Flintoff to coach UAE cricket team for six months

London, Sep 18(ANI): England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will be coaching the United Arab Emirates national team during the period that he recovers from knee surgery.

“A partnership has been agreed with Dubai Sports City to use their gym and facilities as a base for his rehabilitation. In return he will be carrying out some coaching for the UAE national team over the next six months,” The Independent quoted Andrew Chandler, Flintoff’s agent, as saying.

Consistently rated amongst the top international all-rounders in both ODI and Test cricket, Flintoff had announced his retirement from Test cricket at the conclusion of the 2009 Ashes series, but made himself available for future commitments in One Day International and Twenty20 International matches.

Flintoff’s career has also been marred with injuries due to his heavy frame and bowling action. He recently had surgery on his knee, which had been troubling him for long, and last week he had moved to Dubai, where he hopes to open a cricket academy.

“His partnership with Sports City will also help raise the profile of his Dubai academy,” Chandler added. (ANI)

Flintoff’s decision to reject ECB contract will benefit Chennai Super Kings

Sydney, Sep 18 (ANI): The Indian Premier League would be benefited after Andrew Flintoff rejected the ECB contract, said Chennai Super Kings, the team the England all rounder plays for in the IPL.

Chennai Super Kings manager VB Chandrasekhar said Flintoff’s decision to reject the contract would greatly benefit Chennai, but only if he was fit.

“But the thing is,” he said, “it’s not just about what a cricketer can give on the field. ‘Fred gives us a full package – in terms of marketing he is very valuable. Last time he was of great value to our dressing room, even when he wasn’t playing; someone of that aura can lift the team,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

The development comes amid bizarre reasoning by his manager, Andrew Chandler, that Flintoff rejected the ECB contract because he might have to go “bungee jumping”.

With Flintoff’s troubled injury history and the unproven results of his radical treatment in Dubai, any further damage to his knee could be career-threatening and he may be forced to pay for his own treatment.

The Super Kings pay Flintoff 1.55 million dollars a season and expressed sympathy with his plight, saying they may pay for rehabilitation depending on the circumstances, but did not guarantee it.

“There is a rule that says if it is a pre-existing injury, then the IPL team is not liable,” Chandrasekhar said.

“If you have taken a player in and if it is a serious injury and has occurred during the IPL, sometimes you have to weigh that up. We pay him on a match-to-match basis,” he added.

Under the IPL regulations, players must declare previous injuries, but Chennai is fully aware of the well-publicised knee problem that kept Flintoff out of the fourth Ashes Test.

Flintoff’s IPL future after 2010 is also in doubt, as he requires a No-Objection Certificate from the ECB. Granting him one would set a dangerous precedent for the board, as other players could follow his lead – precisely what the certificate is designed to prevent. (ANI)

Swann hopes to wake England pals from their one-day slumber

London, Sep.15 (ANI): Off-spinner Graeme Swann is hoping to give a wake up call to his England team-mates when they take on Australia in the fifth of the seven match NatWest series.

The day-night clash is to be played at Trent Bridge tonight.

The spin ace told SunSport: “I’m going to try to lift the camp. I find it easy to have a laugh while playing cricket – and it’s probably more important to do that when you are losing. I don’t target anyone in particular with the piss-taking. It is whoever walks in the dressing room at the wrong time. But you can’t kid anyone, we’ve played terrible cricket in the one-day series so far.”

England’s one-day form needs a sharp hand-brake turn if they are to stand any chance in the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa. Their mini-World Cup campaign starts on September 25 and once again you wouldn’t back them to bag the silverware.

Swann was meeting fans on the Ashes Urn Tour. (ANI)

Pietersen making slow recovery from Achilles surgery

London, Sep 14(ANI): England batsman Kevin Pietersen has said that he is making a slow and steady recovery from the Achilles tendon surgery and is targeting a return to action during England’s South Africa.

“I saw a couple of surgeons during the week and it is very slow at the moment. I’ve got an open wound in my leg and I’m only truly hoping to get back in time for the tour to South Africa,” The Mirror quoted Pietersen, as saying.

The 29-year-old has suffered complications in his recovery from the Achilles surgery that forced him out of the last three Ashes Tests, the seven match ODI series against Australia and the Champions Trophy.

Following absence of experienced players like Pietersen, all-rounder Andrew Flintoff and wicketkeeper Matt Prior due to injury, the inexperienced team is in dire straits in the seven match ODI series, where Australia have taken an unassailable 4-0 lead. (ANI)

Flintoff’s England contract won’t hinder his IPL windfall

London, Sep 14(ANI): The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have admitted that despite the incremental contract, they would not be able to stop star cricketer Andrew Flintoff from hawking his cricketing talents around the world.

Flintoff had announced his retirement from Test cricket at the conclusion of the 2009 Ashes series, and under the terms and conditions of the new contract, he must only make himself available for all short-form matches. Outside that, England team director Andy Flower can no longer demand where and when he plays, but only make requests to the all-rounder, The Mirror reports.

It means that once Flintoff recovers from his knee injury he would be free to sign lucrative contracts with Indian Premier League team Chennai Super Kings, Lancashire and England.

The new contract is also an encouraging sign for Flintoff’s agent Andrew Chandler, who has been in negotiations with local teams from Australia, South Africa and the West Indies for the all-rounder’s services. (ANI)

Lee declares his goal for breaking 100 mph bowling speed barrier

London, Sep.14 (ANI): Fresh from destroying England with a scorching display of fast, swinging yorkers that skittled stumps all over Lord’s to help Australia seal a series-clinching 4-0 lead with three ODIs remaining, Brett Lee has declared his goal of breaking the 100mph (160.93km/h) speed barrier.

That feat would be worth a fair sum for a fast bowler who has already earned three million dollars in the past 12 months, according to Forbes magazine.

Lee could not force his way back into the side for the Ashes series and his Test future remains unclear but the 32-year-old remains far more marketable than his bowling peers.

The combination of blond-haired, blue-eyed good looks and sheer speed is an irresistible combination for some brands.

To date, only Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar has broken the 100mph limit, clocking 100.2mph (161.3km/h) during a World Cup match against England in 2003. Lee’s fastest delivery was recorded at 99.8mph (160.7km/h) at the same tournament.

“I know I’m in the team to try and bowl fast, there’s always talk about your age but I’m feeling really fit, probably the fittest I’ve ever felt,” Lee said after taking 5-49 at Lord’s on Saturday, clean-bowling four victims.

“I’m only 32 and I want to keep bowling in excess of 90mph for a long time yet but we’ll wait and see what happens with the body,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying. (ANI)

White hopeful of ODI series ‘whitewash’ against England

London, Sep 12(ANI): Australian all-rounder Cameron White reckons that Australia can finish their Ashes-losing England tour with a flourish by defeating their arch rivals seven-nil in the on-going ODI series.

Australia lost the five-Test campaign 2-1, but they are leading 3-0 in the seven match ODI series.

“At the moment if we keep playing good, consistent cricket, keep bowling and fielding well, there is no reason why not,” The Daily Telegraph quoted White, as saying.

“In saying that, winning seven one-dayers against a really good side is a pretty strange thing to happen. But, I am not saying that it can’t. We want to keep the momentum going and I don’t think we are playing at our total best right now,” he added.

White further said that Australian team still has some areas where they needed to improve and also emphasised that they cant write-off the England squad, as they will bounce back at some stage.

“There are still probably some areas that we think we can improve in, so there are things we need to work on to get better for these four games. Then, come four games’ time, we are hopefully at our peak,” White said.

Meanwhile, Australia captain Ricky Ponting would comeback to join the squad after his post-Ashes break. (ANI)

Broad not keen on taking Flintoff’s place in Test team

London, Sep 8 (ANI): England’s Ashes hero Stuart Broad doesn’t want to replicate all rounder Andrew Flintoff in his life and is not even that keen on taking Flintoff’s place at No.7 in the Test team.

“No one can replace Fred. It is important that I focus on my qualities and don’t try to be someone I’m not,” Broad said.

Despite scoring five fifties in his 22-Test career, two of them in the Ashes, and having a respectable batting average of 31, Broad plays down that side of his game.

“My aim is to become a good No 8. If the top six build a platform that allows me and Graeme Swann to come and play with freedom as we did at the Oval. I just want to be awkward to bowl at,” The Times quoted Broad, as saying.

Flintoff has said that Broad’s batting is good enough to play as a specialist batsman and Geoff Boycott, praising the straight play of Broad, compared him to a young Garry Sobers, saying that Broad could make the same journey as Sobers from tailender.

“I don’t think I can average 40 in Test cricket. That’s a huge ask, even for recognised batsmen,” Broad said.

The modest Nottinghamshire all-rounder really wants is to spend a night in his own bed and maybe hang a shelf or two.

“I bought a house six months ago and I’ve only spent about 20 nights there. When we have finished with these one-day games and the Champions Trophy, all I’m looking forward to is 2-3 weeks at home and a bit of decorating before we go to South Africa.”

Andrew Flintoff is reportedly having six feet mosaics of the Ashes urn installed in the swimming pools, but Broad’s ambition extends no farther than getting house painted.

Nor does he plan to decorate his body, Flintoff-style. “My mum would never let me in the house again if I had a tattoo,” he said. (ANI)

Flintoff suffering from deep vein thrombosis post surgery

London, Sep.7 (ANI): England cricket hero Andrew Flintoff is suffering from deep vein thrombosis in his right calf after knee surgery.

The 31-year-old all-rounder underwent an operation following the conclusion of this summer’s Ashes tournament.

A Sky News report said Flintoff could be sidelined for a minimum of six months.

An England and Wales Cricket Board statement read: “Andrew Flintoff recently suffered a common complication of surgery, a minor deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. This will require a simple course of treatment and will not complicate his recovery from surgery.”

Flintoff retired from test cricket after playing in four of the five Ashes tests against Australia. England won the series 2-1.

He had announced his retirement before the second test at Lord’s following the latest in a series of career-threatening injuries.

But ‘Freddie’ is hoping to continue playing one-day and Twenty20 internationals. (ANI)

Flower confident of Pietersen recovering before South African tour

London, Sep 3 (ANI): England cricket team director Andy Flower has expressed confidence that injured batsman Kevin Pietersen will make a full recovery and would return for the tour of South Africa.

Pietersen was forced out of the Ashes series following an Achilles injury, and has suffered a further setback after developing an infection in the scar tissue making him unavailable for the ODI series against Australia.

“He is still struggling a little with that wound in his Achilles. I spoke to him yesterday but I think we are confident in saying he will be back for South Africa,” The Independent quoted Flower, as saying.

Flower further said that he has advised Peitersen to use the time as a break from the busy schedule of an international cricket player.

“Sometimes you never know what is good or bad luck. It is enforced time away and he didn’t want it and we didn’t want it, but since it’s there and there is nothing anyone can do about it, I think he has got to make the most of it,” Flower said.

“I think that is what he is doing. He is spending time with his family and his wife and getting a break from the international game,” he added.

Flower also said that he was unsure about all-rounder Andrew Flintoff’s career, who had underwent a knee surgery after the Ashes series.

“If he can come back and play one-day international and Twenty20 cricket for us and bat at six or seven and bowl like he can bowl, that will make us a force to be reckoned with in one-day cricket,” Flower said.

“Whether he will or not I don’t know, I just hope he does,” he added. (ANI)

Benaud calls for overhaul of Australian selection panel

Melbourne, Aug 30 (ANI): Former Test selector John Benaud has blamed the Australian selection panel for a series of blunders, including dumping opening batsman Phil Hughes for Shane Watson, opting for wicketkeeper Brad Haddin over Graham Manou and leaving behind a spare batsman.

Benaud has called for an overhaul of the four-man panel, claiming the team of Andrew Hilditch, Jamie Cox, Merv Hughes and David Boon lacks balance and innovation, and is too stubborn to change.

“I have a fear about this selection panel, that they don’t like admitting a blue. They’ve got this blinkered view of things,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Benaud, as saying.

“It’s all right for Jamie Cox to put his hand up and say, ‘I misread the pitch’ but I don’t think it was that so much as it was the way we handled things.

“They got themselves into a bit of a corner, these blokes, because when they chose the Ashes squad initially they only had the two opening batsmen. They were one batsman short,” he said.

“I feel they should have taken (Brad) Hodge to cover any eventuality. They created their own problem by dropping Hughes, who two Tests before made two centuries in a Test match against one of the best opening bowling attacks in the world (South Africa).

“To drop him, that suggests they were never really keen on Hughes as an opening bat, and that they’d been tyre-levered into picking him because the kid had done so well.

“But then they surprised us all by picking Watson as the opening batting replacement. I just couldn’t follow that,” Benaud said. (ANI)

2,500-pound machine strapped around Flintoof’s knee to save his cricket career

London, Aug 30 (ANI): England all rounder Andrew Flintoff is praying that the 2,500 pound machine strapped around his knee will save his cricket career.

The Lancashire all-rounder has to strap himself to the contraption for eight hours every day as he starts his gruelling rehabilitation from his latest operation.

The state-of-the-art Continuous Passive Motion equipment was prescribed by surgeon Andy Williams and is designed to bend the 31-year-old Ashes hero’s knee up to 1,500 times a day, News of the World reported.

“I had a choice of either using this machine or doing three sets of 500 knee bends a day, so I thought the machine might be the way forward. I strap my leg into it for eight hours a day. It bends my knee up and down all the time and makes sure the movement is controlled,” Flintoff revealed.

“I will have the machine on most of the time, even when I’m sleeping. The hard part is getting used to having your leg strapped into a machine for most of the day. It’s designed to help with the healing but, inevitably, my right leg is going to waste away a bit and the muscles are going to disappear. There’s not a lot I can do about it because I can’t bear any weight on my right leg for six to eight weeks.”

Flintoff underwent keyhole surgery in London on Monday night – just a day after helping England beat Australia at the Oval to regain the Ashes.

It was the second op on his troublesome knee and the ninth of his career, following four on his left ankle, two for hernias and another on his back.

Flintoff announced his retirement from Test cricket during the Ashes after admitting his 16-stone body could no longer cope with five-day cricket.

“I have set myself a target of returning for the tour to Bangladesh, which is from mid-Febuary to the middle of March, but whether that’s realistic or not, I’m not sure,” admitted Flintoff.

“There is a possibility I may not play again. It’s something I’m going to have to be prepared for in case the operation is not as successful as I hope. There will be a question mark in my mind about whether I have played my last game until I know how the operation has turned out.

“I’d be lying if I said it hadn’t crossed my mind, but the success rate for an operation like this is pretty good,” the paper quoted him, as saying. (ANI)

‘Street fighter’ Katich must replace ‘soft’ Ponting to revive Aussies: Ex-players

Melbourne, Aug 30 (ANI): Australia needs a street fighter like Simon Katich to trigger a revival, after calls for sacking of Ricky Ponting in the wake of the Ashes loss under the Tasmanian’s captaincy for the second time in four years

Australian cricket has lost the ruthless cutting edge cultivated by Steve Waugh that made them one of the most feared teams, according to former players.

Former Test wicketkeeper Steve Rixon said Ponting is a magnificent batsman, but he will never be regarded as a great captain, and added that Australia have lost their killer instinct under him.

Ponting became the first Australian captain in 119 years to lose consecutive series on English soil, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Rixon says the take-no-prisoners psyche cultivated by Waugh has been eroded.

“I don’t relate to the brand of cricket we are playing under Ricky. We aren’t playing the sort of cricket that has made us ruthless and a team that no one really likes to play,” Rixon said.

“Teams aren’t capitulating under pressure like they used to. We seem to have a more timid nature . . . and that could certainly have a bearing on a tight series like the one in England.

“We’re struggling against sides we should be beating. England is renowned for capitulating under pressure, but we never got ruthless or flexed our muscle,” he said.

“If we’re going to look at change, I’d be looking at Simon Katich. Simon is a tenacious leader. I worked with him at NSW and I know what he can offer as a captain. He’s tough, he won’t take a backward step, he plays aggressive cricket – and that is synonymous with the Australian style,” Rixon said.

Former Test all-rounder Greg Matthews also likes the way Katich leads from the front.

“Before the Ashes series, I felt the strongest man in Australian cricket was Simon Katich. His character, his intent, he bats like his life depends on every ball. It’s just obvious for me. If I was in the trenches, he’d be the first guy I’d pick,” Matthews said. (ANI)

Clarke rules out coup on Punter

Edinburgh (Scotland), Aug.28 (ANI): Australia’s Test captain-in-waiting Michael Clarke has no plans to mount a coup against incumbent Ricky Ponting.

Clarke has dismissed the notion of captaining Ricky Ponting in the Australian Test side.

“He is our leader, and has been for my whole career, and in my opinion he’s certainly one of the best leaders I’ve played under,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Clarke, as saying.

“I’m blessed to get this opportunity when he’s not here to get that fill-in role, but Punter’s our leader and I’m more than happy to continue playing under him,” he added.

Clarke will lead Australia against Scotland on Friday, and will hold the reins until Ponting returns to Britain for the last four of seven one-dayers against England.

On the idea of splitting the captaincy so that he would control the team for one-dayers and Twenty20s full-time, Clarke said: “I see Ricky as our leader, I don’t think it’s something we have to worry about at this stage.

“Punt’s playing fantastic cricket in all forms of the game, I think his series in the Ashes was very good once again. To me, we don’t have to worry about that because Ricky is our captain,” he said.

Clarke believes singling out Ponting for blame after the series loss is grossly unfair.

“The one thing Punt’s always said is that it’s part of the responsibility as a leader and as a senior player, we are going to be more responsible if we don’t perform,” Clarke said.

“That’s another great strength of Ricky’s: he does cop it on the chin. There are times he does cop a lot of flak but he cops it on the chin. He’s always positive around the team. He never lets that get in the way of his leadership,” Clarke said.

Clarke added that the entire squad had accepted responsibility for the 2-1 loss to England, despite Ponting shouldering the blame. (ANI)

Stuart Broad’s ladylove turning into one of cricket’s hottest WAGs

London, Aug 28 (ANI): Brit actress Kacey Barnfield has for a long time been known as a former child star of TV’s Grange Hill, but now at the age of 21 she is turning out to be one of the sport’s hottest WAGs.

Barnfield, from Enfield, north London, who is dating England cricket ace Stuart Broad, 23, was pictured posing in lingerie after she signed to the International Model Management (IMM) agency for two years.

“Kacey has got a great figure and because of her acting experience she’s incredibly confident in front of the camera,” the Sun quoted IMM boss Karsten Edwards as saying.

According to a source at IMM, Barnfield’s priority is acting but she is keen to pursue modelling opportunities too.

Meanwhile, Broad was named man of the match as England clinched The Ashes on August 23, beating Australia 2-1 in the series. (ANI)

“I take a lot of responsibility, I misread wicket,” says Nielsen

London, Aug 27(ANI): Australian coach Tim Nielsen has accepted the blame for Australia’s Ashes defeat.

Nielsen believes the three biggest factors that contributed in Australia’s loss were their failure to take the last wicket in the first Testy at Cardiff, the batting collapse in the second Test at Lord’s, and misreading the pitch in fifth and final Test at The Oval.

“I take a lot of the responsibility, I feel as though maybe there are things I could’ve done,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Nielsen, as saying.

“Were they well enough prepared mentally before the game? Did we have a plan in place, a mindset in place that allowed them to adapt and cope with continual loss of wickets? In the end that’s what my role is, I’m not running away from that,” he added.

Nielsen further accepted that he had misread the pitch at The Oval and he was shocked to see the low and slow nature.

“The biggest thing – and maybe that is one thing I would change – I believe I misread the wicket. I didn’t think it would spin as much as it did from the first day. I thought it was going to be dry,” Nielsen said.

He further said that there was something missing and the team didn’t play the best that it could have given to a series of such historical background.

“We didn’t play our best. There’s got to be something missing. That’s what the last couple of days have been for me, searching for that answer or trying to find in my own mind what I could have done better or where we could have done things differently to ensure a different result,” Nielsen said. (ANI)

Alam backs Pakistan to win Champions Trophy, says momentum is with team

Karachi, Aug.27 (ANI): Pakistan cricket coach Intikhab Alam has backed his team as favourites for winning the ICC Champions Trophy scheduled to be held in South Africa in September.

Despite the disastrous tour of Sri Lanka, Alam said the momentum is with Pakistan.

“We lost the Test and one-day series in Sri Lanka but won the last three games of the tour. Those results were very important and now the momentum is with us ahead of the Champions Trophy,” said Alam.

However, Alam admitted that Pakistan would have to play really well to succeed in the eight nation tournament, in which it shares the group with India and Australia.

“Australia and India are two of the world’s best teams but in a way it’s good for us that both of them are in our group,” The News quoted Alam, as saying.

Alam said his boys were looking forward for battle against arch rivals India.

“A match against India is always a big one and the team is planning to go all out for a win against them,” he said.

Pakistan has never won a game in ICC tournaments like the World Cup and the Champions Trophy against India.

Alam believed that Australia would be vulnerable in the tournament, particularly after their morale-shattering Ashes defeat against England.

“For Australia, Ashes is the ultimate thing. Their morale would be really low and I believe that would be good for our cause,” he added.

Commenting on the selection committee’s controversial decision to include tainted fast bowler Mohammad Asif omitting experienced all-rounder Abdul Razzaq from the 15-man squad, Alam said Asif will add strength to bowling line-up.

“We certainly need a bowler like him. Asif will add to our team’s strength. He is fully fit and has played plenty of cricket in the last five or six months,” he said. (ANI)

Ponting says he’s ready to play under Michael Clarke

Sydney, Aug.27 (ANI): Australian cricket skipper Ricky Ponting has returned home and declared he would not walk away from international cricket even if he was stripped of his captaincy. He said he would be happy to play under deputy Michael Clarke.

Ponting said the stunning Ashes loss had made him more determined than ever to shine with the bat and restore Australia to its status as a world cricketing power.

Ponting, who arrived in Sydney just after 7 p.m., said he accepted responsibility for the 2-1 series defeat – team selections remained a sticking point with critics – before hinting he would play on if Cricket Australia officials elevated Clarke to the top job.

“I still think I’ve got a lot to offer the team as a batsman and captain and leader. If that’s with a ‘c’ next to my name well and good, if not, I still think I’ve got a lot to offer, particularly to the younger guys who are in and around our set-up. I’m not immune to anything, criticism, I’m trying to do the best possible job I can and at the moment I feel I’m the best person to take this team forward,” The Daily Telegraph quoted him, as saying.

“If it ever gets to the stage if I think I’m not … can I play without being captain, absolutely. love the game and every opportunity I’ve had to play and captain Australia, and that makes me more driven now to do it better next time when I get the chance,” he added.

Ponting still managed a smile as he fronted a large press contingent at the airport and was far from bitter given the hammering he had copped by the press on both sides of the globe.

He will take a couple of weeks to unwind with his family before he returns midway through the one-day series against England and then leads Australia into the Champions Trophy in South Africa later next month.

Ditching the shorter forms of the game could be one way to preserve his career, Ponting said, with the 2013 Ashes tour still an option.

Ponting said proof he was already looking to the future was a meeting he had with Clarke, coach Tim Nielsen and Cricket Australia’s Michael Brown in the team hotel a day after the loss at The Oval. (ANI)

McGrath’s advice to Johnson: Keep it simple

Sydney, Aug.27 (ANI): Former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath has told left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson not to overdo or over think things and keep things simple if he wants to reach his considerable potential as a Test match bowler.

McGrath, who has high hopes for Johnson and the other two members of Australia’s Ashes pace attack – Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle, feels Johnson’s potential, will be reached only through a clear head uncluttered by countless theories about his bowling technique.

Though finishing with a solid return of 20 wickets at 32 in the Ashes series, Johnson was not the rampant force he was in South Africa and earlier at home.

“All his problems were sorted out when Michael Clarke said to him ‘just bowl fast’,” McGrath said.

“I can understand that. He needs to keep it simple. That is the key. He just has to clear his head and not complicate things. Less things can go wrong when you keep it simple. I just used to switch a voice off in my head, pick out a song to sing at the top of my mark and trust myself that my body knew how to bowl. It didn’t always work. But if you win the battle with yourself you are 75 per cent towards being successful,” the Courier Mail quoted McGrath, as saying.

“That’s all Mitch needs to do. Just relax. Even when he isn’t bowling well he still takes wickets. It is just a confidence thing. He needs to just run in and bowl,” he added.

McGrath also felt that Brett Lee can again return as a Test match force for Australia but the Johnson-Siddle-Hilfenhaus union has the potential to be a long-term one for Australia.

“Those three guys will grow as time goes on. They were the leading wicket-takers in the Ashes from both teams. You can’t really sledge them too much because I think they have done pretty well,” he said.

McGrath said Lee bowled well in an early tour game before being injured and cannot be dismissed from Test match calculations this summer when Australia play the West Indies and Pakistan in three-Test series.(ANI)

Harmison admits that he may have played his last Ashes Test

London, Aug.27 (ANI): England fast bowler Steve Harmison has admitted he may have played his last Ashes Test.

“I’d love to go to Australia. But I would be 32 then and there’s no chance of my body being anywhere near ready to take on Australia again. I’ve been doing this for a long time now. I would be very surprised if I went to South Africa this winter and then to Australia,” The Sun quoted the 30-year-old Durham bowler, as saying.

“I want to play cricket for England. If it’s not right then I am happy to stand aside and let someone else have a go. My first main concern is to win the next two games for Durham and secure a second championship in a row,” Harmison said. (ANI)