Hussey aims to put World Cup hurt to good use

Michael Hussey is planning to use the hurt he felt at being left out of Australia's World Cup squad to good use now he finds himself back with the champions in the subcontinent.

And the man nicknamed 'Mr Cricket' stressed that, unlike Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who has quit Twenty20 internationals, he had no intention of retiring from shorter formats of the game in order to prolong his Test career.

"It took me so long to get just one game for Australia, so I don't want to pull up stumps on anything too soon," Hussey, who had to wait a decade before making his Test debut in 2005, said on Friday.

The experienced left-handed batsman was omitted from Australia's squad that travelled to the World Cup despite telling the under-fire selectors he would be fit following hamstring surgery. He had been in the original 15.

A panel chaired by former Test batsman Andrew Hilditch felt they could not take the risk, despite Hussey's assurances.

However, a tournament-ending injury to fast bowler Doug Bollinger allowed Australia to call up a surprised Hussey, who averages nearly 52 in 151 ODIs, as his replacement.

"I found it pretty difficult to take for a while, but I then used all that energy and emotion to rehab and get better as fast as I could," Hussey said.

"We thought that if there was an injury, I couldn't be the one to come in and replace.

"I pretty much thought I wouldn't get another chance to play in a World Cup," said the 35-year-old Hussey, a member of the Australia team that triumphed in the Caribbean four years ago.

"When I was ruled out it was a pretty bitter pill to take but, unbelievably, I find myself here, so it's great news."

There had been a perception among several sides that if a player originally selected in a 15-man squad was withdrawn, he could not return.

However, the International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a clarification saying a player in that situation could return in place of an injured team-mate.

Australia, unbeaten at the World Cup since 1999, are bidding for a fourth straight title and fifth in all.

Victory over strugglers Kenya -- who have lost all four of their Group A matches to date -- at Bangalore's Chinnaswamy Stadium on Sunday will take Ponting's men into the quarter-finals.

It would appear to be an ideal game for a comeback but Hussey, adamant he was fully fit, said: "I haven't been given any indication if I am going to play or not. I'm just going to prepare as though I'm going to play."

Several of his team-mates have publicly rejoiced at Hussey's call-up and he said he had been "overwhelmed" by their support.

Like Michael Bevan before him, Hussey has developed an enviable reputation for knowing how to pace a one-day innings.

But Hussey insisted: "I'm not that special, believe me. I'm just a normal everyday bloke. I'm just trying to do my job. That's all I try and do.

"If the team requires me to go at 20 an over that's what I'll try and do. If we need to stay there and win the game slowly that's what I'll try and do."

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