ICC Cricket World Cup 2011
Dates: 19 February-2 April Venues: India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh
Coverage: Highlights on BBC TV, Red Button & BBC Sport website (UK users only); Live Test Match Special commentary (BBC 5 live sports extra, BBC Sport website, some games also on BBC Radio 4 LW) and live text commentary on all England matches and selected other major games; Also live on Sky Sports  Hussey only scored 87 runs in six innings at the 2007 World Cup |
Former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie has criticised batsman Mike Hussey for "whinging" about his exclusion from their World Cup squad. Hussey said he was "shocked" and "disappointed" after selectors decided they did not want to take a chance on him recovering from a hamstring injury. But Gillespie said: "He didn't do himself any favours by coming out and whinging that he wasn't selected. "He should respect their decision. You can't take your spot for granted." Hussey, who has scored 4,469 runs in 151 one-day internationals at an average of 51.96, ruptured a hamstring in a one-day international against England in January. On Tuesday, Cricket Australia selectors left the Western Australia left-hander out of their 15-man squad, replacing him with Callum Ferguson.  | I think they were taking a bit risk if they took Mike Hussey and it was disappointing to hear Mike come out and have a crack at the selectors for that |
The following day, Hussey expressed his shock at the news, suggesting the selectors should have given him a chance to recover for the latter stages of the tournament, as they did with all-rounder Andrew Symonds at the 2007 World Cup. Gillespie, who now coaches the Midwest Rhinos in Zimbabwe, took a different view. "He was talking about a precedent with Andrew Symonds being given leeway in 2007," said Gillespie, who took 259 wickets in 71 Tests before retiring in 2006. "That was a decision that they made and it paid off in '07, but I will back the selectors in this case. "I think they were taking a big risk if they took Mike Hussey, and it was disappointing to hear Mike come out and have a crack at the selectors. "As a player, you can't just assume that you should be in that mix. It would have been better if Mike had simply said he wishes his team-mates the very best of luck in the World Cup. "It didn't come across very well at all in my view." Gillespie was far less approving of Australia's selection policy during the 3-1 Ashes defeat to England, accusing them of muddled thinking throughout the series. "Selecting 17 players before the first Test just showed indecision," he said. "They didn't know what team they wanted. "I thought the handling of the spinners was nothing short of terrible. There was no faith shown in any of the spinners. "We have seen [Nathan] Hauritz, [Xavier] Doherty, [Michael] Beer, [Jason] Krezja and Steve Smith - there has been a massive turnover. "Since Shane Warne, they have used about a dozen spinners and that suggests they don't know what they are doing in that regard."
| 
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
Bookmark with:
What are these?