The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, one of the venues for the 2011 World Cup in the subcontinent, is still running behind schedule in terms of readiness of the pitch

Cricinfo staff07-Jun-2010The R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, one of the venues for the 2011 World Cup, is still behind schedule in terms of readiness of the pitch. The ICC completed its routine three-day venue inspection in Sri Lanka and expressed satisfaction at the progress made in the two new international venues, Pallekele and Hambantota.The Premadasa is the only ground in Colombo with floodlights, and Sri Lanka Cricket is spending eight million dollars to renovate the stadium and relay the pitch. The inspection team made a similar unfavourable progress report in February, when the ICC’s pitch consultant Andy Atkinson said that work on the playing area was behind schedule. Four months on, he said the status hadn’t changed much.”Premadasa is a worry for me,” Atkinson told . “I would like to get some games in to try out the pitch conditions before the big show next year.”Eugene van Vuuren, the ICC’s structural engineer, said good progress had been made at the other two venues. “With the exception of the Premadasa stadium, others are on track to play a few first-class and international matches before the tournament starts next February,” van Vuuren said.The Suriyawewa Stadium in Hambantota, on the Southern coast, is due to host its maiden first-class domestic match in July. The Pallekele Stadium near Kandy has held an Under-19 match.Sri Lanka will stage 12 matches, with the Premadasa hosting seven, including the first semi-final. Hambantota and Pallekele will host two and three games respectively.

The South Africans continued to cruise along a Country Road of a pitch at Warner Park for the second day in a row, increasing their century count to three before eventually declaring at a seemingly unassailable 543

The Bulletin by Kanishkaa Balachandran19-Jun-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were outAB de Villiers brought up his tenth Test century and sped South Africa towards a massive score•AFP

The South Africans continued to cruise along a Country Road of a pitch at Warner Park for the second day in a row, increasing their century count to three before eventually declaring at a seemingly unassailable 543. Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers made contrasting centuries against a listless bowling attack, and though West Indies weren’t guilty of any glaring errors unlike the opening day, their body language suggested they were waiting for the inevitable declaration.After spending the better part of two days on the field, West Indies made a decent start with the bat after losing Travis Dowlin early. Chris Gayle and Narsingh Deonarine blunted the new-ball pair of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel and proceeded to 86 for 1 before bad light intervened.South Africa were well on course to a massive score after setting a solid platform on the opening day. They approached the second with a plan. Preservation of wickets, without too many risks, was the theme of the opening session but after lunch, the aim was acceleration. de Villiers, who has the ability to shift gears according to the situation, stepped on the gas as South Africa eyed a declaration.He started off the day watchfully, but found his groove against the easy offerings from Ravi Rampaul. A short delivery was crunched past midwicket and a fuller one was crashed past cover. When spin was introduced, de Villiers sashayed down the track to pull out some exquisite lofts.de Villiers began the afternoon session with a cut off Sulieman Benn to bring up his fifty, followed by a bludgeoning pull off the same bowler to clear deep square leg. The timing of his shots was exemplified by two gorgeous drives off the front foot off Kemar Roach, one past cover and the other wide of mid-on. Placement was not an issue for de Villiers as he used his feet to the spinners and bisected gaps perfectly towards the on-side boundary. He brought out the chipped shots, firm sweeps and front foot pulls with crisp timing. His first fifty came off 84 balls while his second came off just 46. Unlike Kallis, who plodded around for 15 balls on 99, de Villiers searched for the quickest route to the top. He went from 95 to 101 by chipping down the track to Benn and launching him over long-on.He celebrating his tenth Test ton by popping a pill and dashing to the loo for an unusually long break, much to amusement to his team-mates and the spectators. A declaration was around the corner as the tea break neared and de Villiers predictably maintained the pace. On either side of the tea break, he gave Shane Shillingford a hard time by dancing down the track to fetch massive sixes.Kallis’ knock wasn’t as exhilarating, but he ensured South Africa didn’t lose any wickets in the morning. He approached his fifty with a neat reverse-sweep for four and then brought up his milestone with a conventional one down to fine leg. He was tested against the new ball by Roach who kept banging it short, including one that smacked him on the helmet. But Roach got monotonous with his length and Kallis started pulling him regularly pulled past square leg.Kallis flicked Bravo stylishly past midwicket to become the sixth batsman to pass 11000 Test runs. Post lunch, after a long wait in the nineties, he reached his century with a cut past backward point. A top edged sweep to Rampaul at long leg – a fine catch falling backwards – ended his knock, but his 138-run association set up the declaration.There was no pitch deterioration or variable bounce when West Indies came out to bat. Dowlin, who did well in Australia in his new role as opener to see off the new ball, failed to replicate that here. He reached forward and poked at a Morkel delivery shaping away from him and the resultant outside edge was taken by an agile de Villiers at third slip.West Indies ensured they didn’t repeat the mistake of sending Brendan Nash at No.3 and instead sent in Deonarine, who’s more accustomed to the position. Morkel peppered him with short balls from over the wicket, with one pounding his elbow. Gayle was watchful against the seamers early on, preparing to leave deliveries shaping away from him.However, he was classy against the fuller deliveries coming in to him. After stabbing at one from Lonwabo Tsotsobe, which scorched down the ground, he cracked two delightful boundaries past mid-off off Morkel. Deonarine too capitalised on the pitched-up deliveries and when Paul Harris was introduced, he welcomed him with a huge six over long-on. The pair also did well to fend off the short deliveries in fading light. With the pitch still loaded with runs, the outcome of the game will depend on how long West Indies bat.

It will be a huge challenge for Salman Butt to take over the reins for the first time as well as be Pakistan’s most important batsman

The Preview by Brydon Coverdale20-Jul-2010

Match Facts

Wednesday, July 21, Headingley

Start time 10:30am (0930 GMT)

The Big Picture

Salman Butt, Pakistan’s most important batsman, has to now bear the burden of captaincy•Associated Press

Oh Pakistan, what will you come up with next? After the tour of Australia, life bans were handed out and overturned before the team had even played its next Test, and now it has lost its new captain to retirement after one match. Admittedly, Shahid Afridi wasn’t exactly in a Test-match state of mind, but it will be a huge challenge for Salman Butt to take over the reins for the first time as well as be Pakistan’s most important batsman. Butt was described during that trip to Australia as “a little lazy runner” by the then leader Mohammad Yousuf, and we will soon find out whether he has the respect of the rest of his team-mates. His vice-captain is Kamran Akmal, who was dropped two Tests ago. Go figure.For Australia things are considerably more stable. Since Pakistan last beat Australia in a Test, in November 1995, Australia have had four Test captains and Pakistan have had 12, soon to become 13. Still, Ricky Ponting is in charge of a side that had two debutants at Lord’s and the team has handed out 17 baggy green caps since the start of 2008. By the standards of Australian cricket, that’s Pakistan-like instability. However, things are coming together for Ponting six months out from another Ashes series and his men have won their last seven Tests.There are some areas Australia will hope to improve at Headingley. In the first Test, Australia gathered 11 wickets via the bowling of their top six batsmen, thanks to Shane Watson and Marcus North. That means the strike bowlers have plenty of room to lift while some key batsmen, including Ponting himself, also struggled at Lord’s.

Form guide

Australia WWWWW
Pakistan LLLLD

Watch out for…

Simon Katich may not put backsides on seats like Ricky Ponting, but he’s been a more consistent contributor than Australia’s captain over the past two years. Katich’s 80 and 83 at Lord’s continued a remarkable run for the opener; he has made at least a half-century in each of his past nine Tests. The longest equivalent streak that Don Bradman ever achieved was seven Tests, although that is a little misleading. An ankle injury prevented Bradman from batting in either innings at The Oval in 1938; take that match out of the list and Bradman had a minimum of a half-century in 13 consecutive Tests in which he batted.Salman Butt has a terrific record against Australia, averaging 47.14 against them in Tests compared to an overall career mark of 32.75. He was the joint Man of the Match with Katich at Lord’s for his 63 and 92, but now he must balance the captaincy with his own performance. Pakistan can barely afford for his batting to drop off at all; none of their other batsmen managed a half-century in the first Test.

Team news

Australia have had a couple of worries over the past few days with Ben Hilfenhaus managing a sore shoulder, while Marcus North sat out of training on Monday due to an illness. It is likely that both men will be passed fit, which would mean an unchanged side from the team that won by 150 runs in the first Test. Should either Hilfenhaus or North fail to prove their health, the fast bowler Peter George or the batsman Usman Khawaja would be in line for a debut.”He didn’t train yesterday,” Ricky Ponting said of Hilfenhaus before training on Tuesday. “He just came down and ran some laps, with the expectation that he’s going to have to bowl four or five overs today. He has come along really well. We were all a bit worried about him immediately after the Lord’s game. He woke up the next morning particularly sore but he’s improved a lot. We’ll push him today and we expect that he’ll be right to play.”[North has] been a little bit ill but I think everyone in his family has had it the last couple of days and got over it pretty quickly. I’d expect him to train today and be okay for the game.”Australia (possible) 1 Shane Watson, 2 Simon Katich, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Michael Hussey, 6 Marcus North, 7 Tim Paine (wk), 8 Steven Smith, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Ben Hilfenhaus, 11 Doug Bollinger.The retirement of Afridi leaves a position available at No. 6 and Shoaib Malik would be the logical replacement as a batsman who can bowl useful overs of spin. However, there is also talk of a change to the attack, with Saeed Ajmal possibly in line for his sixth Test at the expense of Danish Kaneria.Pakistan (possible) 1 Imran Farhat, 2 Salman Butt (capt), 3 Umar Amin, 4 Azhar Ali, 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shoaib Malik, 7 Kamran Akmal (wk), 8 Mohammad Aamer, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Saeed Ajmal, 11 Mohammad Asif.

Pitch and conditions

Overcast conditions helped the swing bowlers at Lord’s and that could be the case again at Headingley. There is some rain forecast for the second and third days.

Stats and trivia

• Australia have beaten Pakistan in 13 consecutive Tests, the greatest winning run by a country over another in Test history.
• The last Test in which Katich failed to post a half-century was at Headingley last year. His only other Test at this venue was his debut, when he made 15 and 0 not out
• Ricky Ponting has an incredible record at Headingley, where he averages 105.25 in his three matches. It was the venue of his first Test century way back in July 1997
• Salman Butt will be the third man to captain Pakistan in a Test this calendar year, quite an achievement considering they have only played three Tests
  

  Quotes

  “We don’t know what to make of him as captain. I thought he played really well last game – that’s as well as I’ve seen him bat.”
  Ricky Ponting on Salman Butt”I told them the best thing to do is leave the ball outside off stump and the short ball.”
  
  Ijaz Ahmed, the Pakistan assistant coach who made 141 in a Headingley Test, has been giving some advice to his batsmen.

Plays of the Day from the fourth day of the first Test between Pakistan and Australia at Lord’s

Brydon Coverdale and Nagraj Gollapudi at Lord's16-Jul-2010Worry of the day
Under the morning clouds, Ben Hilfenhaus looked the man most likely to strike for Australia and he finally did, when Azhar Ali edged behind. But in the very next over, there was a sharp intake of breath from Australian fans when Hilfenhaus, fielding at deep square leg, dived to save a boundary and struggled to get up, clearly in pain. Hilfenhaus appeared to jar his left shoulder and a couple of minutes went by as he hunched over and was checked on by the captain and physio. Hilfenhaus stayed on and bowled the next over, but after that left the field for some treatment. All was well, though, and he returned after a few overs although he will be watched closely ahead of the second Test.Elbow of the day, revisited
Ricky Ponting’s elbow was the subject of much debate on the first day, when he and Mohammad Aamer clashed after Ponting was caught at short leg. It resulted in an unofficial warning for the bowler, who had also crashed with Michael Clarke in the second Twenty20 at Edgbaston, although plenty of onlookers felt Ponting was more at fault for raising his elbow. “I was just a bit surprised,” Ponting said. “It was more of a reaction thing from me that he was where he was. I had sort of turned my back to look where the ball was going and the bloke caught it. As I went to turn around there was someone immediately in what I feel is my space. It’s not the first time it’s happened, either, as we saw in the Twenty20 game with Michael.” When asked if he thought Aamer was aware of running close to the batsman, Ponting’s reply was blunt: “I think he was looking at me, wasn’t he?”Change of the day No. 1
Salman Butt loomed as the man most likely to inspire an incredible victory, and he progressed with ease towards a century. But when Ricky Ponting handed the ball to Marcus North ahead of Steven Smith, due to the presence of two left-handers at the crease, the part-time offspinner struck with his first delivery. It wasn’t exactly a conventional wicket – a leg-side stumping thanks to wonderfully sharp work from Tim Paine – and Butt was distraught at his mistake. It looked like a masterstroke from Ponting, and it was even more so when North went on to earn a place on the honours board with a six-wicket haul, givin him the best figures ever by an Australian spinner in a Test innings at Lord’s.Change of the day No. 2
Intermittent light rain sprinkled down in the first session but when it became a bit heavier, the umpires were quick to call for the covers. The groundstaff were caught off guard, and by the time they’d removed the boundary boards and got the hover-cover halfway to the pitch, the rain had cleared. The umpires called the players back on, although the Australians hadn’t even had time to get off the field. As weather forecasters, Ian Gould and Rudi Koertzen make good umpires.Sleepy moment of the day
Everyone watching at the ground enjoyed seeing Umar Akmal launch the first six of the innings. Well, almost everyone. The lofted drive to long-on cleared the boundary and landed on the hover-cover, a few metres from one of the groundstaff. But he didn’t get up and collect the ball for a simple reason: he was asleep. The TV cameras caught the man still apparently dozing while one of his colleagues grabbed the ball and tossed it back onto the field. Long-on is a dangerous place when Umar Akmal is batting, and when a four bounced over the fence shortly afterwards, the man had woken from his slumber.Silly, silly mid off of the day
For three deliveries in the hour before lunch Simon Katich squatted at 45 degrees in front of Umar Amin in a position which virtually ran parallel to the pitch. It seemed more confounding considering it was set for Shane Watson, not the most express fast bowler in the Australian team. Amin duly took advantage of the large empty space in the cover region to pick three easy fours, thereby forcing Ricky Ponting to abandon a silly move.Boom boom, crash, crash of the day
Why does Shahid Afridi come out to bat? After his 15-minute mayhem in the first innings which ended with suicidal shot selection, Pakistan’s captain had a good chance to redeem himself today. Instead, three balls into his second innings he once again went for the long handle against Marcus North, offering a simple catch in the deep. Even by Afridi’s standards it was ridiculous to say the least.

Chris Rogers, the Australia opening batsman, has stepped down as Derbyshire captain and handed the leadership to Greg Smith for the remainder of the season

Cricinfo staff17-Aug-2010Chris Rogers, the Australia opening batsman, has stepped down as Derbyshire captain and handed the leadership to Greg Smith for the remainder of the season.Rogers has led the county since midway through the 2008 season but Derbyshire are currently bottom of Division Two in the County Championship with just two victories in the campaign. There is also a doubt as to whether Rogers will be able to return to county cricket next season because of the time lapse since he has played international cricket.”I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as captain of Derbyshire and there have been some fantastic moments along the way,” Rogers said. “Although I had every intention of captaining the team until the end of the season, both John Morris and I believe it is in the best interests of the club to give Greg this opportunity.”I will help him in any way that I can and will continue to act as a senior player and mentor for the younger players in our side as well as continuing to do my best for the team as a batsman.”Head of cricket John Morris added: “Chris has done a great job as captain of the team for the past two years and I thank him for his efforts and dedication to the role.”Having been vice-captain throughout the current season and experienced the captaincy during the Friends Provident t20 campaign, it is a natural progression that Greg now takes over as captain.”Smith, the South African-born allrounder, is having a solid season, scoring 585 runs at 32.50 in 12 Championship matches and taking 37 wickets and 30.59 with his mixture of medium pace and offspin.

The Supreme Court of India has reserved its judgement on the petition filed by former BCCI president A.C. Muthiah

Cricinfo staff21-Sep-2010The Supreme Court of India has reserved its judgement on the petition filed by former BCCI president AC Muthiah against the board’s constitutional amendment that permitted then treasurer N Srinivasan to bid for the Chennai Super Kings in 2008. Srinivasan, now the BCCI secretary, is the vice-chairman and managing director of India Cements, the franchise owners.The two-person bench comprising Justice JM Panchal and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra finished hearing arguments today on the validity of the amendment that excluded Twenty20 cricket from the board’s conflict of interest clause.Muthiah’s lawyer Abhishek Singhvi laid out the sequence of events from the creation of the IPL in 2007 to the amendment in September 2008, claiming it was done solely to benefit Srinivasan as without it he would have been unable to bid for an IPL franchise.Srinivasan’s lawyer Rohinton Nariman argued that Muthiah had brought the petition only because he had lost to Srinivasan in the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association elections. The court responded by asking Nariman what should carry more weight with the bench – the intention of the petitioner or the cause of the petitioner?Before the amendment, clause 6.2.4 of the Regulations for Players, Team officials, Umpires and Administrators, read: “No administrator shall have, directly or indirectly, any commercial interest in the matches and events conducted by the board.”The amendment excluded Twenty20 cricket from the purview of the clause, which now reads: “No administrator shall have directly or indirectly any commercial interest in any of the events of the BCCI, excluding IPL, Champions League and Twenty20.”Muthiah appealed to the Supreme Court in April after the Madras High Court refused to entertain his petition challenging the BCCI’s decision to amend its constitution, saying there was “absolutely no merit to interfere”. Muthiah had originally written to the BCCI to say that allowing India Cements to buy Chennai created a conflict of interest. When the board failed to respond to his complaint, Muthiah took his fight to the courts, claiming that the amendment was “illegal and opposed to public policy.”

Ernest Hilaire, chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), has said major changes are likely to be made to the structure of West Indies cricket

Tariq Engineer05-Oct-2010Ernest Hilaire, chief executive of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), believes that major changes will have to be made to the management structure of Caribbean cricket in order to deal with the challenges posed by the modern-day game, not least the growing tendency for the region’s top players to turn down central contracts in favour of lucrative deals in Twenty20 tournaments such as the Indian Premier League.Consulting firm Deloitte Touche Tomhatsu has been commissioned by the board to compile a study of cricket’s changing landscape, and Hilaire believes that their findings will have to be taken seriously by the region’s administrators. “Once that exercise is complete, you will see some fundamental changes to how West Indies cricket is managed,” Hilaire told ESPNcricinfo. “Anyone who thinks we don’t have to change are just fooling themselves.”Hilaire said the board had asked the three players who have turned down their central contracts for next season – Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and captain Chris Gayle – how to ensure such a situation does not arise again in the future.”Two of them have said they are willing to share with us how this matter can be dealt with,” Hilaire said. All three of them will be considered for selection for West Indies and the board will assume that they are available to tour at that time.Bravo and Pollard, followed by Gayle, turned down the one-year central contracts offered by the WICB last month. The contracts require the players to make themselves available for the West Indies team at all times, something the three players – all of whom have forged prominent careers in domestic Twenty20 competitions including the IPL – were reluctant to do.”I don’t know that we should necessarily condemn them or chastise them [for doing so],” Hilaire said. “I don’t think it is the right decision and I will tell them that.”Under the current rules of international cricket, those who want to play in overseas competitions, such as the Big Bash in Australia or the lucrative IPL, must get clearance to do so from their national board. Hilaire said the WICB has not received any requests from any players so far but the board is re-evaluating its liberal policy of issuing NOCs.”We need to be a little more circumspect. It is not ideal to allow somebody to turn up just before a Test match. It doesn’t make sense, but we did it. On the eve of a major series, we can’t have key players exposed to exhaustion or injury.”We want to know that when we are selecting players, there are some assurances that they will participate in preparatory activities and be at the standard that we need.”Gayle arrived in England two days before the first Test at Lord’s in May 2009, two days after his scheduled arrival. He was granted two further days so that he could squeeze in one more IPL match with the Kolkata Knight Riders .”We are not against players trying to maximise their earnings,” Hilaire said. “You should go out and earn money. You are a professional sportsperson. But there are other interests and we have to figure out how best to protect all the interests involved.” He admitted that it is unlikely everyone will be completely happy but believes it is possible to come up with a framework that can satisfy all the stakeholders in West Indies cricket.Hilaire said the board has not had any discussion on whether Gayle should be replaced as captain. The West Indies selection committee will be meeting in Jamaica in a few days and will select a captain and vice-captain for the tour of Sri Lanka.”The selection committee is empowered to pick a captain and should do so. We [the WICB board of directors] can only hold a discussion after we receive a recommendation.”Hilaire reiterated that the board is committed to the rejuvenation of West Indies cricket and is encouraged that 22 of the 25 players offered central contracts have signed them. “We have a new generation that are eager to play for West Indies on the international stage. They understand the importance of playing for the West Indies and it is an opening for us to build on that.”He said the board was focused on specific activities and programs geared at getting players ready for international cricket, as well working on broadening the base by facilitating more youngsters to take up the game. “There is competition from other sports more now than ever before. Post 15 [years of age] we should not lose players to basketball, football, tennis and swimming. If you don’t have programs, they will go into other sports that do offer programs.”The WICB also wants to improve its relationship with West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA), as the two organisations have to work together, but Hilaire said the relationship is “still a work in progress,” and that there will always be moments where the board and WIPA do not agree. However, the important thing, according to him, is that everyone agrees “that some direct and aggressive intervention is needed” to turn West Indies cricket around.

Steven Finn believes he is ready to step up the intensity as England build towards the first Test in Brisbane later this month

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2010Steven Finn believes he is ready to step up the intensity as England build towards the first Test in Brisbane later this month, and expects the crowd at Adelaide for Thursday’s second warm-up match against South Australia to play their part in trying to unsettle an unusually issue-free England squad.England’s victory in their opening first-class warm-up match in Perth last week was the first time in 45 years that they had launched an Ashes tour with a win, and Finn played an important part in that effort, having overcome a tricky first spell to return decent match figures of 3 for 115 in 34 overs.”We copped a bit of abuse at the WACA last week in that last innings,” Finn told reporters in Adelaide. “It’s something we’re prepared for, we’ll embrace and we’re going to try to enjoy. Friendly banter is good – to make sure we’re accessible as people, we’re human beings as well, and everyone’s got a sense of humour.”You can see the funny side when people are chirping you. It’s part of what we have to expect as international cricketers, and to be able to deal with that is important.”While he couldn’t claim to be entirely happy with his efforts, Finn was nevertheless pleased that he was able to adjust his length to suit the WACA wicket, having started the game with a length that was far too full for the conditions. By the final day, however, he had settled into a decent rhythm that boded well for future challenges.”I slid around in the footholds in the first innings a little bit – but I don’t want to make excuses,” said Finn. “I’m not the sort of person who is going to sit there and say it was because of the footholds I was bowling full.”It might have contributed. But I didn’t bowl well in my first spell and went for three or four an over – which is something I don’t want to do in Australia. I adapted and managed to bowl better lengths. It’s important that process happens quicker in future.”With 32 wickets in his eight Tests to date, and with an imposing 6’8″ frame that ought to be well-suited to Australia conditions, Finn has been earmarked as a vital part of England’s attack, even though he has never before set foot in the country. With that in mind, he is trying not to worry about getting everything right at once.”I was happy with how I bowled towards the end of the first innings,” he said. “It was that first spell that I wasn’t happy with at all. But I’m 21 years old, and understand that I’m going to be inconsistent every now and again. But it’s important that I don’t settle for that and I try to make myself better each time I go out and bowl – and learn every time too.”England are expected to name an unchanged side for the South Australia match, with Alastair Cook the only major concern form-wise, following his scores of 5 and 9 at the WACA. However, England’s coach, Andy Flower, dismissed any doubts, saying: “It’s one game, two innings. I think he’s going to do well.”

David Warner and Ryan Carters managed to belt 48 runs from the last over of the final to give Australia their first Hong Kong Sixes trophy

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2010David Warner and Ryan Carters managed to belt 48 runs from the last over of the final to give Australia their first Hong Kong Sixes trophy on Sunday. Pakistan were on track to defend their total of 6 for 132 in five overs and needed to limit Australia to 46 from the last eight balls delivered by Imran Nazir.Warner (35 off 11 balls) and Carters (31 off eight) stormed the team to a two-wicket victory. “It was amazing,” Warner said. “We have that Australian passion when things are against us.”It is one of those things – we needed 46 in that last over, but it is cricket and we knew we were always a chance if we backed ourselves. I was given the opportunity to come here and lead the side as well and I am just stoked for the boys, they have done so well.” Glenn Maxwell, who scored 34 off 15 in the decider, was the player of the tournament.

Australia’s struggling outfit has received some much needed good news after Ryan Harris was cleared of a serious shoulder injury

Peter English09-Dec-2010Australia’s struggling outfit has received some much needed good news after Ryan Harris was cleared of a serious shoulder injury and passed fit for next week’s crucial third Ashes Test. Harris suffered the problem during the heavy loss in Adelaide, where he was the team’s best bowler, but scans showed there was no significant damage.Harris’ health provides only one answer for the battered hosts, who went 1-0 down with the crushing innings defeat on Tuesday. The squad for the Perth match, which starts next Thursday, is expected to be named on Friday and by then the selectors will have had a week of headaches caused by the damaging bowling and batting issues.Mitchell Johnson is in Perth training alongside Troy Cooley, the team’s bowling coach, in the WACA nets instead of playing for Western Australia in the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland from Friday. The move shows he is almost certain to return after being dropped last week for the first time in his Test career.Any hopes the selectors had of giving Johnson, who has not been able to click in two Ashes series, an extended break ended when Doug Bollinger and Peter Siddle struggled for consistency as England reached 5 for 620 declared in Adelaide. At least the selectors know that Johnson can deliver random brutal spells, which is something the side needs after taking only six wickets for 1137 runs in the past two innings.Bollinger’s fitness and effectiveness were below par so he is unlikely to make the squad, while Siddle hasn’t taken a wicket since he broke through with six on the opening day of the series. Ben Hilfenhaus, who will be valuable bowling into the WACA’s Fremantle Doctor breeze, and Johnson are likely to join Harris, who collected 2 for 84 off 29 overs in his third Test.Harris is capable of moving the ball during most stages of the innings and also operates in the 140kphs, but his body will never allow him to take his position for granted. He has a chronic knee injury that gives him constant pain and his latest problem provides another concern.However, Alex Kountouris, Australia’s physiotherapist, said Harris’ shoulder injury was minor. “He was able to bowl during the game unrestricted and scans have cleared him of any significant damage,” Kountouris said.Ricky Ponting met with Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, after the match on Tuesday to discuss the way forward and senior Cricket Australia officials have also been in talks as the hosts attempt to prevent a first Ashes loss at home since 1986-87. The selectors are expected to name a 13-man squad, as they did for the opening two matches, and must decide whether to tinker or deliver wholesale changes.There will be at least one alteration, with Simon Katich’s serious heel injury leaving a spot for either Phillip Hughes or Usman Khawaja. The spin position also needs resolving after Xavier Doherty’s ineffective performances over the first two Tests.Nathan Hauritz is in form with the bat – he scored 146 as a nightwatchman for New South Wales this week – but needs some wickets in the second innings to show he is ready for a recall. Steven Smith, the legspinning allrounder, is another contender and the confusion over the slow bowling ranks will probably earn a reprieve for the No.6 Marcus North, who doubles as the part-time offspinner.Possible squad Shane Watson, Phillip Hughes, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus North, Brad Haddin (wk), Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle, Ben Hilfenhaus.