Packer nearly got Aussie team changed for Ashes Test

Melbourne, February 13

Kerry Packer, the Australian media tycoon who revolutionised cricket in the late 1970s, had tried to get Michael Hussey selected into the Australian team for the final Test of the 2005 Ashes series. Packer wanted Hussey to be picked up for the Oval Test, in place of Damien Martyn. Packer at the time headed Australia’s Nine Network.

This revelation was made in a new book, Bradman & Packer: The Deal That Changed Cricket, to be released this week. In the book, former Cricket Australia chairman Bob Merriman revealed that he got a phone call from Packer before the Oval Test, with Packer insisting that Hussey must be brought into the team to help Australia win the match, and thus retain the Ashes trophy. Hussey was playing in the English county cricket at the time.

“Get that f****ng Hussey in the side, quick,” Packer told Merriman, and added: “They (selectors) can’t pick a bloody club team, Martyn hasn’t made a run!”

Merriman then called up Cricket Australia chief executive, James Sutherland, and told him: “Please remind (chief selector) Trevor Hohns that he can pick any Australian, he doesn’t have to pick from the 17.”

Sutherland tried to find out about the availability of Hussey, and called Merriman back and told him: “Bob, Mike Hussey’s on a plane now, we can’t get him in.”

Hussey was flying out of the UK to join the Australia A team as a reserve wicketkeeper on the tour of Pakistan. Hussey, thus, was not available for the Oval Test, which was drawn. 

Packer’s attempt to get him into the national team underlines the influence he had on Australian cricket: He was able to push Merriman, Sutherland and Hohns into nearly changing the national team.

Hussey surprised

“I didn’t know that story, so that blows me away really,” Hussey told ESPNcricinfo.com. “I do remember thinking at the time, there was a bit of speculation in the press, and I remember thinking to myself ‘Oh gosh’. It was obviously one of the greatest series of all time, it had come right down to the wire for the last Test match, I didn’t want to be seen as the big saviour to try to help Australia win the series so I was actually quite petrified to be picked, to be honest.”

Hussey said he was relieved not to be picked up for the high-pressure Ashes series, and being sent to Pakistan instead. “In a small way I was a little bit relieved... I thought they were thinking about leaving Matthew Hayden out and I was going to open the batting,” he said. — Agencies