Ashes, Ashes and Ashes

Ashes, Ashes and Ashes it is every where in UK media and people discussion. Your are in a office kitchen, in a meeting or on phone only buzz you can hear is Ashes and this one is more highlighted as England team have a genuine chance of wining Ashes down under after 23 long years.

If you look at team recent performance you think it is an easy walk for English Men but this want be that easy as it look. Australian will fight till last ball or run and that is built in their nature.

Couple of point which make me feel nervous as an English supporter are:

1. England team as been in very good nick in last 18 month or so and they are playing flawless cricket in this pride. Which make me feel that there is a failure in corner and I don’t want that failure in The Ashes.  
2. Australian have been poor in recent time and will be itching to do best and this Ashes can provide them that spark they are missing in recent time.

Any time to stop talking and let the 11 guy to battle it out in middle for next couple month.

Shane Watson: Makeshift Opener did well in its first outing

Shane Watson did well in its first outing as a Makeshift Opener. Australia should stick with Phillip Hughes, who is fantastic young player. A real raw talent, he need some time to get used to of Test Cricket. But despite all his failure in this Ashes series, he still average 52.44 in his 5 test career so far, and most of his dismissal were unlucky, in first test he got out on a wide leg stump delivery, which i believe 99 time out hundred he will deposit for a boundary.

He is a fearless openers, who just play his shots and believe in his ability to score on any bad delivery. He will come back soon stronger and harder as a player and i hope he will not stop his style which is attacking, people want to see good cricket, which is a combination of Good batting, good fielding and good bowling . I wish him good luck in his future.

Shane Watson is a wonderful cricketer, who can bat anywhere in a test or onday side, but i still believe in test he should bat at number six or seven.

We can give Fred a perfect send-off

We all know how much of a difference a fully fit Andrew Flintoff makes to the side so yesterday’s announcement this ashes series will be his last in Test cricket is extremely disappointing. But all of us in the England dressing room are determined to make sure we can give Fred the send-off he deserves by winning back The Ashes.

That would be great not just for him but all of us. Fred’s had a tough career with injuries, he’s a

great person to have in the dressing room and we’re all hoping he can stay fit for the rest of the summer.

Looking at what happened in Cardiff, it was obvious for all to see we did not play well, there’s no hiding behind that. But we also have to take a lot of credit for saving the game. Many of us, myself included, didn’t contribute enough but, even though we failed individually, we stuck together as a team and Team spirit will be key if we are to reclaim the Ashes displayed the spirit which is within this group of players.

You can’t quantify team spirit, it’s that magical thing which can make average teams good and good teams great. Many teams would have had their spirit broken in Cardiff given what we went through and the situation we found ourselves in on the final day. We weren’t broken and for that, we head into today’s second Test full of confidence. Yes, we need to up our game and our skills but we’ve got the chance to start afresh with a clean slate at lord’s and we intend to make the most of it.

May be part of the problem in Cardiff was nerves, there was such a big build-up to this series and that can sometimes affect you. But with that first game out of the way, we’re relishing this second chance.

Harmy has the X-factor but we love it at Lord’s

Alot has been said after the dramatic conclusion to the first test at Cardiff. We were obviously disappointed not to win the game but we were extremely happy with our performance as a team and go into the second test at lord’s full of confidence.

England look like they will make some changes to their bowling attack, depending of course on the fitness of Andrew Flintoff. And while losing him would be a big blow for England, it was interesting to see they have brought in Steve Harmison as cover. We don’t know whether Harmison could play even if Flintoff is passed fit, as Graham Onions has bowled well and justifiably gets his place in the squad.

But, as I said last week, we were surprised Harmison was left out at Cardiff. He bowled really well for the lions in our final warm-up game and at six-foot whatever-he-is, can generate bounce – which batsmen find difficult. that’s why I don’t think selecting him would be a negative step for England, as some people have suggested. Indeed, he is a bowler with that X-factor which every side needs. saying that, I don’t think conditions were great for England’s bowlers and looking at the wicket, maybe their batsmen should have got 500 after winning that toss.

But we were absolutely delighted with our bowlers. they put in an outstanding performance and while some of England’s batsmen will be disappointed with the way they got out, credit has to go to our guys for the way they went about their jobs. Looking at lord’s, we know England don’t have a great record there and also that Australia haven’t lost an ashes test at the ground since 1934. But that doesn’t really affect us. But there’s no doubt as an overseas player lord’s brings the very best out of you. speaking personally the history of the place inspires me and there is something about lord’s which brings out that extra two or three per cent in you.

You look at the names on the honors board and there’s no doubt it inspires you to go and put your own name alongside the legends. I have played one test there – in 2005 – and didn’t manage a century. this time, especially after getting to three figures in Cardiff, it would be great

to achieve that.

Finally, when we arrived in London on Monday we were greeted at our hotel by the Barmy army trumpeter playing the Great escape. I thought that was great and just shows how much the fans love their cricket. this an ashes series, it’s special and it’s great for Cricket.

Bopara: I’m not Superman

RAVI BOPARA has laughed off claims he is under pressure after a disappointing start to the Ashes, insisting it would be boring if he hit a century every time he plays. The Essex batsman scored a ton in three successive Test innings against the West Indies earlier this year but that run came to an end in the first Test against Australia last week when he was dismissed for 35 in England’s first innings.

He then made just one in the second, out to a questionable lbw decision, as Andrew Strauss’ men teetered on the brink of defeat before staging a heroic rearguard effort to save the game. Asked if he was under any extra pressure going into Lord’s, Bopara – written off by Shane Warne before the series – replied: ‘No, I just go out there and enjoy it. I am not Superman, I’m not a machine.

‘I can’t score runs every time. There’s going to be days I don’t. If I got a century every day it’d be boring.’ Bopara is looking forward to returning to Lord’s this week, where he scored 143 against the Windies earlier this summer in his first Test innings at No.3. That helped him make the position his own ahead of Ian Bell, Owais Shah and Michael Vaughan, who has since retired. Bopara added: ‘I have happy memories there from the beginning of the summer. It’s also a great feeling knowing we go there with this series still level. We were relieved we got away with a draw in Cardiff. It gives us confidence that we showed great fighting character. ‘We know we have to pick things up for the next game, it’s massive. We didn’t play our best at Cardiff but we’ll come back stronger at Lord’s.’

And Bopara claims the recalled Steve Harmison has lost none of his pace, saying: ‘He’s a dangerous bowler, even for guys on top form like Ricky Ponting. It’s never pleasant facing someone like Harmy.’

Cooky won’t crumble and Jimmy can swing it England’s way, says Vaughan

MICHAEL VAUGHAN believes Alastair Cook and James Anderson are the men who can inspireEngland to regain the Ashes. While most pundits focus on Kevin Pietersen and Andrew Flintoff as England’s main men, Vaughan is convinced opening batsman Cook and quick bowler Anderson are set to play starring roles this summer.

Going into the first Test in Cardiff, which starts this morning, England’s former opener and triumphant 2005 captain said: ‘I fancy Alastair Cook to hit the most 50s for England in the series.

‘In 2005, when we won the Ashes, there were 18 England 50s, so hopefully Cooky and the boys will wrack them up this summer. ‘Cook and Anderson are both ready to move on to the next level after establishing themselves in the Test arena. ‘Jimmy has had a wonderful 12 months developing his swing while Cooky has been quietly getting on with his business. ‘A lot will depend on how he [Cook] faces Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark with that new ball. Clark troubled him in 06-07 but Cooky’s a very quick learner, he works things out and I think he’ll rise to the challenge and play his own brand of consistent cricket.’ Many say Cook is a future England captain but Vaughan does not believe the label is fair. ‘The England captain is Andrew Strauss and he has just started to roll with that position,’ he added.

‘When he finally decides it is time to step down Alastair Cook may very well be one of the candidates but it will go to the best person at the time. You don’t need to tag any young player like that, they just need to carry on with their job of scoring runs or taking wickets.’ Vaughan feels it will be a close series and warns it will be a mistake to write off the tourists because they have lost so many players to retirement.

‘They haven’t got a [Shane] Warne or [Glenn] McGrath in their ranks but they are a good team unit,’ he added. ‘They’ve changed the way they play and are very competitive so England need to get off to a good start.’ And he warned: ‘In 1989 Allan Border brought a young team here and everyone wrote them off, so dismiss Australia at your peril.’ As for the end result, Vaughan thinks Strauss’ men will edge it and said: ‘I can see it being close but England can win 2-0 or 2-1 as long as they take the chances.’

Hauritz out to escape the shadow of Shane

NATHAN HAURITZ insists he can establish himself on the world stage and play a major role in helping Australia retain the Ashes. The series gets under way this morning with the first npower Test in Cardiff and Hauritz has already encountered criticism as the Aussies’ sole frontline slow bowler.

The 28-year-old off-spinner may only have played four Tests for his country so far but he has already been condemned as a pale imitation of Australia legend Shane Warne. However, the New South Wales bowler claims it is unfair to compare any of the current side to their recently retired predecessors, such as Adam Gilchrist, Glenn McGrath and, of course, Warne.

He said: ‘Even when I’m 35 and playing my last game people will still talk about Shane Warne – after all he is the best-ever leg spinner. ‘It’s great Australia have had that but there are more guys coming through. ‘For me it’s a great vote of confidence to be the only spinner on tour. Ricky Ponting is a fantastic captain and has always shown faith in my ability.’ And Hauritz, who is expected to make his Ashes debut at Sophia Gardens today, laughed off claims the tourists’ lack of quality spinners will prove to be their Achilles heel. He added: ‘It doesn’t bother me if people think we’re not strong in terms of spin.

When I’m out there it’s just me against the batter, that’s all I’m interested in. I have to just concentrate on what I can do.’

Ian Bell senses relief for Australians

Ian Bell thinks Australia will be relieved Steve Harmison has not been picked for the first Test. Bell skippered England lions when Harmison produced an impressive performance against the tourists, removing Phillip Hughes twice with some hostile and short-pitched bowling and picking up six wickets overall.

But it is his Durham team-mate Graham Onions – plus Bell – who have been added to the 11 on duty against Warwickshire for the opening Test at Cardiff. Bell said: ‘Will the Australians be happy Harmison is not playing? With the new ball he can be pretty lethal with that extra bounce he gets. I am sure they will be relieved in a way. ‘When he is in top form he is one of the best in the world. ‘For me, if he stays in that sort of form there will be some sort of cricket for him this summer with england.’

Bell is happy to be back with the Test squad after being dropped during the winter tour of the West Indies. He added: ‘I’ve had to put the ashes to the back of my mind. ‘I had to get the runs in county cricket to give myself a chance to be part of the ashes – and I’ve done that.’

Onions in Harm’s way as England keep faith

England are poised to follow Steve Harmison’s blueprint for success against Australia despite overlooking the Durham fast bowler for the opening Npower Ashes Test. Harmison claimed six wickets for England lions last week, causing the Australians real problems in their warm-up match at Worcester.

That display was not enough to persuade the selectors to include him in their 13-man squad for Cardiff, although the short-pitched bowling he used to remove 20-year-old opener Phil Hughes in both innings will be utilised by those who do make the line-up. ‘Steve did come into the discussion but we’ve also got other bowlers who can do that as well,’ said national selector Geoff Miller. ‘It wasn’t just a fact it was Steve who did it, it showed us an area maybe Hughes has a problem with.’

England have picked Durham’s graham Onions and batsman Ian Bell alongside the team who drew with Warwickshire last week. ‘Steve bowled really well at Worcester but the thinking was graham Onions has got possession of the position and we are consistent with our selection policy so he got the nod,’ Miller added. Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar is included after taking three wickets against Warwickshire. Miller said: ‘It’s a strange thing, spin, because you can bowl well and not get wickets, then from nowhere you can just get a five-for and Monty’s that sort of performer.’

Hauritz must play waiting game for first Test

AUSTRALIAN coach Tim Nielsen has praised spinner Nathan Hauritz – but will not decide whether to play him in the first ashes Test until seeing the Cardiff wicket.

Hauritz is the only specialist spinner in the Australian squad and has returned combined figures of two for 260 from two warm-up games. But Nielsen said: ‘We won’t know until we get to Cardiff what side to select and the conditions will be critical. But Nathan has got better and better as we have gone on and there is no point in taking 12 wickets in two games now and not being right for the Test.’

Nielsen also expects opener Phil Hughes to overcome his problems with the short ball after twice being dismissed by Steve Harmison bouncers during the final warm-up game against England lions. He added: ‘South Africa bowled like that to him in the winter and he had great success. ‘Steyn, Morkel and Ntini all went hard at him. You have to be pretty precise if you are going to bowl that length to him.’

Anderson so fired up to face Aussies

James Anderson cannot wait for the ashes to start after claiming a five-wicket haul in England’s final practice match against Warwickshire. The Lancashire seamer took five for 34 as the home side were dismissed for 102 on the second day of their three-day warm-up game at Edgbaston and england will resume today 373 runs ahead on 185 for two.

Anderson’s display will have delighted captain Andrew Strauss as he draws up his plans for next week’s opening Test at Cardiff as the excitement among the players grows. ‘I think we just want to get started really,’ admitted Anderson. ‘The hype has been going on for so long now and we just want to get started.’

Playing in Cardiff will be a particularly special moment for Anderson, 26, who has played just three Ashes Tests. But after becoming England’s main strike bowler over the past 18 months there is a sense his moment has come. ‘I hope it is my time,’ he admitted. ‘I’m concentrating on my job, which is to swing the ball and take early wickets. I’m not thinking about how many Ashes matches I have played.’ Anderson shared top billing with Andrew Flintoff, who claimed two for 16, while Monty Panesar grabbed three wickets to put himself back in contention for the first Test.

Flintoff’s presence, particularly after his man-of-the-series performances from 2005, will be particularly welcome. ‘He brings something different,’ added Anderson. ‘We were guessing in the field he must have been pushing 90mph, so it’s fantastic to get him back and bowling aggressively.’ The only bad news for Strauss was Kevin Pietersen’s dismissal for six during england’s second innings, his second failure of the game with the bat after his first-innings score of one.

Flintoff warned there is a time and place to party

ANDREW STRAUSS admits Andrew Flintoff must learn when it is appropriate to hit the booze. But the England captain insists poortime-keeping, rather than alcohol,was to blame for the all-roundermissing Saturday’s team bus to anouting in Belgium.

Flintoff failed to make the start of the organised trip to the graves near Ypres to pay respect to servicemen who fought in World War One, instead getting a taxi to catch up with the rest of the squad. The 31-year-old has since been disciplined by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) but it is not the first time his off-field behaviour has come under the spotlight.

Flintoff lost the vice-captaincy of England’s one-day team after the infamous pedalo incident in St Lucia during the 2007 World Cup. And Strauss said: ‘It’s a punctuality issue. He missed the bus but played a full part in the rest of the day’s activities and seemed fine. ‘We had a team dinner [the previous night] and alcohol wasn’t banned but there’s no reason to suspect anything untoward happening.’

Strauss believes Flintoff is aware of his responsibilities and added: ‘I think it’s something he’s been working very hard on, he generally recognises when the times are to drink and when not to drink. ‘It’s important, career-wise, he stays on the right side of that. ‘The vast majority of the time he has done and as he’s got older he has become more and more aware of when the right times are. ‘Of course there have been incidents with Fred before but for us to start looking back on that would be completely wrong at this stage.

‘Freddie accepts he made a mistake and the appropriate action has been taken and we move forward. ‘Punctuality has been an issue recently with a few players and it’s something we’re trying to iron out.’

Struggling Monty is out of touch and must be axed for Ashes, insists Udal

FORMER England spinner Shaun Udal has warned against selecting Monty Panesar for the first Ashes Test in Cardiff next week, writes Chris Stocks. Off-spinner Panesar will take part in England’s final warm-up match against Warwickshire, which starts tomorrow, despite the fact he has taken just six wickets for Northamptonshire this season at more than 90 runs each. But Middlesex captain Udal, who played four Tests during the winter of 2005-06, said: ‘I don’t think Monty has a role this summer. He isn’t taking wickets and you can’t pick a man who is out of form.

I’m surprised by his lack of development since he broke into the England side. Whoever he was listening to when he was younger was doing a very good job. But I think he has too many people talking to him now. ‘Everyone is trying to change him. It’s time for him to get back to basics.’ Udal was also full of praise for young Australia opener Phil Hughes, who he captained at Middlesex during the early partof this season.

The 20-year-oldleft-hander plundered 574 runs in three championship matches,and Udal said: ‘He has a touchof genius about him. The way heplays, conducts himself. There’s no doubt he will score runsduring the Ashes.’

Don’t write me off, warns Lee

BRETT LEE insists he is far from washed up as he bids to lead Australia’s attack in the forthcoming Ashes series. The 32-year-old paceman is hoping to spearhead the tourists’ bowling against Andrew Strauss’ England when the series gets under way in Cardiff a week tomorrow.

Lee has bounced back after suffering from a spate of injuries, having recently undergone surgery

on foot and ankle problems. But now that Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne have retired, the Aussie selectors may chose to go with their most experienced bowler, who knows all about the pressures of playing in the Ashes.

Nathan Hauritz has been chosen as the only spinner for Ricky Ponting’s team, putting more emphasis than ever on their main strike bowler Mitchell Johnson, and Lee – if he is picked. Critics say his best years are behind him and have pointed to his form during Australia’s ill-fated World Twenty20 campaign as evidence. But Lee, with 310 wickets from 76 Tests, believes he is as deadly as ever.

‘I don’t think the make-up of a fast bowler and a sprinter is that different,’ he said. ‘Of course there will be a time when your pace drops off. ‘Yes I’m 32, but I’ve missed a fair bit of cricket through surgery and I hope the day when my pace drops off is a long way away. The work I’ve been doing is all about bowling fast with good line and length. While I can do that I will do it and I’m certainly not looking at hanging up my boots now.’ Lee claims he has England skipper Strauss in his sights ahead of the first Test next week. Lee has dismissed the Middlesex opener five times over the course of the last two Ashes series and said: ‘I’m happy with the record I have against Straussy.

‘He’s a class act and it doesn’t matter how many times you get him out, on the day all you can do

is prepare well and bowl well. He is a hard batsman to bowl to.’ Lee does admit Australia will have to handle the conditions better than they did during England’s 2005 Ashes triumph if they are to turn the tables this time around. He added: ‘We were caught out a bit in 2005 by the way the ball was swinging back in and we didn’t use that as effectively as England did.’

Paul Collingwood: Sledging won’t bother us

Paul Collingwood has warned australia’s attempts to expose any chinks in England’s sychological armour during the ashes series will prove futile.

The aussies have for years been masters of the art of ‘mental disintegration’ as their former skipper Steve Waugh once described it. Collingwood himself famously came off second-best in a clash with Shane Warne at Sydney in 2007 after deciding to target the spinner during his final Test.

The move backfired spectacularly, though, as Warne helped Australia complete a 5-0 ashes series white wash. officially, the Australians have been ordered by their own board to cut out the sledging during the forthcoming series. But Collingwood is expecting more of the same and insists England’s players will not succumb to their opponents’ famed verbals. ‘Sometimes they can really come hard at you as a team – usually when they sniff a moment where we have to By Ryan Daniels get right on top,’ he said. ‘As a team England can stand up to sledging. If the opportunity comes around, if something needs to be said, then we’ll back each other up. ‘We won’t go looking for it, we just want to perform well.

‘Australia are very good at it. I played a lot of cricket out there as a youngster and they come hard at you. ‘It’s in their culture from a very early age. The youngsters do it. You feel that as a player, as an individual going out to bat in their country. ‘It’s very much a part of their culture but we have some strong characters who can deal with it should it come along.’

Brett Lee is still battling to be part of Australia attack

BRETT LEE remains hopeful he will be selected by Australia for the first Test after a solid showing in the tourists’ opening warm-up match against Sussex.

The 32-year-old paceman has been a key figure in the Aussies’ success over the past decade but his place in the team ahead of the Ashes opener in Cardiff on July 8 is by no means assured. Injuries have seen Lee struggle to recapture his best form during the past 12 months with Mitchell Johnson having taken his mantle as the spearhead of the side’s attack. And with the likes of Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus also making their mark during the successful tour of South Africa earlier this year, Lee admits he could find himself on the sidelines.

However, the right-armer went some way to pressing his claims with four wickets in the drawn tour opener against Sussex. ‘I will be out there playing thehardest and competing the best I can,’ said Lee. ‘If I am doing that, I expect to be playing in that first Test match.’ Despite his good form in Hove, Lee knows he will again have to impress in the final warm-up game against the england Lions at New road, worcester, this week when Johnson is expected to return to the team. ‘I’ve been on both sides of the fence,’ he added. ‘In 2004 in India, I was 12th man for four matches straight. It’s going to be hard work, and I will be trying my hardest to make the team'.

Aussie coach defends the attack

Australian coach Tim Nielsen moved to defend his bowling attack after they struggled to bowl out a weakened Hove (Sussex) on day two of their Ashes tour opener in Hove. The tourists needed more than 80 overs to dismiss the host county and secure a paltry 38- run first-innings lead as Hove (Sussex) posted a dogged 311 all out.

Although Brett Lee and Stuart Clark both grabbed three wickets apiece, young bowler Peter Siddle was their most effective bowler extracting pace and bounce out of a placid pitch on his way to two for 33.

But Ricky Ponting and his perspiring bowlers added to their own workload by conceding 40 extras, including 22 no-balls. More worrying for Nielsen was frontline off-spinner NathanHauritz failing to take a wicket in his 18 overs and leaking 98 runs on a pitch conducive to spin. But Nielsen said: ‘some days if you’re not quite on your game then you’re certainly going to get hurt, our challenge is to work out why it didn’t go quite so well for us today.’

Rashid’s got all the toys, it’s time to play’

Shane Warne has urged england to be bold and select young leg-spinner Adil Rashid for the opening ashes Test in Cardiff next month. Rashid, 21, has been included in England’s 16-man pre-ashes training squad, alongside fellow spinners Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, and is also in the England Lions team to face Australia in a four-day game at Worcester starting next Wednesday.

After touring with England in the winter the Yorkshire youngster finally made his international debut in the World Twenty20, impressing in the second spinner’s role alongside Swann, and leg-spin legend Warne, who took 708 Test wickets during a glittering career for Australia, says Rashid has done enough to see off an out-of-form Panesar and take on the same role in the first ashes Test.

He said: ‘England have done well with Rashid. They’ve not rushed him and he is ready now to make that step up. ‘he’s done well in Twenty20 cricket and I believe he is ready to play in the first Test. He’s got all the toys, a good temperament and it’s time for him to play Test cricket.’

Warne, who retired from international duty after Australia’s 5-0 ashes whitewash in 2006-07, will be watching this summer’s series from the commentary box and Australia will be far poorer for his absence with a dearth of fresh spin talent meaning Nathan Hauritz is their only frontline slow bowler on tour. So do England have the advantage when it comes to spin? ‘I’m not sure about that,’ Warne added. ‘The weird thing for me is England could play two spinners in the opening Test and Australia might not play a spinner. That makes me feel pretty strange.’ While Warne praised Rashid he has been less impressed with Ravi Bopara. He laid into the essex batsman last week, claiming he was not Test class even though he scored back-to-back hundreds earlier this summer.

And Warne has renewed his attack, saying: ‘I think Bopara lacks temperament. There will be a lot of banter flying round and I think that will put him off his game. We did that when I was at Hampshire and found him easily distracted. I think he’ll struggle, he won’t get many runs.’

Australia were in transition after the likes of Warne, Glenn McGrath, adam Gilchrist, Matthew hayden and Justin Langer decided to retire but the Victorian senses a recovery. ‘The team has not performed as they would have liked, they lost to India and South Africa. But winning in South Africa was a real confidence booster,’ he added. ‘There’s no doubt there’s been a transition period over the last 18 months. But that period is now over. ‘The team might not have the names in it but they are a good side.’

Tourists optimistic Watson can still make Cardiff date

ALL-ROUNDER Shane Watson has been cleared to stay with Australia after being diagnosed with a minor thigh injury. Scans confirmed a low-grade strain to the 28-year-old’s left quadricep muscle which has forced him out of the tourists’ current game against Sussex at Hove.

With just two weeks to go before the opening Ashes Test in Cardiff, Watson is facing a fight to be fit for the start of the series. But Australia physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said: ‘We expect this injury should resolve itself fairly quickly.

Shane’s return to play will be guided by progress made in the next few days.’ Watson missed training on Monday and Tuesday after complaining of general stiffness, prompting Australian team officials to contemplate calling up a replacement. While Watson will now stay on, his hopes of making the first Test are shrinking – with Marcus North taking his place against Sussex.

Captain Ricky Ponting said: ‘For him it’s obviously a setback. I don’t know if it harmshis chances but there’s an opportunity that’s slipped out of his grasp [not playing at Hove]. ‘Hopefully within a couple of days he’s right to start working on his bowling again.’

Gilchrist gives Aussies Ashes Wagwarning

ADAM GILCHRIST has warned Australia’s cricketers the biggest threat to them retaining the Ashes this summer could be the presence of their wives and girlfriends on tour, writes Chris Stocks. The wicketkeeper, who retired from international cricket last year, was part of the Aussie side which lost a memorable Ashes series 2-1 in England four years ago. And he revealed it was not just some superb performances from the likes of Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen which contributed to Australia’s downfall in 2005 but also disputes among the squad’s families.

Ricky Ponting’s men, who start a four-day warm-up match against Sussex today ahead of the first Ashes Test in a fortnight, have been forced to defend the presence of their partners on this current tour. Indeed, Cricket Australia is so concerned about the issue it invited the players’ families to be part of a pre-Ashes training camp in Queensland last month, where they were given relationship advice.

Now Gilchrist, in London to give an MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord’s tonight, has warned: ‘I just don’t think we got the balance right in ’05. I don’t think my wife was involved in any of the disputes but I was an offender of not getting the balance right myself. ‘I ended up trying to be too many things on that tour and I wasn’t very good at any of them, be it a cricketer, a husband or a father. It’s a challenge for the players and their families with the scheduling these days. It is a difficult balance and we didn’t get it right in ’05.’