[2] Born in Brisbane, Australia, on 29 October 1980, Cusack began playing cricket at the age of eight.
A versatile player, he played grade cricket and regularly shifted his position in the batting order and bowled a bit.
His maiden wicket was that of Morne van Wyk and he also dismissed Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs.
Chasing 174 to win from 31 overs, Cusack top-scored for Ireland with 36 not out (36*) as the team fell 42 runs short of victory.
[7] Talking of Cusack's performance, Johnston said "We knew he could make the step up ... he came out there in tough conditions, against quality batsmen with short boundaries and he hit the top of off-stump and showed us how well he could bat ...He's going to be in these Irish colours for a long time and he deserves that".
It beat the team's previous highest sixth wicket partnership broke the record established in 1896 by Daniel Comyn and Drummond Hamilton against I Zingari.
[9] In the final of the tournament, Cusack scored 95* alongside centurion Niall O'Brien to help guide Ireland to victory, their third consecutive title in the competition.
[13] By June 2009, Cusack Trent Johnston were the only players to have professional, central contracts with the Irish Cricket Union.
The contract allowed Cusack and the others to focus on cricket, with the aim of improving ahead of the 2011 World Cup.