MacGill endorses North for Ashes spinner’s job

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 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 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 18th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian Test spinner Bryce McGain, who is hoping to make it to the Ashes squad, believes the national selectors are confused about picking Nathan Hauritz over him. "I guess the selectors are still searching.

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 29th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq, who took 208 wickets in 49 Tests and nows plays for Burslem in North Staffordshire and South Cheshire league in England, has said he is willing to impart the techniques of doosra bowling to a new generation of Australian off spinners. "If there is any opportunity for me to work in Australia, I would love to take that opportunity.

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 11th, 2009 LAHORE - Pakistan is banking upon its spinners to tackle the new but exceptionally talented Australian batting line-up in the forthcoming UAE one day international series. Coach Intikhab Alam said he would be relying more on spinners in the series as the Kangaroos are not great players of spin bowling.

March 25th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Former Australian leg spinner and Shane Warne's guru Terry Jenner believes that current Australian leg spinner Bryce McGain has ruined his chances of an Ashes call-up with his performance in the Cape Town Test. McGain, who turns 37 tomorrow, was clobbered for 149 runs in 18 wicketless overs as Australia lost to the Proteas by an innings and 20 runs.

March 23rd, 2009 CAPE TOWN - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has appealed to the national selectors to provide him with a specialist spinner for the Ashes series. The appeal has gone out following the disastrous debut of Bryce McGain in Cape Town, reports The Age.

March 18th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian leg spinner Stuart MacGill has called on the selectors to include Victorian spinner Bryce McGain in the squad for the third Test against South Africa, claiming it's a mistake for Australia to be relying on part-time spinners at the expense of a specialist. McGain, 37, is yet to play a Test but MacGill believes the Victorian's advanced years would ensure a successful debut.

March 3rd, 2009 SYDNEY - A century on his debut has tipped Australian all-rounder Marcus North above Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson for the Ashes series in July. With selectors likely to take only 14 or 15 players to England, Shane Watson, Andrew Symonds and Phil Jaques could be squeezed out of the tour.

March 2nd, 2009 SYDNEY - Spin wizard Shane Warne said Australia should have taken a specialist spinner in Bryce McGain for the Test series in South Africa. Australia has no specialist spinner for the ongoing opening encounter at the Wanderers Stadium and is relying on the part-time off-spin of Marcus North and vice-captain Michael Clarke to help the pace attack.