Courage and determination

"What a match!!!"... these were the words which came out of each and every cricket fan on Friday. Yes, I am talking about the match between Oz and Pak. The courage, determination and resilience shown by Mike Hussey made sure that Australia book their place in the T20 finals for the first time and also prevent Pak from making it to the Big one for a straight 3rd time.

Clarke won the toss and elected to bowl so that he could take some early wickets and put pressure on Pak. But not to be; Salman Butt and Kamran Akmal made sure that Aus start shifting from Plan A to B and then B to C. All their plans were thrown on the mat by the onslaught by the two opening batsmen from Pak. And later, the young Umar Akmal, Kamran's kin, made his elder brother proud by taking the final score to a joint second highest in the tournament, 191.

During the second innings, Australians were pushed to their back foot as David Warner went back to the Pavillion faster than he had came to the crease. Australia kept on losing wickets at regular intervals and almost all of us had written them off in the match. But then, in came Cameron White and Mike Hussey. And oh Boy, what a show from both of them. I remember Cameron White went off a full toss trying to hit a Six to long off.

And in came Mitchell Johnson. All he had to do was stay at the non-striker end and watch the master that Hussey is. Australia, at the end of 16th over, needed 56 from 24 balls and with 7 wkts down, even Mike Hussey would not have thought that its still possible. But then, we saw a side of Hussey we have never seen, an attacker, an on slaughter, a KILLER... He started killing each and every bowler that came. And finally, they needed 18 from the last over.

In came Ajmal, the most economical Pakistani bowler. He would have thought he would easily restrict Mike and OZ to less than 18 which was needed. But, Welcome to Hussey's world - The last over went like this- 1 6 6 4 6. Hussey winning match for Oz with one ball to spare. He made 60 n.o off 24 balls. Thats a S/R of more than 200, considering the fact that he came in when wickets were going down all around him.

At the post match ceremony, the Man of the Match, Mr Hussey himself told that it was the est moment of his cricketing career. And I second that.

Kudos to You Hussey. It really was the best innings I have seen you play, And I am sure there will be many more in the future.