Cricket: Michael Hussey ends Test career with series victory

Published on 07/01/2013 00:00

Michael Hussey ended his Test career on a high on Saturday when Australia beat Sri Lanka by five wickets with a day to spare in the third Test to sweep the series 3-0.

The 37-year-old was deprived of the ultimate fairytale ending when his batting partner Mitchell Johnson scored the winning run but Hussey, ever the team man, was not remotely concerned. “It couldn’t have ended any better,” he said after being applauded off the pitch by both teams at the end of his 79th Test.

“I feel very proud to have worn the baggy green cap and I’ve probably achieved a lot more in my career than I ever dreamed I could.”

Australia, chasing 141 runs to win the match, lost three wickets in quick succession just before tea to bring Hussey out for his final Test innings before retirement. The interval came with the hosts just five runs shy of victory, and when Johnson pushed the ball wide of point for his only run of the innings, Hussey was already halfway down the pitch to secure the winning run.

“I was telling Mitch the over before if it comes up that you hit it, then I’m more than happy to let us get this over and done with,” said Hussey, who finished unbeaten on 27 for a career average of 51.52.

Meanwhile, Pakistan collapsed from 144 for six to 157 all out as India snatched victory in the final one-day international to avoid a series sweep against their rivals.

Pakistan appeared set to complete the whitewash after bowling India out for 167 in Delhi and then getting solid contributions from Misbah-ul-Haq and Nasir Jamshed to close in on their target. But wickets fell steadily, three of them to Ishant Sharma, allowing India to wrap up victory by a margin of ten runs.