Broad eyes Ashes glory

July 5th, 2009 LONDON - England fast bowler Stuart Broad has urged upon the importance of getting stuck into the Aussies and putting pressure on them from the first ball of the Ashes series in Cardiff to have a vital impact. Broad highlighted the example of Steve Harmisson, who got stuck into the Aussies from the first ball of the 2005 series, following which England won the series 2-1, the News of the World reports.

May 23rd, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australian skipper Ricky Ponting is excited about his new look team for the Ashes series, and is also prepared to face the challenge of the Twenty20 World Cup. Ponting, who is fresh after a break, got back into training a couple of weeks ago and feels good too.

May 21st, 2009 SYDNEY - Australia captain Ricky Ponting has said that he wants nothing more than to be leader of an Ashes winning team in England. With the series to be held between July 8 and August 24, Ponting recalling the 2005 series loss, said: "In 2005, we got off to a great start and then things slipped away from us from there.

May 19th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian captain Ricky Ponting says he wouldn't be surprised if Andrew Symonds is named in the Ashes squad tomorrow. Ponting said he expected a 16-man touring party to be named for the Ashes with the first Test starting on July 8 in Cardiff.

May 19th, 2009 LONDON - After handing out a 2-o series defeat to the West Indies, England cricket captain Andrew Straus is ready to take on the Australians in this summer's Ashes series. "Each time I think about the Ashes, I remember what it was like in the past.

May 14th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting believes both Michael Vaughan and Steve Harmison will find a spot in the England squad during the upcoming Ashes series. Vaughan, who captained England to Ashes glory in 2005, and pace bowler Harmison, who was one of the stars of that series, are currently out of an England squad which won the first of a two-Test series against the West Indies in convincing fashion last week.

May 13th, 2009 LONDON - England's talismanic all-rounder, Andrew Flintoff, is recovering from knee surgery, and despite his latest setback, he insists that he is working towards participating in this year's Ashes against the Australians. "When you've had the problems I've had, with the ankle operations and now my knee, then it's the dream of playing Ashes cricket and beating Australia that keeps you going," he told SunSport.

May 7th, 2009 LONDON - Australia's former pace bowler Damien Fleming has said that mastering English conditions rather than fitness is Brett Lee's greatest concern in the Ashes lead-up. Lee was named ahead of fellow New South Welshman Doug Bollinger in Australia's 15-man squad for the tournament, despite not having played since the Boxing Day Test against South Africa.

April 30th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former captain Steve Waugh believes Australia are entitled to be slight favorites in this year's Ashes series, but feels bowling selections will be crucial to the outcome. Waugh was part of four triumphant Ashes tours between 1989 and 2001, leading Australia to victory in his last series in England.

April 27th, 2009 LONDON - Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff is in danger of missing a part of the upcoming Ashes series, said former Test cricketer Darren Gough whose career was similarly affected. Flintoff, 31, is undergoing surgery this week on a tear to the cartilage in his right knee.

April 23rd, 2009 LONDON - Ashes-winning captain Michael Vaughan has made a startling claim that beating Australia in this year's five-Test series isn't the be all and end all for the England team. Vaughan, who is trying to force his way back into the national side, was at the helm when England shocked the cricketing world in 2005 by regaining the Ashes on home soil following a 16-year drought.

April 17th, 2009 LONDON - Twilight star Robert Pattinson surely knows how to make women go weak in the knees. The actor has stripped off for his new movie 'Little Ashes'.

March 27th, 2009 MELBOURNE - A change of country for the second season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) could benefit Australian cricketers Brett Lee, Ryan Harris, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson and Shaun Marsh, all of whom are fighting to put their names in front of the national selectors ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup and the Ashes series. Lee in particular has his eyes on an Ashes berth, and his chances of impressing Andrew Hilditch and co will be greatly enhanced by doing so on the pitches of South Africa, as opposed to the dead and dry surfaces so prevalent in India.

March 25th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian leg spinner Stuart MacGill has endorsed off-spinner Marcus North as the first-choice spinner against England and said specialist tweaker Bryce McGain was never in contention for the Ashes, even before his horrific debut against South Africa. MacGill, who took 208 Test wickets for Australia, said he would stick with North given there was enough grunt in the pace attack.

March 1st, 2009 LONDON - Former Australian spinner Shane Warne said Michael Vaughan must play for England this summer if they wish to repeat their 2005 Ashes success. Vaughan, who was England captain for five years, stepped down from the position in August last year after the team's dismal performance at home against South Africa.