Broad: Early exit could help Aussie Ashes plans

STUART BROAD is wary of Australia’s reaction to their shock exit from the World Twenty20 and the time it gives Ricky Ponting’s side to prepare for the Ashes.The opening npower Test starts in Cardiff on July 8 and Australia’s departure from the World Twenty20 leaves them with no competitive fixtures until their four-day match against Sussex, which begins on June 24.

But Broad believes Australia’s early exit from the event, which was sealed by Monday night’s six-wicket defeat to Sri Lanka at Trent Bridge, will only give them more time to focus on the Ashes.

‘It looks like the Aussies have got a couple of extra weeks to prepare for the Ashes and I’m sure they’ll try to fit in an extra game or two if they can and try to turn a negative into a positive,’ said Broad.

‘They’ll be disappointed to go out the way they did because they love playing competition cricket, but it didn’t work for them this time and their focus will probably have already switched to the Ashes.’

Australia are now planning to spend the rest of this week at Grace Road, Leicester before heading to Canterbury next week.

They also have a four-day fixture against England Lions at Worcester starting on July 1 before they move on to Cardiff.

Australia’s inquest continued yesterday, with skipper Ponting making it clear tough questions must be asked. Cricket Australia has already launched a wide-ranging review into how their team have managed to lose their last five Twenty20 internationals.

CA chief executive James Sutherland said: ‘Over the next few days, we will have a real good hard look at what might have gone wrong in this championship. It’s disappointing for us to go out and we will want to understand exactly why that is.’
Source{Metro}