Cardiff will be hell for Aussies, says Simon Jones

August 30th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australia needs a street fighter like Simon Katich to trigger a revival, after calls for sacking of Ricky Ponting in the wake of the Ashes loss under the Tasmanian's captaincy for the second time in four years Australian cricket has lost the ruthless cutting edge cultivated by Steve Waugh that made them one of the most feared teams, according to former players. Former Test wicketkeeper Steve Rixon said Ponting is a magnificent batsman, but he will never be regarded as a great captain, and added that Australia have lost their killer instinct under him.

July 28th, 2009 WARWICKSHIRE - England batsman Ian bell says that he is ready to grab his Ashes chance with both hands - and ram the Aussies' taunts straight back down their throats. Bell will be back in England's side for Thursday's Third Test thanks to Kevin Pietersen's Achilles injury, four months after being axed in the West Indies.

July 16th, 2009 LONDON - England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff's decision to quit international Test cricket after the ongoing Ashes series has shocked quite a few Australian cricketers, including Nathan Hauritz and Marcus North. Hauritz and North had faced Flintoff for the first time at Cardiff last week, and were gearing up for Thursday's second Test match at Lord's, when they learnt about Freddie's retirement plans.

July 12th, 2009 CARDIFF - Kevin Pietersen has told his shell-shocked England team-mates they must stand up and be counted today to prove they can handle an intense summer of Aussie pressure. "We've put ourselves under a hell of a lot of pressure and it's up to us to stand up and be counted now," News of The World quoted Pietersen, as saying.

July 10th, 2009 CARDIFF - Australia captain Ricky Ponting and opener Simon Katich, who scored unbeaten centuries on Thursday to take their team to a formidable 249 for one at stumps in reply to England's score of 436, said they were inspired by the painful memory of the 2005 Ashes series loss. Both veterans combined for an unbroken 189-run partnership in an attempt to bat England out of the first Test.

July 10th, 2009 CARDIFF - All-rounder Andrew Flintoff has called on his teammates to recall the Ashes spirit of 2005 and lift themselves to combat the Australians more aggressively in the ongoing first Test here. Flintoff's call came as the Australians came up with a score of 249 for the loss of Phillip Hughes's wicket in reply to England's 436 all out.

July 8th, 2009 CARDIFF - Andrew Strauss has been backed for Ashes glory by the only five England captains still alive who have lifted the urn. As Strauss leads his side into today's first npower Test against the Aussies in Cardiff, Raymond Illingworth, Mike Brearley, David Gower, Mike Gatting and Michael Vaughan all agreed it will be close - but the five wise men's verdict is for an England triumph.

July 7th, 2009 MELBOURNE - If former Australian Test cricketer dean Jones is to be believed, the first Test in Cardiff will probably end before five days. According to Jones, it is a new pitch with a crusty surface and is likely to turn from day one.

July 7th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg has said that the toss will be crucial in the first test of the Ashes series that begins in Cardiff on Wednesday. "The toss in the First Test starting on Wednesday is the most important Ricky Ponting will face," The Herald Sun quoted Hogg, as saying.

July 5th, 2009 LONDON - England skipper Andrew Strauss is unhappy over selection of Cardiff as venue for the first Ashes Test, as he wants to capitalize on the home advantage during the series. Strauss last played a first-class game at Cardiff in 2002, and the ground was known as Sophia Gardens.

July 5th, 2009 LONDON - Australian captain Ricky Ponting claims that his team is itching to rip apart England in the First test to be held at Cardiff on Wednesday. Though, the Aussie skipper was disappointed with his squad's performance against the English Lions in a four-day game at Worcester, but he was delighted to see key players like Brett Lee finding form ahead of the tournament.

July 4th, 2009 WORCESTER - Former England pacer Simon Jones believes Australia's Brett Lee will swing the momentum in this year's Ashes series. Regarded as one of the world's finest proponents of reverse swing, Jones, 30, predicted reverse swing would play a significant part when Cardiff hosts its first Test on Wednesday.

July 1st, 2009 MELBOURNE - England's star batsman Kevin Pietersen Wednesday asked Australians to be wary of their reverse-swinging bowlers who scripted the baggy green's downfall in the 2005 Ashes. Even though only Andrew Flintoff remains from the four-man pace and swing battery that inspired England's only Ashes triumph in the past ten series, Pietersen believes another generation is on the move.

June 30th, 2009 MELBOURNE - South Africa has handed over England its successful blueprint on how to beat the Australians in the Ashes 2009. England will head into the Ashes series with fresh intelligence after Proteas coach Mickey Arthur revealed his game plans on hoe to put one over the Aussies.

June 23rd, 2009 LONDON - Ahead of making his Ashes debut, English batsman Ravi Bopara has warned the Aussies not to waste their breath trying to sledge him. England's No 3 was tickled by Oz legend Shane Warne labelling him vain, and claiming he is "too worried about how he looks" on the field.