Ashes 2009, a series too close to call, says Roebuck

August 25th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian cricketer and now a newspaper columnist Peter Roebuck has said that England deserved to win the Ashes, as they had the better-balanced side, and blamed the Australian selectors for sending an unbalanced squad lacking back-up in vital areas to a series of such high stature. "Clear errors of judgment were made in the make-up of the side.

August 24th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting is unlikely to be evicted, nor is he likely to step aside after becoming only the second skipper from Down Under to lose back-to-back Ashes series in England, feels cricket columnist Peter Roebuck. "This is not the end of Ponting's captaincy.

August 23rd, 2009 SYDNEY - Noted cricket columnist Peter Roebuck believes Australia's weaknesses have been brutally exposed in the fifth and final Ashes Test at The Oval and the urn seems destined to change hands for the third time in three series. While accepting that two dreadful umpiring decisions had gone against Australia in the game, he said: "Plain and simple the visitors were blown apart by the late movement unleashed by a lanky speedster (Stuart Broad) prepared to attack the sticks.

August 22nd, 2009 SYDNEY - Australia faces a long struggle to survive at The Oval, believes noted cricket columnist Peter Roebuck. According to Roebuck, an interesting few days awaits as skilful batsmen contend with fast bowlers bent on exploiting uneven bounce and modest spinners try to make the ball bite and turn.

August 18th, 2009 LONDON - England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff says his retirement from Test cricket will not be a distraction for the team in the last Ashes Test at the Brit Oval. FLintoff expects to be fit for the fifth Test against Australia that starts Thursday as he continues to battle with the knee injury that forced him to call time on his Test career.

August 11th, 2009 SYDNEY - Noted cricket columnist Peter Roebuck believes that with Ricky Ponting at the helm, the Australian cricket team "is in good hands. However, he says that Ponting still lacks intuition, but possess the ability to change tack.

August 6th, 2009 ORKSHIRE - England captain Andrew Strauss says that he is realistic about all-rounder Andrew Flintoff's chances of playing in the fourth Ashes Test starting at the Headingly cricket ground here from tomorrow. "It is the fourth Test of an Ashes series, we are close to the finishing line and although we are all desperate for him to play we need to be realistic enough to realise if he's not fit, he shouldn't play," The Independent quoted Strauss, as saying.

August 1st, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has become his country's highest scorer in Test cricket, but according to cricket columnist Peter Roebuck, he will always be regarded as the second-best No.3 Australia has produced. "Of course, it is absurd to put him (Ponting) or anyone else alongside Don Bradman, but that has been his fate, As a result, he tends to be denied some of the acclaim he deserves.

July 30th, 2009 SYDNEY - Neither the pitch nor the weather are likely to smile upon Australia and England during the third Ashes Test being played at Edgbaston, Warwickshire from Thursday. Steve Rouse, the curator at Edgbaston, believes that a draw is the likeliest outcome because of the endless rain.

July 27th, 2009 LONDON - Australia should be cautious about including all-rounder Shane Watson in their squad for the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston in place of out of form opener Phillip Hughes, believes cricket columnist Peter Roebuck. While admitting that the selectors do not have many options, Roebuck says in an article for the Sydney Morning Herald that Watson, is really an all-rounder who bats in the middle order.

July 22nd, 2009 SYDNEY - Noted cricket columnist Peter Roebuck does not believe the present Australian bowling attack can win a Test match in England. In an article for the Sydney Morning Herald, he says that Australia first need to accept that Mitchell Johnson is not worth his place in a four-pronged attack.

July 14th, 2009 SYDNEY - Noted cricket columnist Peter Roebuck feels that Australia played exceptionally well in Cardiff and were denied victory only by "a soporific surface and resistance from sturdy opponents with a short backlift and a stubborn streak." "Australia played impressively and go to Lord's with high hopes. Brett Lee is recovering, and the ball was reverse swinging.

July 9th, 2009 CARDIFF - England's best batsman Kevin Pietersen has blamed his 'nut' for his suicidal dismissal in the first Ashes Test against Australia being played here. However, he said, he had no regrets over his moment of madness.

July 4th, 2009 LAS VEGAS - Shane Warne, former Australian Leggie, shares his Ashes experience: Anyone who uses the new ball better - Australia or England - 2009 Ashes series will be in their bag. "They have to take early wickets because they are going to be flat wickets," the Courier Mail quoted Warne as saying in the gambling capital of the world.e also said that this series would determine Ponting's captaincy? "After the 2005 series loss in England, I think he will feel there is some unfinished business.

June 24th, 2009 LONDON - England's fast bowler Stuart Broad wants to help his team regain Ashes, in order to stop his dad Chris from talking about his triumph against Australia 22 years ago. Broad has grown up knowing all about the glory of winning the Ashes, because his father keeps telling him, The Sun reports.