Hussey wanted for Northants return

By Paul Bolton, County News Correspondent

Northamptonshire have made an approach to bring former Australia batsman Mike Hussey back to Wantage Road as an overseas player for this year’s Friends Life t20.

Hussey, who retired from international cricket after last week’s Test against Sri Lanka in Sydney, played for Northamptonshire from 2001 to 2003 and captained the county in his last two seasons.

The left-hander has remained in close contact with Northamptonshire head coach David Ripley, a former team-mate, and county chief executive David Smith hopes that his historic links will work in their favour.

“We have made contact with Mike Hussey. We are not sure where it will lead but he has close links with us and is a former captain of the county,” Smith said.

“It will probably be his last chance to play county cricket as the T20 is in a three-and-a-half week slot this year but will be played over ten weeks next year, so we hope that might appeal to him.” Hussey, 37, played in 79 Tests, 185 one-day internationals and 38 Twenty20 internationals.

Northamptonshire have also made offers to Australia paceman Jackson Bird, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka last month, and South Africa seamer Rory Kleinveldt to fill the slot as their overseas player in the early part of the season.
 

Date: 07/01/2013 17:17:05 by Paul Bolton
In: Today | Northamptonshire |