Player of the Match
Player of the Match
1944dThe Report by Brydon Coverdale

Retiring Hussey steers Australia to victory

Michael Hussey is one of cricket's finest finishers, so it was only fitting that he ended his international career by steering Australia to victory and a series clean-sweep over Sri Lanka

Match Centre

Statistics

Best performances - Batsmen

MS Wade
MS Wade
102(158) 9x4 - 0x6
Control %88%
  • Productive Shot
  • off side drive on front foot
  • 34 runs
  • 4x4 - 0x6
10 3 26 9 13 2 11 28
HDRL Thirimanne
HDRL Thirimanne
91(151) 13x4 - 1x6
Control %90%
  • Productive Shot
  • off side drive on front foot
  • 30 runs
  • 6x4 - 0x6
4 9 26 8 8 4 16 16

Best performances - Bowlers

JM Bird
O19.4
M10
R41
W4
Eco2.08
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF
HMRKB Herath
HMRKB Herath
O31
M3
R95
W4
Eco3.06
RHB
OFFLEG
  • FTFULL TOSS
  • YYORKER
  • FFULL LENGTH
  • GGOOD LENGTH
  • SGSHORT OF GOOD LENGTH
  • SSHORT LENGTH
LHB
LEGOFF

Scorecard Summary

SRI LANKA 294(87.4 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

AUSTRALIA 432/9d(107 OVERS)
1ST INNINGS

SRI LANKA 278(81.2 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

AUSTRALIA 141/5(42.5 OVERS)
2ND INNINGS

Scorer: M Venkat Raghav | Commentator: Kanishkaa Balachandran

The presentation starts:

Jackson Bird if the Man of the Match: "Busy 18 months. I suppose it feels like a "home" Test match. Been great fun. Good to see Huss off on a good note. I was more nervous getting those first runs out of the way."

Jayawardene: "When we came here it was a great opportunity. We needed to play a Test in these venues. We will learn from this. The quicks were not getting much out of this, we should have posted a much better total. The boys fought well in the end. That's the future for us (Chandimal etc) and there will be more players coming in and it will be tough but they should learn from these defeats."

Michael Clarke is the Man of the Series: "We had to work hard. I thought Lyon did a good job in the first innings, credit to Wade for the way he played. Another man down unfortunately (Hussey). What an amazing player, a great team man. Our plan was to win six out of six so a bit disappointed. We haven't been consistent enough. But we've got a team that's working very hard. So 2013 is the year of the Australian cricket team so that's why we are here."

The Australian team poses for photos. Hussey is carried off by Peter Siddle and Mitchell Johnson. He will run in and sing the team song, one last time.

Just a few words for Sri Lanka. They have now lost four in a row, having conceded the Colombo Test against New Zealand before coming here. Jayawardene leaves the captaincy on a low, but one would hope that Angelo Mathews can raise his game when he takes on his new role. They've got some talented players to take them forward. One just needs to be patient. Things just didn't click on this tour and the lack of runs from seniors like Mahela and Samaraweera didn't help. Here's wishing them a better 2013, though they won't be playing many Tests, sadly. That's a discussion for another day.

That's it from us here. More analysis on the Test and the series coming up from Andrew Fernando, Dan Brettig and Brydon Coverdale. Thanks for joining us. It's been a pleasure covering the last two Tests, despite the graveyard timings. Thanks for the feedback. Cheers!

End of match: All the Sri Lanka players come forward and shake Michael Hussey's hand. The Sri Lankan reserve players come out and Hussey walks across to them as well. He leads the team off the field. The coaching staff are out as well.

Hussey: "Couldn't be happier. It was nice to be out there in the end. Has to be one of my top three favourite grounds in the world. I'd just like to be remembered as a good team man, really. Singing the team song will probably be what I will miss the most." . Who will sing the team song now? Hussey says," I will let it out now, I will hand it over to Nathan Lyon." Yes, Lyon it is.

Warner: "I think he will be embarrassed he didn't hit the winning runs. I think we are going to step up as youngsters. I'm feeling really good at the moment (about my batting). Getting two games off is good for me. Those 15 days against SA hurt us. To win here and see Huss here is fantastic."

Hussey's kids hug him. He poses for photos with them.

Aditya: "Wow. The whole world wants Hussey to take the winning run. He says screw that. I only care about the team winning. Absolute hero."

As Hussey said, he was a team man through and through. His is a lesson for late-bloomers, in all walks of life.

Nathan Lyon speaks: "When Mike told me (about the team song) I was shocked. I hope to learn more from Hussey.

42.5
1
Herath to Johnson, 1 run, Hussey doesn't mind Johnson hitting the winning runs! Gets forward and he pushes it wide of point, Johnson looked at his partner and Hussey was off the blocks already!
42.4
0
Herath to Johnson, no run, gives it more air and Johnson is more than happy to defend
42.3
1
Herath to Hussey, 1 run, Hussey gets across and he defends towards point and well, takes the single!
42.2
0
Herath to Hussey, no run, tossed up and he plonks forward and defends
42.1
0
Herath to Hussey, no run, flatter on the off stump and he comes forward and defends

END OF OVER:
42 | 3 Runs | AUS: 139/5

  • Mitchell Johnson0 (5b)
  • Michael Hussey26 (39b)
  • Tillakaratne Dilshan18-2-57-1
  • Rangana Herath16-0-45-3
41.6
0
Dilshan to Johnson, no run, crowd applauds again as Johnson comes forward and defends, Hussey will take strike
  • Sentimental in Sydney

    The SCG for the Australia-Sri Lanka Test was a place for memories, goodbyes and a terrific show of support for a good cause

  • Hope in defeat, but Sri Lanka must act

    Despite the defeat at the SCG, there were positives in Sri Lanka's performance in the third Test, especially the performances of some of the young talent

  • A mournful chant for Hussey

    Michael Hussey, the team man, was set apart as an individual as he batted for Australia one last time

  • An all-format specialist

    Australia have lost the services of Michael Hussey, one of the best middle-order batsmen in Tests and ODIs

  • Cheers for an Australian wicket

    Plays of the day from the fourth day of the SCG Test between Australia and Sri Lanka

Australia 4th innings Partnerships

WktRunsPlayers
1st0EJM CowanDA Warner
2nd45EJM CowanPJ Hughes
3rd59MJ ClarkeEJM Cowan
4th4MEK HusseyEJM Cowan
5th24MEK HusseyMS Wade
6th9MEK HusseyMG Johnson