Australian openers battling for Test recall at SCG

November 2nd, 2009 more images more imagesMELBOURNE - Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has backed Brett Lee's bid to beat his injury and come back into Test contention, but the fast bowler's friends Damien Fleming and Michael Kasprowicz have warned the veteran's future should be decided purely on performance and not on reputation. Australia will play the Test series opener against the West Indies at the Gabba starting on November 26.

October 24th, 2009 SYDNEY - The Australian cricketers selected for the seven one-day matches against India will stretch every sinew of their bodies in putting up performances before their selectors in the hope to make it or be recalled to the Test squad this summer. According to a report appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald, every run from all-rounder Shane Watson will act as another nail in opener Phillip Hughes's coffin bag, and every wicket that fast bowler Brett Lee snares, will scream for a Test recall.

September 17th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian legend Sir Don Bradman, the country's sporting idol at the height of the Great Depression, has been completely ignored in the new citizenship test introduced by the Kevin Rudd Government. In the new test material unveiled by Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans, potential citizens would not be quizzed about Bradman, rather they would be quizzed on their understanding of their civic duty and the responsibilities of citizenship.

September 14th, 2009 LONDON - Former Australian cricketer Gavin Robertson has said that Australian paceman Brett Lee has lived up to the national selectors' expectation following his return from a foot and ankle surgery. Lee has been bowling at a blistering speed and control, and took 5-49 in Australia's seven-wicket win over England at Lord's to take an unassailable 4-0 lead in the seven-match ODI series.

September 7th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting announced his retirement from Twenty-Twenty cricket on Monday, citing his desire to keep playing Test and 50-over internationals as the main reason. Cricket Australia revealed he will remain the captain of the Australian Test and one-day sides but will step away from the international T20 scene.

August 23rd, 2009 SYDNEY - Former New South Wales coach and Australian keeper Steve Rixon expects forgotten opener Phil Jaques to return with such vengeance this season that he puts serious pressure on the Test partnership of Simon Katich and Shane Watson. Rixon, who is the president of Sutherland grade club where Jaques plays, said the 30-year-old left-hander still faces an anxious time in his recovery from back surgery, but if he regains full fitness he could resume his place at the top of the Australia's batting order.

August 17th, 2009 CANTERBURY - Australia cantered to victory over the England Lions here on Sunday, but the focus was on the battle between pace bowler Stuart Clark and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz for the final bowling spot for the fifth Ashes Test. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian selectors will be taxed about whom to finally chose, as both put in above average performances in the side match.

July 31st, 2009 MELBOURNE - Former Australian openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer have decided to take struggling youngster Phil Hughes under their wings. Hayden promised that he and Langer would counsel Hughes and help him return stronger as the selectors' decision to sack the 20-year-old ahead of the third Test at Edgbaston in the ongoing Ashes series drew flak from the country's former cricketers.

July 27th, 2009 SYDNEY - Fast bowler Stuart Clark insists he can intimidate England just the way Andrew Flintoff has Australia. Clark went on to say that he believes he is closer to a Test recall after being Australia's best bowler during the second day of a three-day tour match against Northampton Sunday.

July 25th, 2009 LONDON - Australian opener Phil Hughes' latest failure has heaped yet more pressure on skipper Ricky Ponting ahead of next week's Third Test at Edgbaston. Opener Hughes made just 10 in a warm-up game at Northampton on Friday and remains horribly out of touch just when Ponting needs him to start firing.

July 25th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian Test opener Justin Langer has expressed his desire to play for the national team once again, saying he is ready to comeback from retirement to play in the third Ashes Test. Langer, who recently broke Don Bradman's record of scoring most first-class runs, said he is ready to play the third Ashes Test against Australia "for nothing".

July 24th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Former Australian speedster Jeff Thomson has blasted the team's Ashes bowling as "rubbish" and claimed it was a major blunder to leave Stuart Clark on the sidelines for the Lord's Test. The former Test firebrand also claimed Australia was "cocky and complacent" after it outplayed England in the drawn first Test in Cardiff.

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.

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 26th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian cricket fans have asked Ricky Ponting's team not to sledge, swear, cheat and spit during the Ashes series starting next month in England. Cricket Australia (CA) sent the results of a survey conducted among the fans to all the contracted players.