October 18 Friday 2002
Hussey opposing skipper in first two tour ties 

PERTH: Western Australian opening batsman Michael Hussey, who led Northamptonshire in this summer's English county championship, will be the opposing skipper in England's first two matches of their Australian tour, selectors announced Thursday. 

Hussey, 27, will be in charge of an Australian Cricket Board Chairman's XI to meet the tourists in a limited-overs hit-out at Lilac Hill Park, Caversham, in the Swan Valley, near here, Tuesday. 

He will also captain Western Australia in a two-day match against Nasser Hussain's side starting two days later at the WACA Ground. 

Hussey will be deputising for regular captain Adam Gilchrist and vice-captain Justin Langer, on duty with the Australian Test side playing Pakistan in Sharjah. 

Gilchrist and Langer will be back in time to take over the reins for Western Australia for a three-day clash with England from October 28, also at the re-developed WACA, where the third Ashes Test starts November 29. 

The bulk of the England squad are scheduled to arrive here late Friday to begin preparations for Tuesday's traditional festival clash, in which former Australian Test stars Kim Hughes, David Hookes and Wayne Clark will turn out for the Chairman's X1. 

The first Australia-England Test starts in Brisbane, Queensland, November 7.