Hussey can make huge impact - Clarke

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	Michael Clarke has yet to be dismissed at the World Cup and will expect more runs against the minnows © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Michael Clarke | Michael Hussey Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Australia

Michael Clarke has backed Michael Hussey to make an immediate impact after being called into Australia's World Cup squad having recovered from the hamstring injury that forced the selectors to pull him out of the initial party.

Hussey has been given his belated chance at the tournament after Doug Bollinger, the left-arm quick, was ruled out with an ankle injury and the management decided to draft in a batsman rather than a like-for-like replacement. Hussey suffered his injury in the first one-day international against England, at Melbourne, in January and underwent surgery on a serious tear.

He returned to action recently for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield and although he only made 19 and 11 against Queensland, Clarke believes his experience and determination will serve him well. "I've seen Huss this morning and he was very excited to be here," Clarke said. "He's keen as mustard to get a bat in his hands. I think opposition teams will definitely take note Mike Hussey is in our squad and he will definitely play a big part.

"Hussey brings in a lot into the team, lot of experience in these conditions. His career in all forms of game is as good as anybody else. His record is unbelievable in one-day cricket and has been successful in sub continent as well. In the past he has shown us, he can go out and win games on his own in any form of the game. So I am very confident that having Hussey around is going to help us."

Australia have been fairly anonymous in the World Cup so far after beginning with thumping victories against Zimbabwe and New Zealand before the marquee clash against Sri Lanka was washed out with less than an innings completed. Now they face the Group A minnows Kenya and Canada in Bangalore with a danger they could be undercooked come the quarter-final stage.

However, Clarke, Australia's vice-captain who has made unbeaten scores of 58 and 24 so far, is happy with the state of the team. "This side is playing pretty good cricket and we definitely need to get better and now we have got this opportunity to relax for some days and this is going to be really important," he said. "We are happy with the way we have been playing but it is a long way to go in the tournament. We have seen a couple of upsets in the tournament. We won't be taking Kenya or Canada lightly."