The Ashes Blog: Don't let the decision talk take away from the brilliance (From Lancashire Telegraph)

The Ashes Blog: Don't let the decision talk take away from the brilliance

10:15am Saturday 27th November 2010 in Ashes blog By Matt Donlan, Sports reporter

WELL then, that was a bit of a shock wasn’t it?

As much as it pains to say it, Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin were quite simply brilliant as they clinically removed England’s victory hopes in the first Test overnight.

There 307-run stand for the sixth wicket was the stuff of legend - but how they had to work during opening exchanges that really put them on the back foot.

The England bowlers were brilliant in the first hour - but so were Hussey and Haddin. With a couple of bits of fortune it could have been so different. But then again, if my auntie was called Wilf she would be a fella.

Luck, both good and bad, is part and parcel of sport.

Much has been made about the decision referral system which is in use - some like it, others don’t.

Hussey could have been out this morning - but England did not have any referrals left after being ruled against, erroneously, on Friday when appealing a catch off Michael Clarke.

But even technology can’t be 100 per cent relied upon, as was proven with the Clarke saga on Day Two when everyone believed he edged the ball only for the hotspot to rule he didn’t while the snickometer did.

There is a place for the DRS - but perhaps only on the call of the umpire. And then you have to wonder if the umpire would want to have his own decision subjected to a third party.

That talk, though, shouldn’t take away from an enthralling Test, a Test that seems there for the Aussies.

And that is not down to decisions, it is down to the brilliance of their H-Club.

Hussey is known as Mr Cricket. He is the Aussie songmaster, a cherished role as they party after a win.

His form had been poor and many Australians wanted him dropping.

His knock was the perfect response and you could not help but smile at his efforts.

And those final couple of paragraphs are hard to write for a proud Englishman and Lancastrian on Lancashire Day.

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