Hussey aims to counter Flintoff curse

Michael Hussey said hard work early in his innings would be the key to halting Andrew Flintoff's dominance against left-hand batsmen. Hussey, who was not part of the Australia team that lost the Ashes last year, said Flintoff's 2005 form against Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer and Simon Katich was a concern.

"He does seem to bowl particularly well to lefties, we know that," Hussey told the Sun-Herald. "You've just got to work hard every single ball against him. He's such a quality bowler, I think you've got to just try to wear him down. That's what the game is all about, facing players like him.

"It's a true test of everything you've got: your mental ability, your skills, handling all the pressures that go with playing Test cricket, surviving and then slowly getting on top. It can be a very, very rewarding feeling to win that kind of battle." Flintoff's 24 wickets in the 2005 Ashes series included Gilchrist, Hayden and Katich four times each and Langer twice.

Hussey said he hoped his experience against Flintoff would help. "I've faced him a few times in county games and that was a huge challenge," Hussey said. "I'm sure he goes up another notch again in a Test match. I think you probably have to get through him initially and then try to get some runs later. My plans are something I'd probably prefer not to speak about, I'll be keeping most of that to myself.

"I like to spend a lot of time out there and try to be around as long as I can and develop partnerships with the guy at the other end and just try to wear the bowlers down that way. That's the nature of Test cricket. You try to survive long enough until the ball gets a bit older and the pitch is hopefully flattening out a bit and the bowlers are getting more tired and then the runs can come. That's why you do the hard work early on. Wear them down."