CRICKET: The Hussain's are trying to make Perth their own, it seems. The England captain's ballerina sister lives here, and his wife will give birth to their second child in the city in a few weeks. Then there is Nasser.
Four years ago, in the equivalent match against Western Australia, he walked to the crease, just as Mark Butcher was being helped off the field and away to a local seamstress to have his face stitched, and made a gutsy 118.
No blood and gore yesterday (although the perpetrator of Butcher's injury, Matt Nicholson, was to inflict nasty wounds on the England lower order), but another fine century from Hussain, one run fewer this time, helped England into a position of strength.
That was despite a collapse against the second new ball used well by a side that displayed commitment to the cause and caught the ball magnificently in the close cordon.
All out for 327, a lead on first innings of 114, England were pleased to have the opportunity of seven late overs at the Western Australia top order and were therefore surprised, not to say disappointed, to see Mike Hussey open the innings in place of Justin Langer.
The Australian Test opener, who made only 13 in the first innings, was said to have a stiff neck, although as with Krushchev and his occasional toothaches, the England team may have regarded this as diplomatic. "There were a few comments made," Hussain admitted later. An early wicket for Andy Caddick - Scott Meuleman lbw for one - left the home side on 16 for one at the close.
For the best part of five hours, until he pushed at a wide ball and edged it in a very Nasserish, instinctive, open-faced way to the wicketkeeper, Hussain played skilfully and with enterprise on a pitch that offered the pace bowlers just enough help to keep the batsmen honest.
That the England innings should fold alarmingly has been a familiar story in the past few years and yesterday was a classic of the genre with the last six wickets falling for 39 runs in a shade under 18 overs.
The beneficiary was Nicholson, tall and aggressive at the crease, who having taken the wicket of Marcus Trescothick earlier in the day, gained his reward later for plugging away.
If there was to be a disappointment to the day it was that all six of England's top-order batsmen made positive and significant starts but, with the exception of Hussain, none went on to capitalise.
On a spiteful pitch where a batsman knows he is never in, this is understandable.
As well as being practice for the first Test, this match is reconnaissance for the third next month, and England will need to bat with more diligence than they displayed here if they are to succeed.
