Clarke gives nothing away on Ashes eve

Australia captain Michael Clarke said he was not going to promise his country “the world” on the eve of the first Ashes test.

In fact, the 32-year-old offered almost nothing by way of insight into Australia’s preparations in his final news conference before the battle with England resumes at the Gabba on Thursday.

Clarke would put to shame many politicians with his ability to talk without giving much away and his caution is perhaps understandable given he leads a team which has lost seven and drawn two of its last nine tests.

England were responsible for three of those defeats and shared the two draws in the opening rubber of the unique Ashes double-header earlier this year to retain the coveted urn for the second successive series.

So, despite a palpable sense of renewed optimism in the Australia camp, Clarke was not going to be drawn into leaving any hostages to fortune.

“I’m not going to sit here and promise the world and tell you everything’s going to be different,” Clarke told reporters.

“It’s going to be a tough battle like it was in England, we have to play our best cricket to have success no matter what conditions we’re playing in.”

Clarke swatted aside any questions about the England team with the same briskness he will hope to punish any loose bowling from the English over the next seven weeks.

Australia named a 12-man squad for the test last week and, with better news about Shane Watson’s ability to bowl, the only question is whether they go with a fourth paceman in James Faulkner or a spinner in Nathan Lyon.

Clarke made it very clear that as he is no longer a selector it would not be his call, but strongly suggested Australia should go with Lyon at the Gabba, where England have not won a test since 1986.

“The wicket looks fantastic, I think it’s a really good pitch, I think it’s going to offer pace and bounce for the bowlers, and that includes spin,” he said.

“I think spin’s had success at the Gabba because of the bounce rather than the spin.

“It’s one of the best wickets in the world to play test cricket on because it does offer good pace and bounce so your bowlers are always interested … but once you get in, it’s as good a place to bat as anywhere in the world.

“I wouldn’t imagine the conversation is about the conditions, I think it’s probably about choosing the best 11 to help us win this test match.”

As for Watson, Clarke said the all-rounder was making good progress with his recovery from a hamstring injury and would probably contribute something with the ball during the test.

“I don’t think he’ll be 100 percent and can bowl 25 overs in the first innings of a test match,” he said.

“But as we’ve seen Watto’s improved every day and I’m really confident he’ll be able to bat at his best and do a job with the ball for us.”

As for his other comments, Clarke offered that the uncapped George Bailey “was a great guy to have around”, while his take on the influence of coach Darren Lehmann was the revelatory insight that “Boof’s Boof”.

A ripple of expectation went around the room when Clarke said the batting order had been decided but he dashed the hopes of the media when he said it would not be “right” to announce it before the team was named at the toss on Thursday morning. 

 

Bailey Books Ashes Berth

Australia have included uncapped George Bailey in their 12-man squad for the first Ashes encounter against England next week in a gamble the 31-year-old can replicate his “extraordinary” limited overs form in the test arena.

The righthanded batsman, who is likely to play at number six, boasts a first class average of 38 and earned his call-up on the back of his captaincy of Australia in the recent one-day series against India.

Bailey’s batting success in India, a trip captain Michael Clarke skipped to rest his back injury, earned him the nod ahead of his Tasmania team mate Alex Doolan on Tuesday.

“George Bailey has been in fantastic form with the bat,” head selector John Inverarity said at the team announcement in Brisbane.
“His confidence is riding high, his performance in international one day cricket has been quite extraordinary and he’s very deserving of his opportunity.”

Erratic fast bowler Mitchell Johnson was, as expected, recalled to join Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris in the pace attack for the test at the Gabba in Brisbane, which starts on November 21.

James Faulkner, who made his debut in the final test of the first Ashes series earlier this year, was included but is most likely to play only if fellow all-rounder Shane Watson fails to recover sufficiently from a hamstring injury to bowl.

“In that 12 you’ve got considerable facility, we could play five batsmen and five bowlers or we could play four quicks and no spinners and three quicks and one spinner,” Inverarity said.

“Shane is progressing very well in regaining his fitness and we’re confident he’ll be fit to play. We’re not sure, with nine days to go, to what extent he’ll be able to bowl.”

With Mitchell Starc, Jackson Bird and James Pattinson all unavailable through injury, Johnson gets a chance to resurrect his reputation in what will be his first Ashes action since the 3-1 series defeat in Australia three years ago.

“He’s in good rhythm and bowling with good pace and we’re confident he’ll acquit himself very well and be a bowler to the fore in our attack,” Inverarity said.

Australia face the prospect of a fourth successive Ashes series defeat over the next two months with matches in Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne and Sydney following the Brisbane opener.

With the emphasis on stability and experience — seven of the squad are over 30 — there was no shock selection like that of spinner Ashton Agar before the opening test of the first series of the year, which England won 3-0.

Agar’s international career has since stalled and Nathan Lyon, who seems destined to approach every test with a question mark over his name, retained his place in squad.

“The spinner’s position is greatly watched because of how great Shane Warne was,” said captain Clarke.

“But I think Lyon-o’s done fantastic in international cricket. He’s played a lot for us, he’s a wonderful guy and I think he’ll have a fantastic summer.”

Squad: Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke (captain), Steve Smith, George Bailey, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon, James Faulkner.

Preview: First Test Australia vs South Africa

This might be the golden phase of South African cricket “But” the ghost of Wanderers has always haunted the home side. If the Proteas want the top echelon, they have to drop this monkey off their back and change the poor record they have at Johannesburg.

As South Africa’s test record on this ground is patchy; Australia has won the last two test matches one with an innings in 2002 and their previous visit in 2006 produced a thriller with the tourists managing to chase 292 on the last day of Test match. Even India and England have comfortably won against the home side on this hostile track.

Toss will play the decisive role at Jo’bourg where since 2000 all eight Test matches have produced a result, and six of these are won by the side who had the better of coin.

The first match of the Test series will be crucial as a positive result will definitely give the winning side the psychological edge.

South Africa will go with the same winning eleven with no weak links, making them the favorites. They have the likes of Hashim Amla and Paul Harris, exciting match winners Greame Smith and Dale Steyn, trusted lieutenants Mark Boucher, Jacques Kallis, and Makayah Ntini, the nerves of steel comes in the likes of wonder kid JP Duminy.

Where as Australia will go with new faces; Philip Hughes will open with Katich, Ponting, Hussey, and Michael Clarke (unfit) will   complete the top order. Brad Haddin, who has been the new Australian hope in recent past will be holding the lower order with Andrew McDonald or Marcus North who will compete for the all rounder’s spot.

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Flintoff’s Fitness in Doubt

Concerns about Andrew Flintoff’s fitness are gaining fresh ground after  his friend and bowling partner Steve Harmison hinted a serious problem with English all-rounder.

Andrew Flintoff

Fears are that he may miss the fourth Test in Barbados starting on 26 of Feb are growing, after he just balled three uncomfortable overs on the fourth day of third Test and left the field.

English management initially denied anything wrong with the talismanic all-rounder, but when he left the field, they admitted that he had an anti-inflammatory injection in a hip, and Harmison said: “I am not going to lie to you and say that everything’s all right. Where he goes from here, nobody knows. We just hope he’ll be fit for the next Test in Barbados.”

Big lad of England cricket is struggling with a series of injuries in recent past. He has been off-field because of troubling knee injury and has also complained of a side strain which forced him to have a scanner in St Kitts, Jamaica just before the series.

The fourth Test is not the only concern, but team is worried that he may miss rest of the tour to make sure he fit for the two Test match series against West Indies at home and the all important Ashes.

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In The Year of Ashes England Plays West Indies

Where is England heading? Of course they are in Caribbean, struggling and settling in the first Test as they try to play calypso. But their tour to sunny side of life is supposed to foretell about the glorious English summer in the year of Ashes.

KP walks after his brilliant inning

When proud Island nation is getting drenched in snow, its cricket team is trying to regroup itself under the warm sun of Caribbean, to prepare for a summer which could change the fortunes of English cricket – an opportunity of reclaiming the precious urn, and also, becoming the new world champion, in the small version of changing sports.

Past few weeks were distressing for Three Lions. They lost flamboyant captain Kevin Pietersen and coach Peter Moores in an ugly spat and left world’s oldest cricketing nation in an embarrassing position.

KP’s reign was short high voltage affair. Only thing he lacked as a leader –diplomacy – a common affair in the land bureaucrats. Seems, his South African genes lacked the trick while his new captain, Andrew Strauss fits more to this officer class.

Strauss is not new to this diplomatic position. He captained England in five Tests with an unbeaten record – considering the rawness of West Indies; it won’t be surprising to see record sailing to nine. But their opening day at Jamaica didn’t go to the planned script.

They lost Strauss early as he looked nervous in the opening spell of the day and should have been out in the third over when Xavier Marshall shelled a chance in third slip on the bowling of Jerome Taylor. Though,Taylor’s disappointment was short so was Strauss’ stay – opener flirted an outside off-stump delivery resulting, in a thin edge, Ramdin made no mistake behind the stumps.

West Indies joy was doubled in the 10th over when Alastair Cook (4) followed his opening capatin when he miscued a pull off Daren Powell and was caught on mid-on.

Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen settled the British nerves with an impressive 40 in 16.2 over before Bell departed for 28, when the clock struck lunch on day one.

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