Life begins at 30, according to Mike Hussey.
Well, as a Test batsman anyway.
More often than not Hussey – now 37 – is the Australian cricketer feeling the heat ahead of a home summer series as critics become preoccupied with age rather than stats, retirement rather than runs.
However, the Australian stalwart is all but breathing a sigh of relief after fellow veteran Rob Quiney was called up for his Test debut in the series opener against South Africa in Brisbane starting on Friday.
A nod toward the once forgotten 30-year-old Quiney appears to have sent a message from national selectors – age is no barrier and form is the key to making the Australian team.
It was music to Hussey’s ears.
“In my opinion you probably don’t reach your peak until you are 30,” Hussey said.
“Especially as a batsman. It takes a long time to learn your own game, the way you play best – certainly that was the case for me.
“There has been a lot of evidence of that – Matty Hayden springs to mind and Damien Martyn had a second career at 30.
“There is so much pressure and distractions around Test cricket that you really need to have a good understanding of your own game – when you are older you don’t let those distractions get on your mind.”
Certainly Hussey didn’t when he finally broke into the Test set-up in 2005 after 10 years of hard graft in first class cricket.
He boasted a Bradman-esque average of 86.18 after two years in the Test side and took just 166 days to register 1000 runs.
Hussey now has a mere mortal 50.07 average after 73 Tests heading into a series that will decide the world No.1 ranking.
But critics seem more concerned with reminding Hussey of a much more damning stat – and it’s not his age.
Averaging just 15 in the last series in late 2011 against South Africa’s pace triumvirate of world No.1 Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander was bad enough for Hussey – now the Proteas have all but singled him out for more treatment this summer.
But it was news to Hussey that South Africa had his measure.
“They can feel that. It doesn’t bother me,” he said.
“It is in the past.
“I was buzzing after arriving in Brisbane for this new series. That tells me I still have the passion.
“I still feel I can contribute to the team.”
Especially when it comes to helping Quiney settle into the team.
“He has shown in the last two years at Shield level he can do the business,” Hussey said of the Victorian left-hander who will bat at No.3 on Test debut.
“Talking to him that was one of my messages – you don’t have to try any harder, you don’t have to do anything different, you just have to play your way.
“If he sticks to that I am sure he will have success.”