the first breakthrough with the score on 33, with a delivery that held up and moved away from Chris Rogers, the edge carrying to keeper Adam Crosthwaite.

Harwood took over from Lewis at the southern end after Lewis' fourth expensive over, and in the 15th over was rewarded with the wicket of Shaun Marsh, before taking the vital scalp of Ronchi.

With the score at 3-96, White pushed the field back and allowed the Warriors to tick over the strike before his masterstroke of throwing the ball to Hussey, who finished with 2-36 off eight overs.

© 2006 The Age

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