Nottinghamshire secure Hussey return

David Hussey tore into all-comers in his five weeks at Trent Bridge in 2009. Here he enjoys a century against Lancashire

Australia one-day batsman David Hussey will return to Nottinghamshire for the 2010 season, following a fifth successful spell at the club this year.

Hussey, 32, the brother of Australia Test batsman Mike, will join up with Notts after a stint in the Indian Premier League. The group stage of that tournament is due to finish on April 19, with the final on April 25.

Hussey first joined the county in 2004 and spent four summers at Trent Bridge before accepting an IPL contract that prevented a further stint in 2008.

But the Victoria right-hander returned for a hugely prolific five-week stint in 2009, scoring two hundreds and a fifty in three LV= County Championship matches, including an astonishing 189 against Yorkshire after Notts had slipped to 125 for six. He also made an unbeaten 120 in a NatWest Pro40 game against Somerset.

“David is a proven match-winner in all forms of the game and he has made a big impact whenever he has been available to us,” said Notts director of cricket Mick Newell.

“He was our number one target and he is always keen to play for us when his commitments allow. He’ll lead our batting and we couldn’t ask for a better or more dominant player to do that for us.”

Hussey scored 111 not out for Australia in a one-day international against Scotland in August but did not make the cut for the subsequent NatWest Series against England, and has not been selected for Australia’s seven-match one-day tour of India.

He is currently playing for Victoria Bushrangers in the Champions League Twenty20 in India.

Hussey said: “Nottingham is like a second home to me and I’m thrilled to be invited back again.

“Fortunately I should be available for most of the season this year and I’m looking forward to seeing what changes have been put in place. I just hope that it will be a hugely successful one for us.”

Hussey and Adam Voges shared the overseas duties at Notts last season, and Newell is considering re-signing Voges to provide cover for his compatriot in the early weeks of the season.

Voges’ signing would also impact upon the identity of the Outlaws’ second overseas player for the Twenty20 Cup, the ECB having decided to allow two non-qualified players in that expanded tournament.

“Adam is keen on playing county cricket next summer so a shorter spell with us may be a good fit, but we need to have further discussions because he may choose to spend a full season elsewhere,” Newell explained.

“We’re waiting to see the fixture schedule because that could affect the availability of our second overseas player for the Twenty20 competition. We’ve identified some targets and we are keen to take advantage of the rule change.”