Test batsman Marcus North says his Western Australian and Australian teammate Mike Hussey is over his form slump and deserves to keep his place in the national side for the first Test against the West Indies starting in Brisbane next Thursday.
There was plenty of speculation 34-year-old Hussey would be dropped following Australia's Ashes loss to England to make way for a younger player such as New South Wales' 20-year-old Phillip Hughes, but North says Hussey is ready to reclaim his mantle as one of the country's premier batsmen.
Hussey went 28 Test innings and some 10 months without a century before scoring 121 in his last Test appearance at The Oval during the final Ashes Test, with his Test batting averaged having dropped from above 70 to 52.65 during that time.
And since Australia's last Test at The Oval, Hussey has continued his revival by starring during Australia's recent one-day series win in India by scoring 313 runs at 104.33.
North said Hussey did not deserve to be dropped for next week's first Test.
"There was a whole lot of speculation about that but the way Mike has been playing in India - he finished off with a very good hundred in the Ashes series and then went on to play very well in one-day cricket," North said of Hussey, following Western Australia's outright loss to Victoria in their Sheffield Shield match at the MCG on Friday.
"The form he produced in India has been top class and I'm sure he is now looking forward to next week and now after the first Test team was named, he can go out and continue that form and hopefully have a big summer of Test cricket."
Hussey, unlike North, did not play in the Shield game amidst speculation the selectors did not want the veteran being subjected to extra pressure going into the Test should he have failed to produce a decent score against the reigning Shield champions.
But North dismissed that suggestion saying Hussey deserved a break ahead of the Test, following the recent one-day series in India.
"I think there has got to be some common sense and balance at times (in terms of selections)," he said.
"These guys have had some strenuous tours and while we would have loved to have had him playing here, there has to be that balance."
"Not everyone is going be happy with the decision but there is a balance of trying to keep these guys fresh enough because from next week we have another campaign starting and it's going to be month after month (of playing cricket) again."
As for his own form, North - who has already scored three centuries including one on debut in South Africa earlier this year from just seven Test appearances - is looking forward to taking on the Windies next week and goes in confident despite making just 31 and 20 against the Vics during the Warriors' seven wicket defeat in the Shield game.
The 30-year-old says he's fully recovered from a knock he received on the wrist last Saturday during the Warriors loss to the Vics in a Ford Ranger Cup match.
"Obviously it was a bit of a nasty knock but the wrist is great," he said.
"It's pulled up really well and while it would have been nice to stay out there (during the Shield game) and score a big one leading into next week, I felt like I was moving pretty well and timing the ball well so I am feeling comfortable with my game."