Wednesday, October 3, 2012

David Hussey to play Australia's semi-final against West Indies


David Hussey, the leading scorer in domestic and international T20 cricket history, was dropped after making three and one in last month's series against Pakistan in Dubai.
But 23-year-old Maxwell, dubbed the x-factor by Australia coach Mickey Arthur, has taken 1-53 with his offspinners and scored eight runs in two hits.
A highly regarded fieldsman, Maxwell dropped Nasir Jamshed at first slip on a duck on Tuesday night, then watched the left-hander score a match-winning 55.
In the same innings Maxwell also fumbled a ball in the outfield as it skipped between his legs on the boundary in an embarrassing error as Pakistan posted 6-149.
Then with the score on 4-65 in the 14th over of Australia's chase, Maxwell launched an audacious off-drive and lobbed a catch to backward point off the bowling of spinner Raza Hasan.
Mike Hussey (54 not out) was the only Australian batsman to reach 20 in their 7-117.
Australia still finished on top of their World Twenty20 Super Eights' Group Two pool after two earlier wins and a superior run-rate but their performances left Arthur with plenty to ponder.
Co-selector Arthur admitted it would be a harsh move to dump Maxwell or Cameron White for David Hussey based on one poor performance.
"But experience plays a massive part at the back end of a tournament and Dave has a little bit of experience," Arthur said on Wednesday.
"So we'll sit down and give it some real good thought over the next two days and come up with what is best."
Australia had lost only seven wickets in their first four games with opener Shane Watson (242 runs at 60.50) playing a starring role.
But Pakistan's five-pronged spin attack did what other sides had struggled to do and that was make early breakthroughs and expose the middle-order's inability to play spin.
"I don't think it's any great secret that we have some deficiencies at times against spin and that showed tonight," skipper George Bailey told his post-match news conference.


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