Michael Hussey: Top Bloke

Because he is. This is the only place a cricketer will receive recognition for being a top bloke, without scrutiny of his batting average, bowling average or other statistics which only make the game less personable. Forget numbers, let's talk character.

Mike Hussey has plenty of character. He's nice to the point it's almost terrifying. I haven't seen, read or heard a single interview or quote from his mouth which is in any way similar to the vitriol that spews out of some other players' mouths (read: KP, "the old" Graeme Smith). He was also a key player in the 2006-07 Ashes series, helping Australia cleansweep the series 5-0 (I love mentioning that figure. 5-0. does it hurt to read that being English?). In 2006, he reached 1000 Test runs in 166 days, which is still the record.

Hussey is the entirely devoted batsman who spent the majority of his career playing domestically, amassing thousands of runs (over 15,000 to be exact) and tirelessly working to improve technique. He literally spent hours each day practising and practising, perfecting his play. When he debuted at 30 years of age, Michael Hussey was possibly the most devoted cricketer Australia had ever had.

But he's also a thinker. A big thinker, an obsessive thinker. He's spoken of a record book he used to keep, in which he documented his every match of every game and his every result in each. All his performances, his successes and failures, mapped out on paper. Not just a thinker, but a crazy, OCD one. Eventually this had to stop, though, and Hussey was able to break the habit as slightly bad form would begin to play at his mind to detrimental effect. Still, however, he has stated that he cannot seem to be able to escape the slump in form over the past year. And although he practises as much as ever, and trains himself to believe in himself as he walks to the crease, there is still something missing. Or something too much. A seed of doubt in his mind, overthinking the situation, creating problems where there are none.

Poor Mike. He's got the technique, used to be one of Australia's most reliable batsmen, and now, no matter what he does, nothing seems to be going right. It's a disappointment, but it's also a fact of life. Nevertheless, that doesn't change the fact that Michael Hussey is a true top bloke. You can't help but want him to succeed. Except when Albie Morkel is bowling. Then it's kind of funny.