One remarkable Shane Warne over proved to Mike Hussey he was in the company of a genius.
As Australia prepared to farewell Warne and Glenn McGrath from test cricket with a looming 5-0 Ashes whitewash of England in Sydney yesterday, Hussey spoke of the thrill it had beenwatching the two champions in their pomp.
In his test debut, against the West Indies in Brisbane last year, Hussey stood spellbound while Warne outlined with calculating detail how he would dismiss Ramnaresh Sarwan the next over.
"He was going to start the first ball on off stump, the second ball wide of off stump, the third ball wider again of off stump, the fourth ball, just bring it back slightly, and then he was going to go for the big lbw with the slider," said Hussey.
"I was at short leg (while Warne bowled), and he executed the plan absolutely perfectly, but on the last ball of the over Sarwan got an inside edge on to the pad and wasn't dismissed.
"But... for such a difficult art like leg spin, that was a great snippet on how the guy (Warne) goes about his cricket and how he used his cricket brain to work guys out."
Hussey, 31, who said he was still pinching himself after a remarkable start to his own international career, admitted he remained in awe of McGrath and Warne, who will start at the SCG with a combined 1263 test wickets.
Hussey's late start in test cricket denied him the chance to play with former captain Steve Waugh, but, he said, he would cherish being a part of the select-invite farewell bash for the two bowlers.
Warne took Hussey aside in the bathroom of Australia's Gabba dressing room last year and assured the-then nervous debutant he did not have to prove anything to his national teammates.
Although Hussey did not handle the occasion well and was out for one, Warne's words still ring loud and clear.
"To know I had the support of my teammates and for someone like Shane Warne, who I didn't know very well, to say that was very meaningful."
