Hussey looms as vital to Australia’s draw hopes

Mike Hussey is  relishing his chance to help Australia stave off dominant England and bat out to a draw in the second Ashes Test in Adelaide. Australia’s in-form batsman was unbeaten on 44 and his team’s main hope of  salvaging a draw after the shattering loss of vice-captain Michael Clarke for  80 in Monday’s last over. Hussey, who scored 195 in last week’s Brisbane Test, averages 166 so far in  the series after his team place was in jeopardy at one stage, and is suited by  the backs-to-the-wall fight Australia face to stop England from going one-up. Australia are still 137 runs adrift of England and have another day to hang  on for a draw. “I’d be lying if I said I loved it, but it’s certainly rewarding to come in  in a pressure situation and get your team into a position to win the match or  save the match,” Hussey said. “It gives you a lot of satisfaction. I wish I could come out like (Don)  Bradman and smash them everywhere, but unfortunately the game doesn’t work that  way.” Hussey said his batting partner Clarke was distraught to lose his wicket  with four balls left in Monday’s final over after looking as if he had done all  the hard work to take a prominent role on the last day. “He’s pretty distraught at the moment, I don’t think he’s said a word at  the moment. He’s very disappointed,” Hussey said. “It was a real sombre way for us to finish the day because we fought pretty  hard and it would have been nice to go in three-down, and it would have really  capped off a great day because he played awesome cricket today. “He played like the Michael Clarke we have loved watching play over the last few years, so it was great for him to play that way, it was just disappointing he couldn’t play through to the end of the day.” Hussey said Australia faced a tough assignment to deprive England of the win they deserved through their domination over the four days so far. “We’ve got a lot of hard work to do before we can think about that, but if  we can draw the match, England will see it as a loss so that’s got to drive us  on,” he said. “We’ve certainly been outplayed, no question, but if we can get away with  0-0 it will be a great result for us. “But we’ve got a bit of hard work to do, maybe a bit of luck and hopefully  some weather to help us along the way.” The forecast is for showers and a possible thunderstorm in the afternoon.