Stuart accuses Sharks of giving in

April 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart accused some of his players of “throwing the towel in” as Manly ran away with a comprehensive 40-12 NRL win at Brookvale Oval.

Although the Sharks have won just one match from their past 15 starts, Stuart has always previously praised his team for their work ethic and commitment.

Cronulla held the upper hand for the first quarter of the match before crumbling to concede five first half tries – much to Stuart’s disappointment – as the Sea Eagles cruised to an easy win.

Stuart was keen to stress that Manly’s individual class was what won out in the end but he also criticised the attitude of some players when the going got tough.

“We had inexperience, Manly at Manly is very, very tough and we spoke about that,” Stuart said.

“The only negative for my side is that… I think some parts of our playing team threw the white towel in at the 20-minute mark and that’s the main disappointing part for me as a coach.

“There were parts of the game where we threw the towel in, and it got too hard for us… it’s uncharacteristic for this team.

“[We were] outclassed, outplayed. I haven’t got much more of an excuse than that. [Manly] showed some brilliant pieces of footy.”

Foran in Test frame

Sea Eagles five-eighth Kieran Foran put his hand up for selection for New Zealand against Australia next month with a masterful display, while centre Jamie Lyon further enhanced his New South Wales Origin prospects with two tries in a personal 20-point haul.

Winger Michael Robertson also nabbed a double for Manly, which has stabilised its season nicely after losing its opening two matches.

Foran and half-back Trent Hodkinson have adjusted well to the playmaking duties left vacant by departed skipper Matt Orford, and the Auckland-born emerging star appears certain to partner Benji Marshall in the halves for the Kiwis after getting a taste of international football in last year’s Four Nations series.

“I was pretty happy with my performance today, I’m more confident each week as a ball player and leading this team out,” Foran said.

“Nothing explains pulling on that black and white jersey in front of your family and for your country, but to be honest I haven’t really thought too much about it, I’ve just been trying to get things right here week to week.”

With the game evenly poised at 12-6 to Manly with seven minutes to go in the first half, Foran took control setting up two of the Sea Eagles’ three quick-fire tries before the break.

Opposite number Trent Barrett was more willing to predict Foran’s future as a Test footballer.

“He’s a good player, a good ball runner and a strong kid. He’ll be an international for the New Zealand side I think for a long time, very soon,” Barrett said.

A satisfied Manly coach Des Hasler also heaped praise on his leading man.

“He was taken away on the tour last year just to experience it… so you’d think he’d certainly come under Test selection,” Hasler said.

Manly has one worry ahead of next week’s big clash against Melbourne, with Brent Kite put on report for a high tackle on Blake Ferguson in the second half.

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Johnson keen for Ashes glory

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

After the second Ashes Test of 2009, Mitchell Johnson was nervous about holding his place in the side for the next match.

The left-armer’s modest haul of 3 for 200 at Lord’s helped hand Australia a painful 115-run defeat in what turned out to be a losing series in which Johnson claimed 20 wickets at 32.55.

Fast-forward to Johnson’s sensational summer haul of 41 wickets at 25.90 and it gives an indication of his return to form and his enthusiasm for taking on England again in 2010-11.

Johnson has absolutely destroyed the Kiwis on Australia’s tour of New Zealand, taking 12 wickets at 18.33 in the one-dayers and 12 at 23.08 in the Tests, with Australia winning both series.

“I am pretty excited. It has been a great summer for the whole team,” Johnson said in Hamilton on Wednesday after demolishing the Black Caps with match figures of 10 for 132.

“We are trying really to improve ourselves. We go to England to play Pakistan (in July).

“We will be looking to do well there, keep improving and obviously the Ashes we will be looking forward to playing them in Australia and hopefully get them back.

“I have definitely improved. During that Ashes series I had a bad one in Lord’s and probably wasn’t as consistent throughout that whole series.

“I think I have learnt from that. I have proved it since then and I think I have definitely stepped up a little bit.”

Perth-based Johnson is hoping to go to the beach and visit some Margaret River wineries in the next few weeks ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies which starts on April 30.

Skipper Ricky Ponting says Johnson has “shouldered a massive workload” over the past two-and-a-half years.

“He probably bowled as quick in the second innings of this game as he has right through that period of time,” Ponting said.

“This tour in particular has probably been the best and most consistent I’ve seen him bowl.

“What we have to do is make sure we don’t run him into the ground.”

Ponting praised Johnson’s ability to overcome taunts from Kiwi fans after being fined for a head-clash with Scott Styris in the one-day series.

“Mitch is a pretty fiery competitor and the leader of our attack. He wants to stand up and be that aggressive sort of bowler,” Ponting said.

“He might have even got a few fans back with the way he bowled here.

“They learn a lot about themselves when they are confronted with those issues and having 15,000-20,000 crowd on their back. He has come through that really well.”

- AAP

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Series win highlights widening gap between Aussies, others: Roebuck

March 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Sydney, Mar.31 (ANI): Australia’s emphatic two-nil series win over New Zealand further highlights the widening gap not only between these two sides, but also between Australia and the other cricketing nations in terms of both performance and results on the field, feels noted columnist Peter Roebuck.

In a syndicated column for the Sydney Morning Herald, Roebuck says that the Kiwis have fallen short and, like a struggling player, “needs to identify and correct its weaknesses.”

“It”s not a question of the top three or four sides coming back to the field. It”s a matter of the rest meeting their challenge. Cricket cannot survive as a narrow game played by a few powerful nations and regarded as a recreation elsewhere. A wide gulf has appeared between the sides,” Roebuck says.

He says that the Australians should be pleased with themselves, having “batted adventurously and played shrewdly, keeping a disciplined length, exhibiting canny tactics.”

“As far as Kiwi cricket is concerned, it”s back to the drawing board. Beforehand, Daniel Vettori described the series as season-defining. Perhaps too much was expected,” he says.

On Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, Roebuck says that while he is enjoying a purple patch, “he is too inconsistent to be put in the top bracket of bowlers.” This after Johnson claimed a ten for in the Hamilton Test.

“Overall, the Australians were efficient as opposed to irresistible. It ought not to be sufficient to squash a sturdy opponent. Unfortunately the Kiwis did not provide stern opposition. Their cricket is in a state of flux,” he concludes. (ANI)

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Johnson bowls Australia to victory in Hamilton Test

March 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Hamilton (New Zealand), Mar.31 (ANI): Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Johnson on Wednesday helped Australia to a two-nil series sweep over New Zealand.

Johnson picked up 6-73 from 20.1 overs in New Zealand”s second innings as the Kiwis, chasing a world-record 479 runs to win in the Hamilton Test, were bowled out for 302 at lunch on day five.

Australia won by 176 runs and Johnson claimed match figures of 10-132, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

For New Zealand, wicket-keeper batsman Brendon McCullum scored 51, hitting nine fours and one six, before Doug Bollinger claimed his wicket caught at gully in the first over with the second new ball.

Bollinger (2-87) struck again when Jeetan Patel (3) was caught at third slip.

Martin Guptill (58) also hit a half-century, falling to a neat catch from Ricky Ponting at second slip as Johnson took his fourth wicket of the innings at 8-273.

Johnson ended the match by removing Brent Arnel for a duck and Tim Southee for an entertaining 45 from 25 balls.

Johnson, 28, claimed the record of left-arm bowler to reach the 150-wicket milestone in the least amount of Tests (34) with his three wickets during yesterday”s fourth day of play.

Johnson was later named man of the match.

“I”ve enjoyed the tour, it has been great. It has been a great summer for the boys. It”s always great to be able to contribute. The batters set the game up for us and we had to work hard as a bowling group,” Johnson was quoted, as saying.

Johnson said he was looking forward to a short break before heading to the West Indies for the Twenty20 World Cup which starts on April 30. (ANI)

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Clarke’s best yet to come, says Ponting

March 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Hamilton, Mar 27(ANI): Australian skipper Ricky Ponting reckons that vice-captain Michael Clarke’s best is yet to come, as there is room for him to keep improving.

Ponting’s remark came after Clarke leapt four places in the ICC’s batting rankings to No.2 spot after scoring his 14th century in Australia’s 10-wicket win over New Zealand in Wellington last week.

The 28-year-old is 17 points behind Indian batsman Virender Sehwag (863 points), and another big game would give him the chance to regain the top spot, which he previously attained during the 2009 Ashes series in England.

“We don’t know if he’s starting to peak because his consistency over the last couple of years has been great. He’s probably been our leading run-scorer and he’d probably been our most consistent player. Whether that means he’s peaked or not is a different thing,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

“There has been a lot of talk over the years about batsmen peaking in their early thirties and he’s not 30 yet, so maybe, there is room for him to keep improving,” he added.

Talking about Clarke’s performance in Wellington, where he put a messy personal life behind to score a career-best 168, Ponting said the innings was terrific.

“Let’s hope he continues to improve, as has been a trend in Australian cricket for the last ten years. Michael is heading in the same direction as that,” he added.

Clarke’s decision to quit the one-day series against the Kiwis and return home with three games remaining had attracted heavy criticism from ex-players.

He later announced that his engagement to fiancée Lara Bingle was off, and returned to Wellington to prepare for the first Test.

Despite massive media interest, the batsman was able to focus on his game and play a brilliant knock. (ANI)

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Watson declares himself fit

March 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson has trained strongly and declared himself fit for Saturday’s second Test against New Zealand.

The Allan Border Medallist missed last week’s 10-wicket first Test win by Australia in Wellington because of a thigh strain.

But the opener batted without any discomfort in the nets and is confident he can also get through several spells of medium-pace bowling through the match.

“Initially it was a cork that set it off in the fourth (one-day international) game playing a pull shot, it came off the back of my hip,” Watson told reporters at Seddon Park on Friday.

“Throughout the fifth one-dayer it got a bit tight and then going to training it sort of tweaked a little bit leading into the first Test.

“It has all settled down really, really well so I’m right to go full steam.”

Watson’s return means opener Phillip Hughes (20 and 86 not out) is likely to drop out of the side, after the 21-year-old was recalled a week ago when Watson withdrew because of injury.

Meanwhile New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori says 19-year-old batsman Kane Williamson is unlikely to make his Test debut on Saturday, as the Kiwis prepare to gamble on a long tail against Australia’s quicks.

Jeetan Patel is set to be recalled as the team’s second spinner behind Vettori, replacing injured paceman Daryl Tuffey. Mathew Sinclair is vying for the number three batting spot in place of the out-of-form Peter Ingram.

“I think we’ll go in with Jeetan. We’ll refine the squad down to having Kane in the mix of 12 but in the end it’s looking like (we’re) going in with the five bowlers and me still batting at six,” Vettori said.

Pace bowler Tim Southee is expected to retain his spot against competition from all-rounder James Franklin.

The Kiwis lost five for nine in their first innings of the first Test.

Vettori will on Saturday become only the second New Zealand player to reach the 100-Test milestone, behind former skipper Stephen Fleming (111 matches from 1994-2008).

- AAP

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Watson still an injury concern

March 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Australian captain Ricky Ponting wants further proof of Shane Watson’s fitness before any decision on the all-rounder’s return for Saturday’s second Test against New Zealand.

Watson missed last week’s first Test in Wellington with a thigh strain and was replaced by opener Phillip Hughes who scored 20 and 86 not out.

“Watson got through training well yesterday,” Ponting said at Hamilton’s Seddon Park on Friday.

“He did a lot of batting at the start and then bowled off his long run which is really encouraging.

“I want to see how he pulls up today and see what he gets done at training today first before we make any announcement on the team.”

Ponting said pitch conditions were also important on the green-looking deck which may take spin late in the match.

The skipper also left open the possibility of promoting young leg-spinner Steve Smith for his debut.

But he added the team already had part-time slow bowlers Michael Clarke, Marcus North and Simon Katich to support frontline spinner Nathan Hauritz.

“I notice they New Zealand have got two spinners in their squad, so we’ll have a look at the wicket today,” Ponting said.

Meanwhile New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori says 19-year-old batsman Kane Williamson is unlikely to make his Test debut in Hamilton on Saturday, as the Kiwis prepare to gamble on a long tail against Australia’s quicks.

Jeetan Patel is set to be recalled as the team’s second spinner behind Vettori, replacing injured paceman Daryl Tuffey while Mathew Sinclair is vying for the number three batting spot in place of the out-of-form Peter Ingram.

Vettori said Williamson is likely to be selected as 12th man.

“I’ve played here enough times to realise (the pitch) is probably going to have a bit in it early on but it’s not going to be anything too terrible,” he said.

“It’ll be a tough first session but it’ll get lower and slower as the game goes on.

“I think we’ll go in with Jeetan. We’ll refine the squad down to having Kane in the mix of 12 but in the end it’s looking like going in with the five bowlers and me still batting at six.”

Pace bowler Tim Southee is expected to retain his spot against competition from all-rounder James Franklin.

The Kiwis lost 5 for 9 in their first innings of the first Test in Wellington, eventually losing to Australia by 10 wickets.

“We’ve got to go in looking to take 20 wickets. Whilst Tim didn’t perform well in the last Test (0 for 68) we’ll back him in this one,” Vettori said.

“Hopefully he can produce a performance because we want to give him confidence.

“We think he’s a good player, he’s a young guy but he needs to step up in this Test match and prove to us that he’s good enough.”

Vettori will on Saturday become only the second New Zealand player to reach the 100-Test milestone, behind former skipper Stephen Fleming (111 matches from 1994-2008).

Ex-Australian captain Steve Waugh is the world record-holder with 168 matches.

- AAP

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Harris set to earn a 400,000 dollar pay hike

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Wellington, Mar 25(ANI): Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris is set to earn a staggering 400,000 dollar pay hike following his magnificent Test debut against New Zealand.

Harris will receive a six-figure upgrade when he is officially added to Cricket Australia’s 25-man contract list for 2010-11, which will be announced next month.

The 30-year-old, who began the summer on a state contract with Queensland estimated to be around 120,000, was included in the Australian one-day side in January and was handed a supplementary CA deal as a reward for his superb form.

Harris was named the man of the series in the ODI series against Pakistan, where had a tally of 13 wickets in three matches, at an average of 8.15 and strike rate of 13.7.

Apart from the one-day heroics, he finished with the figures of 6-119 in his maiden Test, which will see him clinch a full-fledged CA deal.

CA is expected to announce its contract list by April 7, and Harris is in line for a base contract of about 500,000 dollars as he is a member of both the Test and one-day squads.

Having routed the Kiwis, Harris has set his sights on the Ashes series in November.

“It would be awesome to play in the Ashes … wow,” The Herald Sun quoted Harris, as saying.

Others tipped to receive major CA upgrades include off-spinner Nathan Hauritz, all-rounder Shane Watson and fast bowler Doug Bollinger. (ANI)

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Aussie eyes standing slalom medal

March 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

An Australian and a New Zealander are in medal positions after the first round of the men’s standing slalom at the winter Paralympics.

Melbourne’s Cameron Rahles-Rahbula finished the first run in second place with a time of 53.08 seconds.

Adam Hall, of Auckland, blitzed the field at Whistler Creekside to finish in a time of 50.95 seconds, some 2.13 seconds quicker than Rahles-Rahbula.

Rahles-Rahbula, a below knee amputee, said he coped well with a course that has received big dumps of snow in the past few days.

“You had to work for it,” he said.

“I was pretty happy with it, but I toughed it out. It was a good time.”

The next best Aussie was Marty Mayberry, who was eighth fastest, while Australia’s opening ceremony flag bearer Toby Kane was 14th, Geelong youngster Mitchell Gourley was 30th and Nicholas Watts finished 34th.

Watts said he was just happy to have made it onto the snow, having broken his remaining leg just six months ago.

“It was a very long road. I never thought I’d ski again, let alone race again,” he said.

“I’ve just got to grit my teeth and get through it.”

Hall, one of only two Kiwis competing at Vancouver, said he was not getting carried away, despite his excellent first effort.

“It was good. The conditions have been really tough, mentally and physically,” he said.

“It’s a two-run race. It’s not just one race, so after the first run it doesn’t mean anything.”

Meanwhile, in the standing men’s 20km cross country, Aussie James Millar was 18th overall, in a race dominated by Russia, who claimed gold and bronze.

Geelong skier Jessica Gallagher won bronze in the visually impaired women’s slalom on Sunday, Australia’s only medal so far. She was the first Australian woman to win a medal at a winter Paralympics.

Russia leads the medal tally with a total of five gold, five silver and three bronze.

- AAP

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Ponting believes Smith is ready to debut against New Zealand

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Wellington, Mar. 15 (ANI): Steven Smith has become the second youngest winner of the Steve Waugh Medal, and now is almost certain to make his Test debut against New Zealand after a brilliant season.

He has scored 772 first-class runs at 77.2 – including four centuries – and claimed 21 wickets, capped by a career-best 7-87 against South Australia last Friday.

The 20-year-old was similarly dominant with the bat throughout the Ford Ranger Cup (318 runs at 53), and was a major contributor in NSW”s inaugural Champion League Twenty20 victory in India.

His NSW apprenticeship accomplished, Ponting believes Smith presents a near-irresistible case for a Test debut against New Zealand.

Both Ponting and Australia”s first-choice spinner Nathan Hauritz are talking up the worth of giving Smith a run against the Kiwis at the Basin Reserve from Friday.

They are not necessarily advocating the sacking of out-of-form Marcus North at No. 6, but both believe Smith is running hot enough to convert his dominant Shield form into immediate Test success if the selectors give him the nod.

””He”s not doing much wrong at the moment, is he,”” Ponting said.

“We wanted him to get that bit more experience at first-class level at home. That”s excellent for us.
””We haven”t talked about the likely make-up of the Test team yet … but he”s done everything right to give himself the best chance to play,”” Ponting added.

The Basin is to be tailored to spin given that left-arm tweaker Daniel Vettori is likely to be the Kiwis” trump card in the absence of IPL-bound speedster Shane Bond, but a drier-than-normal surface could also play into Hauritz”s hands. (ANI)

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Clarke a certain Test starter

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting says Michael Clarke will definitely play in Friday’s first Test against New Zealand in Wellington.

The team’s vice-captain missed the final three games of the one-day series against the Kiwis, which Australia won 3-2, to sort out his relationship with model Lara Bingle.

They have since announced the end of their engagement.

While the majority of the Test-only players are due to arrive in Wellington on Monday, media and public interest will be high on the both sides of the ditch for any sighting of Clarke.

Ponting confirmed his deputy was “definitely” coming, but he was not sure when.

“I think all of them (Test-only players are arriving on) Monday, if not some maybe on Sunday afternoon,” Ponting said after his side lost the fifth one-dayer in Wellington by 51 runs.

“Michael’s definitely coming. When I have a chance to turn my phone on back in the rooms tonight, I’ll probably have an idea of exactly when.

“It sounds like he’ll be back here and getting himself prepared to play the first Test.

“It has obviously been a tough time for him in the last few days at home.

“He was given as much time as he needed to get everything sorted at home.

“He’ll come back being the vice-captain and an experienced player for us in the Test side and we’ll give him as much support as he needs when he joins the group again and make sure he’s ready to go.”

Smith hopeful

New South Wales team-mate Steve Smith will be a bystander to the media circus surrounding Clarke over the next few days, but the youngster could find himself in the spotlight by Friday.

The 20-year-old leg-spinner is fresh from a stunning return of 7 for 64 in South Australia’s second innings in the Sheffield Shield match in Sydney.

Smith’s 772 Shield runs this summer at 77.20, including four centuries, have put him firmly in the frame for a Test debut at the expense of out-of-form Western Australian Marcus North.

North, who has averaged under 25 in Shield cricket, has no warm-up game in Wellington in the coming days to prove his worth, having failed to grasp his opportunities in the Test series in January against Pakistan when he averaged 10.25.

Queensland quick Ryan Harris, who took eight wickets in the first four one-day international games against New Zealand before being rested for game five on Saturday with a toe complaint, is expected to be fit for the Test if required.

The uncapped Harris and one-Test Victorian paceman Clint McKay will be competing for a spot alongside Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson.

Australian squad: Ricky Ponting (c), Michael Clarke, Doug Bollinger, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, Phillip Hughes, Mike Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Clint McKay, Marcus North, Steven Smith, Shane Watson.

-AAP

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Black Caps shaky in Wellington

March 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Despite having already clinched the series Australia did not cut New Zealand any slack in the fifth and final one-day international at Wellington on Saturday.

Ross Taylor (30) and Scott Styris built a solid partnership of 53 but it was brought undone by Shane Watson as the home side battled to 4 for 114 after 25 overs.

Skipper Daniel Vettori had made a steady start, reaching 16 not out, while Styris was unbeaten on 32.

Australia won the toss and its decision to send the Kiwis in to bat paid off almost immediately despite a couple of expensive overs to start with.

A flurry of bonus runs in the first three overs got New Zealand off to a healthy start but less than half of them had come off the bat.

Doug Bollinger gifted the Kiwis eight sundries in his first over and Clint McKay surrendered five runs off a no-ball before the next delivery, a free hit, was sent for a towering six by Guptill.

McKay kept his head down though and struck on the first ball of his next over, forcing Brendon McCullum into a hurried shot that he chipped to Ricky Ponting at mid-off.

Guptill did not see out the over, heading back to the pavilion when hesitation between he and Taylor allowed James Hopes to catch the opener short of his ground with a pinpoint throw to the striker’s end.

Shanan Stewart, an accomplished player in the domestic first class and one-day arenas, made just 6 from seven balls in his second one-day international for New Zealand.

He poked tentatively at Mitchell Johnson and got a slight edge through to Brad Haddin behind the stumps.

Taylor and Styris joined in the middle to stop the rot and their 67-ball dig looked like it was going to dig New Zealand out of the hole.

But Taylor’s momentum was cut short when he pulled a short Watson delivery high into the air on the leg side where Bollinger was able to run around and take a crucial catch.

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Bailey takes Clarke’s spot

March 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Surprised new Australian one-day squad member George Bailey says his call-up is the kind of breakthrough that has sparked international careers.

The Tasmanian skipper is the beneficiary of Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke’s unexpected dash home from New Zealand for personal reasons.

Clarke is believed to have rushed to the side of his celebrity fiancee Lara Bingle following her recent nude photo drama.

While Bailey was unaware of the details of Clarke’s situation, he said his own focus was on seizing the opportunity.

“I obviously read that Michael was coming home in the paper, which is unfortunate for him,” Bailey said in Melbourne, where he had been preparing for a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria.

“But so many Australian players have grabbed that opportunity when that’s been handed to them, that’s how a lot of people have made their starts.

“So I’m very excited for myself and Michael will obviously work through his issues.”

The 27-year-old batsman, who received the call on Tuesday morning, said he had no clue it was coming.

But he was confident of being prepared for a potential international debut in one of the remaining one-dayers against the Kiwis, on Thursday or Saturday.

“I’m ready to play, I’ve hit so many balls over the summer, I feel like I’m in pretty good form at the moment, so it’s just a matter of ticking over,” he said.

Bailey’s call-up rewarded him for scoring 538 runs at 59.77 in this season’s domestic one-day competition, in which he captained his state to the title.

His run tally trailed only Victorian veteran Brad Hodge.

“It’s the first time I’ve batted at four, so it’s probably a bit of opportunity, I suppose, a bit longer to settle into my innings,” Bailey said.

“I suppose it’s just getting to that age where you’ve played a few games and you’re more comfortable with your game and how you go about building an innings.”

Chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said Bailey deserved his chance for an outstanding season in all forms of the game.

“He is a talented and exciting batsman and we are confident if the opportunity arises he will perform well at international level for Australia,” Hilditch said.

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Ponting blasts Aussies, asks them to lift performance against Kiwis

March 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Auckland, Mar.5 (ANI): Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has urged his one-day international squad to train harder and lift their performance against New Zealand in the second of five Chappell-Hadlee matches to be played at Auckland”s Eden Park.

Following their two-wicket loss in Napier on Wednesday, Ponting”s men are reportedly desperate to show some improvement in Saturday”s game.

“A lot of our batsmen need to look at themselves long and hard to make sure they do better next time,” said Ponting, who was critical of batsmen getting out in the 30s and 40s and not getting big scores.

Mike Hussey, with 59, was the only player to score a half-century in Australia”s 8-275 before New Zealand made 8-281 including man-of-the-match Ross Taylor”s 70.

“Every game that we play has to be like it is your last. I didn”t think we were necessarily playing with that sort of attitude, especially with our bowling and our fielding,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying after Wednesday”s game.

“We”ve got a little bit of work to do before the next game,” he said. (ANI)

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Kiwis relieved about Sehwag’s absence during tri-series

September 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Colombo, Sep.8 (ANI): New Zealand cricketers have expressed relief that swashbuckling Indian opening bat Virender Sehwag will not feature in the tri-series in Sri Lanka and in the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa because of a shoulder injury.

A shoulder injury means New Zealand avoid one of the most devastating strikers of a cricket ball.

It maybe recalled that during the recent one-day series in New Zealand, Sehwag had tonked 299 runs at an average of 74.25 to help India win by a margin of three games to one.

“It is a relief,” said vice-captain Brendon McCullum when asked about the significance of Sehwag not leading off the Indian order in against New Zealand on Friday.

“The way he played against us in the home summer, he was pretty terrifying at the top of the order,” stuff.co.nz quoted McCullum, as saying.

“He really tore us apart so to not have him in their team is a bit of a blow for them,” he added. (ANI)

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PCB yet to decide venue for ‘home’ series against New Zealand

September 4, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Lahore, Sep. 4 (ANI): The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is still undecided regarding the venue of the ‘home’ one-day international series against New Zealand scheduled to be held in November.

While it was being speculated that the series would be held either in the UAE or Malaysia, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ijaz Butt said final decision in this regard would be taken after his meeting with the UAE authorities next week.

“I will meet a member of UAE team in Dubai on September 7 to take a decision on this matter,” The Daily Times quoted Butt, as saying.

“I told them the rates for holding the ODI matches against Australia in Abu Dhabi in April this year were reasonable. Naturally, we don’t want to incur a loss and I informed him to give us rates like that of Abu Dhabi,” Butt added.

Speculations are that Pakistan might host New Zealand in the United States or Malaysia if the PCB fails to convince the UAE cricket authorities regarding hosting the matches in that country.

“These are available options for us although our first preference is to have the series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai,” a PCB official said.

New Zealand was to tour Pakistan in October-November this year, but refused to visit the country citing deteriorating security conditions there.

Later, the New Zealand Cricket Board agreed to split the series into two parts.

It was decided that Pakistan would host the Kiwis in an ODI series at neutral venues in October-November and the Test series in New Zealand in November-December. (ANI)

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Keen contest expected at One Day tri-series cricket in Sri Lanka

September 1, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bangalore, Sep 1 (ANI): Former New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming has said that the upcoming One Day tri-series in Sri Lanka would see a tough competition.

The series in Sri Lanka, which also involves New Zealand and India, will be held from September 8-14.

The hosts are upbeat after clinching a recent two match test series over Kiwis 2-0.

“Well I think Sri Lanka is a decent side…this series is going to be great…India is of course a good one day side, New Zealand have been in one day format. So, Kiwis are the underdogs…” Fleming told reporters here on Monday.

India earlier this month declared the squad for the Sri Lanka tri-series followed by the Champions Trophy, recalling Rahul Dravid and leaving out explosive batsman Virender Sehwag due to his shoulder surgery.

The former captain, Dravid’s last one-day international appearance came in October 2007 before selectors opted for a more youthful side with an eye on the 2011 World Cup.

Indian selectors hope Dravid will bolster the batting in the Champions Trophy on pacy South African pitches. A young Indian batting unit struggled against short-pitched bowling at the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June.

Sachin Tendulkar returned to the frame after opting out of the one-day series in the West Indies, which the tourists won 2-1 last month. (ANI)

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Pak to play three ‘home’ Tests in New Zealand

July 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Wellington, July 7 (ANI): Pakistan will play three ‘home’ Test matches against New Zealand in New Zealand during a series scheduled to be held in November and December.

Both teams will also feature in a four match one-day series and two Twenty20 games to be played in the United Arab Emirates in October.

Announcing the series, the New Zealand Cricket’s Chief Executive Justin Vaughan said the dates and venues of both the series would be announced later.

“All the way through our discussions with Pakistan, our preferred option has been to play the one-day matches at a neutral venue and the test series in New Zealand,” said Vaughan.

All profits from the tests and one-day matches, including broadcasting revenues, would go to Pakistan to compensate for the loss, as the Kiwis were scheduled to visit Pakistan at the end of the year.

However, it was highly unlikely that the Kiwis would have visited Pakistan amid the precarious security conditions.

Vaughan said it was difficult to find suitable dates for the Pakistan matches, as New Zealand’s schedule for the 2009-2010 season already includes home series against Bangladesh and Australia.

Commenting on the adverse weather conditions which prevail in November, December in New Zealand, he said authorities are aware of it and have already worked out a strategy to counter it.

“We need to be mindful of the weather, but the tests won’t be starting that early. But the weather here in December can be fickle so we probably need to be mindful of that,” The Dawn quoted Vaughan, as saying. (ANI)

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