Hughes, North waiting for their Ashes debut

July 16th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh has declared that opener Phillip Hughes is twice as tough as he was at the same age, as the young Australian continues his gruelling Ashes examination on cricket's most prestigious stage. Waugh overcame a weakness against short-pitched bowling early in his career and Hughes faces a similar challenge, especially if England include Steve Harmison in their attack for the second Test, starting at Lord's today.

July 15th, 2009 LONDON - Australian opener Phillip Hughes has said that he is eyeing off another showdown with giant England quick Steve Harmison, who has been drafted into the host squad for the second Test, beginning at Lord's tomorrow. Harmison twice bounced out Hughes in a tour match at Worcester and England insists the 20-year-old opener has a clear weakness against extreme bounce.

July 12th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian all-rounder Marcus North was so nervous in the moments before his first Ashes century that he could barely breathe. The left-hander brought up his first Ashes century in a strange fashion when he dived through the crease, even though he appeared in no danger of being run out.

July 12th, 2009 CARDIFF - Australian left-hander batsman Marcus North has revealed that he was so nervous towards reaching his first Ashes century in the first test match at Cardiff, that he could hardly breathe. North brought up his century in a strange manner, as he dived through the crease to complete two runs, even though he appeared in no danger of being run out.

July 7th, 2009 CARDIFF - Former England star Graham Thorpe believes this summer's Ashes could shape up to be the battle of the new kids. In the Australian corner is opening batsman Phillip Hughes, who burst onto the scene in the recent win over South Africa, but England have their own batting prodigy in Ravi Bopara, who after a sketchy Test debut in Sri Lanka in 2007 is starting to look the real deal.

July 7th, 2009 LONDON - England captain Andrew Strauss is confident that his boys have the ability to handle the pressure of playing in the Ashes. Strauss believes that England cricketers have to stay calm even in a tense situation if they want to repeat the success of 2005, when they won the Ashes after 18 years.

July 6th, 2009 Cardiff (Wales), July 6 (ANI): England has taken the threat of Australian opener Phil Hughes so seriously that it commissioned a secret dossier on his technique in the lead-up to the first Ashes Test, starting here on Wednesday. If the recent tour match against the England Lions in Worcester was anything to go by, the local spooks have done their homework well.

July 6th, 2009 PERTH - Former Australian opener Justin Langer believes that current opener Phillip Hughes will come up trumps during the Ashes series that gets underway from Wednesday. Langer has told Hughes to stick to the basics that helped him triumph over South Africa in his debut series and warned England's quicks they risk playing into the young Australian's hands if they try to pummel him with short-pitched bowling.

July 4th, 2009 SYDNEY - With the Ashes series scheduled to begin in less than a week's time, former Australian spin legend Shane Warne has rated each player of the Australian squad. Warne has indicated that captain Ricky Ponting is the mainstay of the batting line-up, who would be full of motivation on his fourth Ashes tour.

July 3rd, 2009 WORCESTER - Fast bowler Steve Harmison has warned that England's quicks plan to target the body of young Australian batting sensation Phillip Hughes during the Ashes series. Harmison may not be in the England attack but he was happy to furnish fast-bowling colleagues such as Stuart Broad and James Anderson with information about the Australians, and in particular, their new opening batsman.

June 27th, 2009 SUSSEX - Australian opener Phillip Hughes was once again amongst the runs, 13 days before the first Ashes Test against England to be played at Cardiff from July 8. Hughes, Ponting and Clarke all passed 70 and the Australians declared their second innings against Sussex with a lead of 417 so as to give the bowlers a second crack at the county batsmen on Saturday.

June 14th, 2009 SYDNEY - For Cricket Australia's boy wonder, Phillip Hughes, the only aim before him is to push the pedal of batting form down harder and take the Poms on at full throttle during next month's Ashes series. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australia's latest Test opening bat is all steel when it comes to facing the red cherry.

June 12th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian opener Phillip Hughes feels that his quick stint with Middlesex will help him to adjust well to the English conditions for the Ashes series starting next month. "It was different, but not overly different," Hughes was quoted as saying by The Australian.

June 11th, 2009 PERTH - Former Sri Lanka and currently Western Australia coach Tom Moody is confident that off-spinner Nathan Hauritz will play the first Ashes Test next month. The New South Wales spinner has taken 14 wickets in four Tests, but is still regarded as a containing bowler rather than a big wicket-taking threat.

June 4th, 2009 LONDON - England's pre-Ashes treatment of Australian all rounder Andrew McDonald has the backing of Australian selector and former master on-field sledger Merv Hughes. "It's open slather - if you've got red hair and freckles and you look like he does, it's just open slather for mine," Hughes said, with the slightest hint of a grin.