Jones and Waugh warn Hussey

Former Australian batsmen Dean Jones and Mark Waugh have warned Michael Hussey to perform in the fifth and final Ashes Test if he hopes to hold his place in the team.

''He is seriously in trouble,'' Jones told The Sydney Morning Herald.

''He is just thinking too hard about it. The number one mistake for batsmen is not watching the length of the ball properly, not going forward to the fuller delivery and not stepping backwards for the short ball. He is getting caught on the crease.

''He needs a big score in the fifth Test. People always remember the fifth game, they don't remember the first four. People always remember the last half of your career, not your first.''

Waugh echoed Jones' sentiments and the former Aussie batsman believes that, should Hussey fail again, he is at great risk of losing his spot in the team.

''He has got an excellent record, he has been a top player for quite a while. In the last year his average hasn't been great, way below what his Test average is,'' Waugh said.

''We know he's a good player, but everyone needs runs. No one has a God-given right to be in the team.

''[Selectors] have probably been a bit lenient on him because he has such a good record. It has come to the stage where he will need to score shortly.

''If he doesn't make a big score next Test, selectors will be looking at making the change.''

The last time Hussey scored a ton was against India in October 2008 and Jones believes the greatest mistake the batsman is making is trying to protect his average.

''I think he's got too careful,'' Jones concluded. ''He is a man trying to protect his average, instead of concentrating on how he got the average in the first place."