Proteas turn to youth

South Africa have rested Dale Steyn and Makhaya Ntini and selected all rounder Wayne Parnell and paceman Lonwabo Tsotsobe for Friday nights clash with Australia despite if they win it will gain promote them to the number 1 ranking in ODI’s.

The youngsters, aged 19 and 24 respectively will be keen to impress selectors during the 5th ODI at the WACA and keep their position in the squad when Australia tour later this year in February-April.

Both Parnell and Tsotsobe played a Twenty20 against Australia before the One Day series commenced and had a taste of international cricket. Parnell’s 4 wicket less over’s went for 44 and Tsotsobe’s 2 over’s picked up a wicket and went for 16 runs.
Jacques Kallis will take a well earned break to rest his side strain if batsmen Vaughn van Jaarsveld pass a fitness test on his troublesome ankle. South African bowling coach Vinnie Barns did concede that if the series was 2 all Ntini and Steyn would have played. He also said that because they were not participating in this match didn’t mean that the Proteas were treating it as a practice match; rather they are blooding youngsters and looking to the future.

"It's just part of our rotation policy,'' Barnes said. “We are looking long-term. We have to rest players, we are committed to that.”

"We are not going to go into Friday's game thinking about losing or taking it as an ordinary game, there's a huge commitment from everybody,” he said. "We've got a couple of young players coming in who want to make an impact and secure their future so Friday night's game is as important as the game we've just played.''
He also mentioned that the South Africans didn’t want to give the Australians any ‘breathing space’ and not give Australia any momentum coming in to their tour next month.

Regular vice-captain Michael Clarke and left arm fast bowler Nathan Bracken return to the Australian side in place of Ryan Harris and Nathan Hauritz as Australia look to finish the series off on a positive note.

Jaques, Symonds, Clark eye comebacks

Australian trio Phil Jaques, Andrew Symonds and Stuart Clark are all set to make their domestic returns this week for their respective states. Jaques (back), Symonds (knee) and Clark (elbow) all made their grade comebacks for clubs in Sydney and Brisbane.

Jaques was trapped in front for 5 against former test spin bowler Greg Matthews, who has been talking himself up recently for the role of Australian spinner. The 49 year old retired off spinner is 20 years older than Jaques and is turning 50 later this year.

Symonds was dismissed for 7 which adds to his poor performances, scoring 5, 5, 26 and 0 for Queensland, despite this gaining a recall to the Australian team against New Zealand. He proceeded to score 26, 20 and 0 to go with his 1 wicket for 33 runs. He made 57 and 37 against South Africa in the first test playing with pain, and decided to go under the knife after the game.

Clark took 4-29 off 14 over’s against Jaques team, proving he is definitely ready to tour South Africa. He took 20 wickets in 3 tests, including match figures of 9/89 in his debut earning him the man of the match award. He went on to claim man of the series.

The 3 will be making their returns on the same day, the 30th of January, for New South Wales (Newcastle) and Queensland (Brisbane). Symonds will be batting at 4 and not bowling from reports, concentrating on becoming a specialist batsman. Queensland chief selector Ray Phillips identified Symonds has struggled up the order against a swinging ball, naming Lee Carseldine, who averaged 100 in the KFC Big Bash competition as an option to bat 4. But Phillips and Coach Trevor Barsby said he will remain at 4. He supposedly attended a net session today ahead of Friday’s game.

The Queensland squad is:
Chris Simpson (captain), Ryan Broad, Lee Carseldine, Ryan Harris, Chris Hartley, Nick Kruger, Martin Love, Ashley Noffke, Nathan Reardon, Chris Swan, Andrew Symonds, Scott Walter

Ryan Harris has been named pending on Nathan Bracken’s fitness for the 5th One Day International against South Africa. If he is not available 19 year old Scott Walter will be making his debut after impressing in his second XI debut taking 5 wickets against the Tasmanian second XI. Ashley Noffke is also returning from injury.

The New South Wales squad is:
Simon Katich (captain), Phil Jaques, Phillip Hughes, Dominic Thornely, Peter Forrest, Ben Rohrer, Daniel Smith (wk), Beau Casson, Nathan Hauritz, Stuart Clark, Mark Cameron, Doug Bollinger.

Phil Jaques and Hughes are both in contention for selection for the South African tour, and captain Simon Katich has moved himself down the order to let the two open in their ‘bat off’ for national selection. Off spinner Nathan Hauritz will also be keen for wickets because Bryce McGain, who was first choice spinner for the Indian tour before his injury needed surgery, is back in action and looking to regain his spot in the side as well.

Fans will be keeping a close eye on both games to see the stars returning and mixing it the best from around the country.

NOTE: This article was posted on Cricbuzz here.

See ya later Roy!

Andrew Symonds, we have had enough of your crap. I am a diehard Australian fan, no doubt about it. But I speak for hundreds of thousands when I say it’s time for Cricket Australia to give you up.

What is next in the rollercoaster life of Andrew Symonds? Will he be selected for South Africa or the Ashes? Or will he make headlines again for bad behaviour? Or will he turn his life around like he has promised before?

Let’s have a look at his history since making the 2005 Ashes:

2005: Is threatened to have his contract torn up after turning up to a game against Bangladesh drunk.

2006: Gets into a headed dispute with a South African Rugby player at a nightclub in Cape Town and has to be restrained by team-mate Michael Clarke.

2007 World Cup: Gets slapped in the face at a nightclub.

January 2008: The whole “Harbhajan called me a monkey!” incident explodes through a fiery, intense Test between Australia and India at the SCG.

May/April 2008: Michael Clarke spots Symonds at a bar late at night and tells him to go to bed. This starts a heated exchange between the two. Later Symonds is late to a training session and blames it on a faulty wake up call.

August 2008: “GONE FISHING” was plastered all over the country on shirts and the like after Symonds decides to try to catch some local fish instead of attending a team meeting.

September 17^th 2008: Apologises to his team-mates and says his ‘irresponsible’ days are ‘behind him’.

September 21^st 2008: Left out of the Australia squad to tour India for four Tests. Goes back to playing in the domestic competitions for Queensland.

October 13^th 2008: Misses a Queensland recovery session.

November 9^th 2008: Declares he is mentally fit enough to wear the Baggy Green again.

November 17^th: Admits he has an excessive drinking problem.

November 23^rd: A week after admitting he has a drinking problem Symonds gets into an altercation with a fan who tries to take his picture at Normandy Hotel in Brisbane.

January 23^rd: Labels Kiwi wicketkeeper batsmen Brendon McCullum a “lump of sh*t” and taking a “side glance” at Matthew Haydens wife to make his meal go down ‘amply’.

I’m sorry Roy, but that’s the last straw. I can’t take any more of this. I want Cricket Australia to tear up your contract immediately and never come back to play for Australia again.

New faces in Aussie Team

This season, much like season’s in the past, we see a host of new faces in the Australian One Day and Twenty20 teams, trialling them for the future. This season we have some new guys, old guys returning and regulars missing out.

The teams:

Twenty20 squad

• R. Ponting (c): TAS, 34
  

Captaining the side, Ricky Ponting will be looking to post a couple of good scores in the two matches.

•   M. Hussey (vc): WA, 33
  

Out of form, taking the vice-captaincy from Michael Clarke as he rests to get his finger 100% right, Hussey will be looking to have a small hit out and get some time in the middle and get himself striking the ball well before the one dayer’s.

•          D. Hussey: VIC, 31
  

Michael Hussey’s brother, David Hussey gets his chance after season after season of runs in all 3 forms of the game for Victoria. He recently hit a century in the domestic Twenty20 cricket, and he proves that number’s can’t be ignored for too long.

•          B. Hilfenhaus: TAS, 25
  

Skillful bowler who has been taking plenty of wickets for Tasmania recently. He has had limited chances in Australian colours before, but he has impressed, taking 2/16 and 1/28 in his two Twenty20 internationals.

•  J. Hopes: QLD, 30
  

Been around the Australian scene a while, whilst I would rather see McDonald or someone of the like in the side, Hopes is a solid allrounder, opening the batting or batting in the middle/lower order, making quick runs. His bowling is very hard to get away on a good length, and with the keeper up to the stumps, it adds that element of doubt in the batsmen’s mind about whether to advance down the wicket or not.

•          N. Bracken: NSW, 31
  

Proven himself numerous times before, good line and length, changes of pace and variations.          

•          B. Haddin: NSW, 31
  

A hard hitting wicketkeeper-batsmen, expect him to come in late and bash some quick runs.

•          S. Marsh: WA, 25
  

The young gun from Western Australia was the leading run scorer in the IPL tournament and has played some matches for Australia in 2008.

•          S. Tait: SA, 25
  

Despite recently taking a break from Cricket and losing fitness, he has returned to the Australian side almost immediately. He is a Twenty20 regular and will not be feeling out of place.

•          D. Warner: NSW, 22
  

Big hitting opening batsmen from NSW, Warner looks like a prospect for the Australian teams in the future. He has been in great form recently, scoring 65 off 35 balls in his last Twenty20 outing.

•          R. Harris: QLD, 29
  

Much like James Hopes, Harris can bat anywhere in the order and score quick runs. Bowls at a decent pace and has the ability to swing the ball. Moved from South Australia to Queensland in the preseason, and his move has payed off.

•          C. White: VIC, 25
  

The huge hitting Victorian captain has been given yet another chance off reputation rather than form, but still a good selection none the less.

•          N. Hauritz: NSW, 27
  

NSW’s main one day and Twenty20 spinner, bowls tight and takes wickets in the shorter form of the game. Well and truly deserves his spot in the side.

Shocks and surprises:

No Matthew Hayden

Whilst most have called for his head, not many expected the leading run scorer in the Twenty20 World Cup to be dropped from both shorter forms of the game. He has the ability to get the innings off to a great start, and without him Australia will lack that dominate force at the top of the order, and force a youngster to try and impose himself on the opposition attacks. Expect Warner or Hopes to step up into this role.

No Michael Clarke

Michael Clarke has captained the Australian Twenty20 side, and I expected him to take the reins from Ricky Ponting again this year. Instead he is taking an extra 5 days off to try and get his finger 100% right, don’t worry Australia fans, he will be right for the Commonwealth Bank series.

David Warner and Ryan Harris’s inclusions

Not many picked David Warner and Ryan Harris to be selected for the Twenty20’s, some hinted and pondered, mentioned it, but not many come out and bluntly said these two should be in the side.

The One Day International squad:

•          R. Ponting (c): TAS, 34
  

The Australian captain has 26 One Day International 100’s prior to this series, and will be looking to add a couple more to that long list. He has been in poor form of late, averaging only 21.38 in his 13 knocks in 2008 with 1 century and 1 half century.

•          M. Clarke (vc): NSW, 27
  

The Australian vice-captain has proven himself in One Day cricket for Australia before with 3 100’s and 30 50’s, batting at 4, he is the rock in our innings. He averages over 40 and can be relied upon to steady the ship after early wickets.

•          B. Haddin: NSW, 31
  

Has played a few games for Australia in this format before, primarily as a pure batsmen. Hopefully he gets a chance at 6, where he averages 42.14, but with Michael Hussey in the team as well, there will be some headaches for the selectors in the coming weeks.

•          J. Hopes: QLD, 31
  

Very handy One Day Cricketer. Scores quick runs with the bat, and a good 4^th/5^th seamer. Ties up an end and frustrates batsmen into playing a rash shot.

•          N. Bracken: NSW, 31
  

The best One Day bowler in the world at the moment, that speaks for itself. 31 wickets @ 18.16 in 2008, and 148 @ 21.87 overall proves how good a bowler he is. He has good changes of pace, an angle across the right hander, swing with the new  ball and cutters with the old ball.

• S. Marsh: WA, 25
  

Burst onto the scene in 2008, making 333 runs @ 47.57 with a 3 half-centuries. Has a few shots as he has already shown the Australian public, he will be looking to cement a spot in the side.

•          M. Hussey: WA, 33
  

In terrible form, under pressure and on the verge of being dropped, Mike Hussey will be looking to silence his new found critics over the coming few months.

•          D. Hussey: VIC, 31
  

Michael’s brother, David Hussey has played 5 One Day games for Australia in the past, and in his 4 innings has scored 2 50’s, including one off 19 deliveries. He has won numerous awards for scoring thousands of runs for Victoria and Sussex.

•          N. Hauritz: NSW, 27
  

Very good in this form of the game, no surprises he earns a spot in the side.

•          B. Hilfenhaus: TAS, 25
  

Unlucky not to have represented Australia more, he has taken plenty of wickets in domestic competitions and deserves his spot in the side.

•          C. White: VIC, 25
  

Has played various games for Australia before, and showed he is a big hitting batsmen and handy top spin bowler.

•         S. Tait: SA, 25
  

A very important part of the Australian limited over’s side, he doesn’t have to hold back, and bowls fast and picks up wickets. He takes a wicket every 25 or so balls, for 23 runs. Has batsmen jumping at his 150+kph speeds.

•          P. Siddle: VIC, 24
  

Has not played a limited over’s match for Australia before but his good lines and Yorker with his quick speeds capable of reaching 150kph will hold him in good stead.

 

Ponting declares in search of win

Australia has declared their innings closed at 4/257 shortly after tea in search of a win in the third and final test against South Africa.

Hayden and Katich started well for Australia, Hayden looking good in his 39 and Katich grinding out a slow 61. Ponting kept the runs flowing making a quick-fire 53 off only 57 deliveries and Hussey fought out a tough 45 not out. Clarke added 41 and when he was dismissed Ponting called the innings closed. Morne Morkel was the pick of the South African bowlers taking 2/38 off his 12 overs. In form quick Dale Steyn and spinner Paul Harris picked up a wicket each.

In Australia’s 26 over stint at the South African top order, they only picked up the wicket of regular tailender Morne Morkel who was opening the batting in Smith’s absence, giving left-arm quick Doug Bollinger his first test wicket. Stand in Captain McKenzie and Hashim Amla knocked off 60 of the required 376 runs before stumps, on scores of 25* and 30* respectively.

Despite recent worries about the pitch, the batsmen dominated today, with only 5 wickets falling, 1 a tail ender sent out to face the new ball. The Australian’s will be looking for early wickets tomorrow morning to rip through the heart and soul of the South African batting order, and the South African’s will be looking to knock off the runs losing the least amount of wickets possible.

On one last note, Captain Greame Smith will only bat if he absolutely needs to and can get South Africa to victory, eg, they lose 9 wickets with less than 50 odd runs to go. 

Sizzling Siddle stuns Saffa’s!

Victorian paceman Peter Siddle has stunned the South Africans and the fans by claiming his first 5-wicket-haul on day 3 of the New Years test to clean up the tail. On the day renamed ‘Jane McGrath day’ he recorded his best innings figures of 5/59 and kept Australia’s hopes of retaining the number 1 test side in the world strong, as he assisted in bowling out South Africa for 327, 118 in deficit to Aussies first innings total of 445.

At one stage the South African’s comeback was looking strong, as Boucher and Morkel had added 115, taking the visitors to 5/308 in reply to Australia’s first innings total. But then Siddle struck, and in 22 balls took 4/7 to bundle out the visitors quickly. Johnson (2/69 and a run out) and McDonald (1/41) took the remaining 3 wickets, keeping in mind that Australia only needed 9 wickets after captain Greame Smith’s decision to retire hurt after breaking his finger yesterday from a Mitchell Johnson delivery that reared up sharply.

 Doug Bollinger failed to take a wicket but bowled excellent, and deserved a wicket. He had an LBW should that Hawkeye proved was hitting the stumps comfortably, and has many a edge fall short of a fieldsman or hit the gap between two fielders.

Australia made a successful start to their second innings, safely negotiating the 6 overs, only having the one shout against them. Hayden showed signs of his old form, ending the day on 18 off 23 deliveries. Australian fans will be hoping he can continue tomorrow and post a big score, helping Australia to a lead of 300+.

Kallis and Amla steady ship after Australia dominate

South Africa have started steadily with the bat and made inroads in their first innings at the SCG, finishing the second day at 1/125, 320 behind the hosts.

Australia started the day at 6/267, and by lunch they had added 101 valuable runs without losing a wicket. South Africa were receiving a taste of their own medicine from when Duminy and Steyn added a mammoth partnership at Melbourne. Both Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson were dismissed within 6 over’s after the break, Michael Clarke gifting JP Duminy his first test wicket, hitting him a catch off his own bowling.

The South Africans innings started well, with Smith and McKenzie adding 35 in fewer than 13 over’s before a sharp rising delivery from Johnson nailed Smith in the little finger. He couldn’t even put the glove back on, and retired hurt and went to hospital, where it was realised he will be out for 6 weeks. This comes as a major blow to the South Africans, as they have lost their captain for the one day series, which I am sure they were planning on winning. Their chances have been somewhat dinted by this misfortune.

Siddle struck getting McKenzie LBW for 23, effectively South Africa’s first wicket to fall. Amla and Kallis batted the rest of the day, finishing up on 30* and 36* respectively. 

Cricket Australia get right behind McGrath Foundation

Cricket Australia and the whole country have got behind the McGrath Foundation, helping it to raise well over $100 000. By selling bandanna’s, they raised $43 000 on the first day alone. Over $50 000 come from donations on the McGrath Foundation website (www.mcgrathfoundation.com.au) and over 8 thousand dollars at the SCG Trust Chairman’s breakfast auction.

The third day of the test match has been altered from ‘Ladies day’ to ‘The Jane McGrath day’ in honour of her. Everyone is being encouraged to turn up in pink, and it will mark a special day in Australian cricket history.

The players uniforms have pink patches on them, the crowd is a sea of pink, the stumps are pink, some players have pink stickers and grips especially for the occasion, and even some internet forums are going pink for the day. The Animal Enclosure (http://theanimalenclosure.com/forums/) has changed it’s members usernames to pink and lots of members on forums around Australia have changed their personal pictures to the Breast Cancer symbol, as a mark of respect.

Also tomorrow, in McGrath's home town of Narromine in the NSW outback, the inaugural Pink Pigeon Race will take flight from the Glenn McGrath Oval, inspired by McGrath's nickname - Pigeon. The 30-kilometre race is expected to raise thousands of dollars for the foundation.