While former Australian batsman David Hussey was not around to face the great West Indian attacks that dominated world cricket for 20 years, he understands the physical and mental torment they wreaked on opponents.
That’s why there is nothing off the cuff when he suggests a fit and healthy Australian attack of spearhead Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and James Pattinson could produce something similar.
“It’s probably the most exciting fast-bowling quartet going around since the West Indies’ days,” Hussey said.”I wasn’t around for the Windies but I liked watching them play and I liked watching the old DVDs of the Windies play.”
They intimidated batsmen and they bowled fast, they bowled short, they didn’t bowl too many balls full.”Of the Australian bowlers, Mitchell Starc bowls inswinging yorkers to the right-handed batsmen, Hazlewood bowls swinging away to the right-hander but also off the wicket into the right-hander. They are always trying to attack the batsmen in terms of getting them out.
They have got a bowling coach in David Saker who I think has taken them to a new level. You get those four up and running, including Cummins and Pattinson, and it’s a very good team to watch.”
World cricket will get to see the battery that is Starc, Hazlewood, Cummins and Pattinson in full flight for the first time during the Champions Trophy in England in June. Starc was named in a 15-man squad but must still prove his fitness from the foot fracture he suffered during the Test tour of India.
Whether the Australians ultimately have the aura of the West Indian attacks from 1975-95, including such greats as Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall and Andy Roberts, remains to be seen but, according to former Australian star Brett Lee, they “absolutely” have the ability to scare batsmen through their pace and bounce.
In Starc, they also have the variety of a left-armer. They are also in the right age bracket of 23 to 27 to dominate for several years, including having a considerable influence on this summer’s bid to reclaim cricket’s most prized possession – the Ashes urn.But what is unlikely to occur because of team balance and the need to get through 90 overs a day is all four playing in the one side.
A four-pronged pace attack had been the bedrock of the West Indian sides led by Clive Lloyd and Sir Viv Richards.Cummins, who successfully returned to Test cricket on the tour of India, is certainly a match-winner, for he has the 145km pace and skills to unsettle the world’s best.