‘My record should be good enough for Test recall,’ says Lee

November 3rd, 2009 more images more imagesSYDNEY - A number of Australian openers battling for a Test recall will compete against each other at the SCG in the Sheffield Shield match that starts today. The game will have New South Wales's openers Phil Hughes and Phil Jaques fighting for a Test recall, while there's Western Australian captain Marcus North, who will be looking to push back into the national squad.

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 27th, 2009 SYDNEY - The chairman of the Australian cricket selection committee, Andrew Hilditch, has given New South Wales opener Phillip Hughes hope about making a comeback to the Test squad for the Australian summer series against the West Indies. Hughes returned to Sydney yesterday to be told that Hilditch had informed incumbent Test opener Shane Watson to be prepared to bat anywhere in the top six against the West Indies next month.

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.

October 5th, 2009 JOHANNESBURG - Australia's unprecedented workload could actually help him get back in the Test team, feels fast bowler Brett Lee. The challenge before Lee is to become the third bowler after Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Murlitharan and Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram to take 400 wickets in both Test and one-day cricket.

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.

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 9th, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne said before the Ashes series started that England No. 3 Ravi Bopara was a Test imposter, and according to the Herald Sun, he has been proved dead right.

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 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 22nd, 2009 SYDNEY - Former Australian cricket captain Allan Border has defended Ricky Ponting's captaincy in the face of criticism following Australia's dismal performances in both the Test matches of the Ashes series. "When Ricky took over with the likes of Warne and McGrath, the team wasn't all that different and he kept the ball rolling after Steve Waugh.

July 21st, 2009 LONDON - Brett Lee's injury continues to frustrate the Australians ahead of the third Ashes Test with the team management slated to take the decisions over the bowler in a couple of days. Lee has missed the first two Tests of the series, which the Australians trail 0-1, and has yet to bowl a ball since being diagnosed with his side injury.

July 16th, 2009 LONDON - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting became a tour guide for his rookie team at Lords on Wednesday. Ponting, on his fourth Ashes tour, didn't have to wear one of the green blazers of officials who guide visitors around the game's spiritual home.

June 25th, 2009 SYDNEY - Fomer Australian vice captain Adam Gilchrist has called for a drastic reduction in the number of Test matches in a bid to help preserve the five-day format from the Twenty20 challenge. Gilchrist insists the Test schedule must be culled, and that the ICC chiefs meeting this week should consider it.

May 27th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australia will play six Tests, 10 one-day internationals and three Twenty20s against the West Indies and Pakistan in 2009-2010. According to the Herald Sun, the summer will open with three Test matches against the West Indies, followed by three against Pakistan, the first in Australia since 2004-05.