Hussey back with a bang

David Hussey makes the most of Lancashire's policy of bowling on or outside off stump as he races to a century

Australian David Hussey marked his LV= County Championship return for Nottinghamshire with a superb hundred against Lancashire on an absorbing day at Trent Bridge.

The 31-year-old, who scored 19 centuries in his first spell as overseas player with Nottinghamshire from 2004-07, hit 21 fours and two sixes in an innings of 126 off 145 balls as the hosts closed on 369 for nine.

Hussey shared a fifth-wicket stand of 170 with Ali Brown, who made 54 - his fifth half-century in his last six innings.

But things might have looked far more rosy for the visitors had Hussey been caught at point by Mal Loye off Glen Chapple on 45.

Australia one-day batsman Hussey returned to Trent Bridge last week as temporary replacement for compatriot Adam Voges, who is on duty for Australia A against Pakistan A.

From the moment he pulled his third ball to midwicket for four off Steven Croft, it was apparent Hussey had lost none of the power and timing that had been a hallmark of his previous spell in county cricket.

Chris Read falls lbw to Gary Keedy as Nottinghamshire briefly lose their way during an entertaining opening day

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As has been the case all too often in the past two seasons, the Nottinghamshire top order crumbled early on, Will Jefferson driving loosely at Oliver Newby to be caught behind, and Bilal Shafayat lbw to the same bowler in the 10th over.

Mark Wagh struck six handsome boundaries to reach 40 but then played away from his body to edge Croft to VVS Laxman at second slip, and Samit Patel produced a similarly poor shot six overs later.

However, it looked an entirely different game from the moment Hussey came to the crease, and, having reached 15 at lunch, he piled on the runs with 101 in the afternoon session.

With the Lancashire bowlers pursuing a line outside off stump, Hussey kept on hitting imperiously through the covers - and there was a sense of inevitability well before he reached his 15th century at Trent Bridge by launching Gary Keedy for a straight six.

The part-time bowling of Karl Brown after tea produced unexpected results as, first, his Nottinghamshire namesake was caught down the leg side, and then Hussey prodded a leading edge to Kyle Hogg at mid-on.

Chris Read was lbw to Keedy in between, but stubborn batting from Mark Ealham and Ryan Sidebottom pushed the score close to 350 before the former was caught behind.

Although Darren Pattinson was lbw four overs later, Sidebottom kept on going to reach the close on 35 not out, his highest first-class score in eight years.