Melbourne, Oct 10: Australia is taking no chances with veteran batsman Michael Hussey ahead of the team's tour of South Africa, deciding to give him the week off from domestic competition.
Cricket Australia said Monday that the 36-year-old Hussey, who just returned from Champions League Twenty20 duty with the Chennai Super Kings, will not play in Western Australia's first-class match beginning Tuesday against Tasmania in Perth.
The match is scheduled to end on Friday, the day Hussey is expected to fly to South Africa.
Australia will play two T20 matches—the first on Thursday—three limited-over internationals and two tests in South Africa—the first beginning Nov. 9 in Cape Town, the second Nov. 17 in Johannesburg.
Hussey, who is not part of Australia's Twenty20 squad, was named man of the match in all three of Australia's test matches in Sri Lanka, where the visitors won the first test and played to draws in the others.
“His (Hussey's) workload has been significant,” Cricket Australia general manger Michael Brown said in a statement. “Looking at all the coming international fixtures, it was decided that it is best for Michael if he sits out this week.” AP
