Hussey tips Daredevils as favourites

David Hussey knows all too well that it took Australia only three days to crash out of the World Twenty20 tournament this year. He was part of the side that was bundled out in the first round after losing to West Indies and Sri Lanka in early June. Hussey is keen to ensure Victoria don't suffer a similar fate in the Champions League Twenty20.

The Bushrangers have arguably been the best domestic Twenty20 team in the world over the past four years, during which time they have won three Australian titles and have been beaten in only three matches in the format. Therefore it will be all the more galling if they stumble on the world stage.

Victoria's problem is that they have been drawn in a group with Delhi Daredevils, who Hussey believes are the tournament favourites. The Bushrangers play their opening match of the competition in Delhi against the Daredevils, whose squad includes destructive Twenty20 batsmen including AB de Villiers and Tillakaratne Dilshan, as well as the wily spinners Daniel Vettori and Amit Mishra.

"Delhi Daredevils probably are the biggest threat," Hussey said in Melbourne, as the Victorians prepared to head to Lismore in New South Wales for a series of practice matches. "They've got Virender Sehwag up front with Gautam Gambhir, two matchwinners who can take away a game in any two overs. They're also led at the front of the attack with two left-armers, Ashish Nehra and Dirk Nannes."

It is an attack so strong that Glenn McGrath, who was in the Daredevils' preliminary squad, couldn't even win a place in the final 15-man group. But the Victorians have their own advantages. Their coach Greg Shipperd was also in charge of Delhi during the IPL, and has handed the Daredevils over to his assistant David Saker - also an assistant with the Bushrangers - for the Champions League.

They know the Delhi Daredevils spearhead Nannes, who also helped bowl Victoria into the tournament but whose, better than any other team and will feel comfortable against his pace. Then there is also the camaraderie among the Victorians, who have no foreign players in their side.

"We're going to have to play at our best to compete with them and I reckon we can cause a little bit of a surprise," Hussey said. "We've got matchwinners throughout the team, great fast bowlers and great batters. Probably our strength at the moment is our batters led by Brad Hodge and our skipper Cameron White. But I think we've got a very well-balanced team and we know the basics very, very well.

"They've got a lot of overseas players - a lot of the other teams have - whereas we train together, eat together, sleep together. I think that's got a huge bearing on how we play."

The match against Delhi Daredevils is followed four days later by a game against the Sri Lankan domestic champions Wayamba, whose squad includes international stars such as Mahela Jayawardene and Ajantha Mendis. One of the three teams will fail to progress to the next round.

For Hussey, there is incentive not only in the US$2.5 million prize money for the winners, and the desire for Victoria to emerge triumphant. He is also hoping to shine enough to win back his place in Australia's one-day side.

Hussey scored his maiden ODI century against Scotland in August but was dropped from the 50-over side to take on England and the Champions Trophy squad. However, he said the selectors had been clear that he could regain his position with strong domestic form.

"I suppose I didn't grab the spot with both hands," Hussey said. "It's really up to me now to make as many runs for Victoria as possible, and hopefully have a great Champions League and force my way back in.

"They [the selectors] basically outlined a way to get back into the team. They did say there would be many more opportunities in the future and that it's up to me to grab that opportunity and run with it for quite some time. That's what I plan to do if I get another chance."