One Hussey brother has already safeguarded his international cricket future this summer.
Now the other will be granted another chance to revive his own flagging career when Australia meet England in the first of Twenty20 internationals at Old Trafford this evening.
All was well in the Hussey household when the Australian team arrived in the UAE to play Pakistan four months ago. Eldest brother Michael, 34, was so firmly entrenched in the national team that he was spared the trip to the Middle East, and told to be ready afresh for the Ashes.
David Hussey, two years his junior, was plotting his own path into the Test team, and was already an established part of the limited-overs set-up.
Their fortunes have waned since. A lean spell with the bat meant Michael's place was in doubt, until a doughty century in the final Test earned him a reprieve.
David, meanwhile, was dropped from Australia's 50-over side for matches against England, as well as the subsequent Champions Trophy in South Africa.
However, he is already on the comeback trail after posting a maiden one-day international ton against Scotland, in readiness for tonight's game.
And he does not want to stop at the one-day arena. "I definitely want to play Test cricket, so hopefully I'm not being pigeon-holed," said David.
"Playing in Twenty20 is another chance to impress and another chance to win games of cricket for Australia. That stands you in good stead for one-day international and Test cricket.
"It is a stepping stone for me. Hopefully if you do well you can transform that form into one-day international and that form into Test cricket."
His 20-over credentials were emphasised when he became one of the costliest players in the first Indian Premier League auction - fetching a fee, US$625,000 (Dh2.3m), far greater than his more celebrated elder brother when he was signed by the Kolkata Knight Riders.
"It [his IPL price-tag] probably brought more pressure than confidence," he added. "Everyone focused on the fee, but for me it was all about playing cricket.
"[Michael] provides more motivation and inspiration. I want to compete with him and outdo him as brothers want to do."
pradley@thenational.ae
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
