Cricket: The 2006/2007 Ashes Thread

[zacaroo]

i dont like the idea of cameras in the change rooms and am sure cricket australia probly dont either.

[Queenslander]

Yobbos? just hit E for eject
By James Phelps
October 18, 2006 12:00am

SPECTATORS at this summer's Ashes Test at the SCG may be able to use mobile phones to have troublemakers kicked out.

Cricket Australia yesterday confirmed it was considering a proposal to have fans text message a security hotline to have unruly fans removed.

The dob-in-a-yob system would allow fans who felt threatened by misbehaving patrons to anonymously dob them in without fear of reprisal.

"We are reviewing all the security arrangements for this summer," a Cricket Australia spokeswoman said.

"We haven't finalised the details but it should be worked out by early November. The SMS system is on the agenda."

The dob-in-a-yob hotline has been used successfully in the UK to have football hooligans punted from soccer matches.

Patrons can send an SMS to a security number, which is displayed on the venue's big screen and on the back of tickets.

Offended parties must include the nature of the offence as well as a location. Once the message is received, stadium security use CCTV cameras to zoom in on the area and see if the complaint is legitimate.

The text hotline is expected to be introduced at the Gabba for the first Test.

Premier Morris Iemma said he would support the proposal.

"We will support any good idea they bring forward. Everyone wants this series to be remembered for what happens on the field," he said.

A spokesman for Telstra Stadium said NSW's biggest venue was also looking at the mobile phone technology.

"We are monitoring how the system performs," he said.

www.news.com.au

[zacaroo]

Yobbos? just hit E for eject
By James Phelps
October 18, 2006 12:00am

SPECTATORS at this summer's Ashes Test at the SCG may be able to use mobile phones to have troublemakers kicked out.

Cricket Australia yesterday confirmed it was considering a proposal to have fans text message a security hotline to have unruly fans removed.

The dob-in-a-yob system would allow fans who felt threatened by misbehaving patrons to anonymously dob them in without fear of reprisal.

"We are reviewing all the security arrangements for this summer," a Cricket Australia spokeswoman said.

"We haven't finalised the details but it should be worked out by early November. The SMS system is on the agenda."

The dob-in-a-yob hotline has been used successfully in the UK to have football hooligans punted from soccer matches.

Patrons can send an SMS to a security number, which is displayed on the venue's big screen and on the back of tickets.

Offended parties must include the nature of the offence as well as a location. Once the message is received, stadium security use CCTV cameras to zoom in on the area and see if the complaint is legitimate.

The text hotline is expected to be introduced at the Gabba for the first Test.

Premier Morris Iemma said he would support the proposal.

"We will support any good idea they bring forward. Everyone wants this series to be remembered for what happens on the field," he said.

A spokesman for Telstra Stadium said NSW's biggest venue was also looking at the mobile phone technology.

"We are monitoring how the system performs," he said.

www.news.com.au

sounds like a really smart idea..

[Poida]

FAT CHANCE
Gatting tries his best to derail Aussie Ashes Bid
Robert Craddock and Ben Dorries
Courier Mail Oct 11.

Mike Gatting has thrown his considerable weight behind Englands bid to retain the Ashes by firing the first shots in what promises to be a long, hot summer of psychological warfare.
The former England captain, and the last to lead the pom's to victory on Australian soil, sought to deflect attention from his own country's indifferent form, claiming Australia had major pre- Ashes problems and was being hurt by infighting.
Gatting has boasted England is the more settled side, that Australia has several key selection issues to sort out before the first test, and that the criticism of current players from former Test stars is a sign that nation is not as tight as it used to be.
Gatting has also suggested Shane Warne 'perhaps does,nt like having Stuart MacGill in the same side as him'.
'To me, they have alot of problems', Gatting said in London yesterday.
"we have a much settled side than they have at the moment. They are not quiet sure who the middle order are going to be or who will be the fourth or fifth bowler.
'They don't know if it's Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken, Shaun Tate or Michael Kasprowitz. Or is it going to be Jason Gillespie who's been in or out?'.
Australian coach John Buchanan seemed non-pulsed by Gatting's opinions when told of them in India yesterday.
I had the oppourtunity to be with Gatt at Middles ex- we enjoyed a few sticky date puddings together' Buchanan said.
'He enjoyed a few more than I did'
Gattings assertion that Australia has most problems is surprising in the light of Englands long injury list which will decree six players- Ashley Giles, Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison, Liam Plunkett, James Anderson and Matthew Hoggard- will arrive in Australia having just recovered from ailments great and small.
Gatting was the last English captain to win the Ashes in Australia with a 2-1 win in '86-'87 but since then England, despite winning the Ashes at home last year, has been minced on Australian soil
It has managed just three wins in 20 Tests spanning four Australian tours since Gatting's victory and all of those came after Australia had secured the retention of the Ashes.
'They seem to have alot of in-fighting at the moment. Kim Hughes has said Shane Warne should never captain Australia for the way he has behaved in the past. Then you've got former batsman Greg Ritchie saying Shane Warne should be captain instead of Ponting'.
'That does'nt happen often over there. They are normally a pretty tight unit. It is usually the Aussies having a go at us for things we've done badly.'
Buchanan said: 'We will see pleanty of those quotes going back and forward which will be of little significance to the Ashes.'
'Thats all part of the building up to the series and that is fair enough.'
**********************************************

:rotflmao:
whahahah is he still bitter about that leg break warne gave him in the 93 series lmao

[Poida]

Furious Warnie on back foot
By Michael Horan
October 18, 2006

AN AMBUSH on Shane Warne by a female television reporter may have seriously set back plans for bold new Ashes coverage this summer.

Warne was confronted by a reporter from Channel 9 in Perth just after he had been dismissed while batting for Victoria in the Pura Cup match at the WACA Ground yesterday.

The star leg spinner had just left the playing arena and had not yet reached the team dressing room when the woman and a camera crew confronted him, asking the question: "Is it true you and your wife Simone are getting back together?"

A shocked and incensed Warne brushed past her and disappeared into the team dressing room.

Nine officials have been negotiating with Cricket Australia to have an "up front and personal" approach to the much-anticipated Ashes series, seeking interviews with players as they come off the ground and also placing cameras in the dressing rooms.

It was discussed with the Australia team at its recent "boot camp" in Queensland last month and received with mix feelings.

Yesterday's stunt came out of nowhere and the question naturally riled the world's leading Test wickets taker.

"He's not happy, not happy at all," Victoria coach Greg Shipperd said soon after the incident.

"He's just got out to an ordinary shot and before he can get to the dressing room a woman shoves a microphone up his nose and starts asking questions."

Victoria officials and Western Australia Cricket Association offcials both contacted Nine in Perth to lodge an official complaint.

It is believed the gerneral news reporter came to the ground and got in with a borrowed Cricket Australia media pass.

Cricket reporters at the ground had already requested to speak with Warne after play for comments on the drugs scandal embroiling Pakistan bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif, who were sent home from the Champions Trophy yesterday after testing positive for banned steroids.

But after the female reporter had riled him, Warne declined to speak to any sections of the media.

Warne was banned for a year in 2003 after a slimming tablet caused him to return a positive drug test just before the last World Cup.

www.foxsports.com.au

gees media is just annoying.
leave the guy alone

[Queenslander]

Hayden mauled by dog
Robert Craddock and Terry Smith
October 22, 2006 12:00am

MATTHEW Hayden has been attacked by a dog and Stuart MacGill suspended for misconduct in bizarre setbacks to Australia's Ashes preparations.

Hayden was attacked while out jogging on Friday during a visit to his parents property at Kingaroy and was taken by a neighbour to hospital with a gashed ankle.

Tests have revealed there is no tendon or ligament damage. But Hayden said last night the wound, about five centimetres long, would remain open for several days to minimise the risk of infection before being stitched.

"It was a vicious attack," he said.

"I was was out for a leisurely run. You are always a bit shocked by that sort of thing but I was more disappointed than anything.

"It just hasn't been my week."

Hayden was already out of cricket for a couple of weeks after breaking a finger taking a catch in last weekend's Pura Cup match against Tasmania.

"The hand injury would have kept me out for longer than this one anyway," said Hayden, who added there was no doubt surrounding his fitness for the first Test against England at the Gabba on November 23.

Meanwhile, Test leg-spinner MacGill has been suspended from the NSW team until November 2 after a run-in with an umpire in club cricket.

It leaves MacGill sidelined from Wednesday's day-nighter against Queensland at the Gabba, and the Pura Cup game against the Bulls starting on Friday.

The fiery leg-spinner pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly and improper conduct but has appealed against the severity of the sentence.

A Cricket NSW spokesman said the appeal was expected to be heard tomorrow.

The Blues leave for Brisbane on Tuesday.

If the appeal is upheld, MacGill could still fly to Brisbane for Wednesday's game.

He is desperate to press for an Ashes call-up, believing the Australians erred by not playing two spinners against England on last year's tour.

MacGill allegedly swore at an umpire while playing for Sydney University against Campbelltown-Camden at University Oval last week.

The flare-up occurred as MacGill took six wickets on the first day of the match. Neither umpire, Terry Keel nor Bill Hendricks, would comment yesterday.

MacGill looms as a key to this summer's Ashes campaign, when he could join forces with Shane Warne in a dual leg-spin attack.

He took a career best 8-108 against Bangladesh in April, taking his total Test wickets to 198.

The Sunday Mail

[~Wild Child~]

I hope that Hayden recovers quickly...As for Mcgill...after taking 6 wickets in a day's play( anyone would think he would end the day on a positive note)...big mistake to be swearing at an umpire and earning a misconduct charge. :whatd:

[Poida]

I hope that Hayden recovers quickly...As for Mcgill...after taking 6 wickets in a day's play( anyone would think he would end the day on a positive note)...big mistake to be swearing at an umpire and earning a misconduct charge. :whatd:

yeh an idiot he is for that.
bad enough for me to see it in footy let alone cricket.
i hope hayden recovers quickly too

[Grimmace]

Harmison 'England's weak link'
By Ben Dorries
October 23, 2006 THE fast bowler they call Grievous Bodily Harmison has been identified as a potential weak link in England's Ashes campaign.

Steve Harmison is way down on confidence after being hammered for 1-45 off 4.5 overs in England's meek Champions Trophy capitulation against Australia.

He appeared a shadow of the intimidating figure who savaged Australia with 17 Test wickets during England's famous 2005 Ashes triumph.

The giant fast bowler suffers from homesickness and is much better on English soil, performing well in the recent Test series against Pakistan.

Harmison has never had the heart for one-day cricket - but his terrible figures in Jaipur gave Australia's batsmen confidence they could target him Down Under this summer.

"If he comes to Australia and bowls that way we would be looking at doing exactly the same thing," skipper Ricky Ponting chirped.

England skipper Andy Flintoff claimed he wasn't worried that Harmison's unpredictable performances could lose the Ashes.

"Stevie's working hard at his game, so I've got no concerns," Flintoff said. "Every now and then it doesn't go your way.

"It's a collective effort and we don't point fingers."

While England has its problems with Harmison, Australia maintains it is not concerned by the unspectacular form of Glenn McGrath.

McGrath has rarely threatened since returning from compassionate leave - and was targeted by England for an early attacking onslaught.

He was belted for 0-27 from his initial four-over spell - before returning much better to finish with 2-36 off nine.

"He went for two boundaries from the first two balls he bowled and he came back reasonably well after that," Ponting said.

"His second and third spells were terrific for us, I thought. You don't end up having a lot of concerns about one of the greats of the game in Glenn."

Damien Martyn answered his knockers with a crisp 78 and then revealed he had longed to stride out against England again after being dropped following the Ashes loss.

"We've been waiting for this game for a long time," Martyn said. "We enjoyed the moment because we've had a lot of bad moments."


Source:Courier Mail

[Poida]

Warnie backs McGrath
Tuesday, 24 October 2006 @ 8:51 PM
sportal.com.au

Champion leg spinner Shane Warne has said Australia will need all the experience, guile and expertise that Glenn McGrath brings to the team if it is to win back the Ashes this summer.

McGrath has come under fire for his indifferent performances with the ball for Australia in its recent one-day matches since coming back from an eight-month break from the game.

But Warne said very little could be read into his form in the one-day version of the game and believes the pace bowler will be an invaluable part of the Australian line-up for the Ashes.

" wouldn't be writing Glenn McGrath off. He's a champion, I think Australia need Glenn McGrath," Warne told The Australian.

"By the time the first Test comes around I think he'll be ready to go."

Asked if Australia had gained an early psychological edge over England with the six-wicket win in the Champions Trophy in India Warne re-iterated that they are two very different forms of the game.

"We saw last year in the Ashes build-up England won a Twenty20 game at the Rose Bowl, it wasn't a psychological edge, they're two completely different games."

"You could lose a one day series every one of those games, 5-0, and still go out and win a Test."

Warne also said England's Test team this year would be tougher than last year's team that claimed the Ashes in England.

"I actually think they're stronger," he said. "In Australia you need your spinner, and you need your keeper performing well.

"They've strengthened their keeper department (with Chris Read) who I think is the best keeper in England, and their spin bowling department (with Monty Panesar)."

The Ashes kicks off at the Gabba in Brisbane on November 23.

[Queenslander]

Bowling Stone Jagger could come to Ashes
From Sydney Confidential
October 25, 2006 12:00am

YOU can't always get what you want but if Australian cricket circles have their way, Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger will be heading to Australia for this summer's Ashes series.

Whispers around the sport are Jagger - a cricket tragic - has been courted by series broadcaster Channel 9 to make a cameo appearance at at least one of the five Test matches between Australia and England.

A Cricket Australia insider said yesterday the network was behind a push to lure the veteran singer with the big lips out to Australia to further ramp up hype for the most anticipated Test series between the old enemies in years.

"I know it's something Channel 9 is working on,'' the insider said.

"It's pretty universally known that he is a massive cricket tragic.

"He went to one of the Test matches in the last Ashes series in England.

"It would be absolutely huge for us.''

A Nine spokesman yesterday denied the network was campaigning for Jagger to make the journey but said "it would be no surprise if he were to come out because he loves cricket''.

A few days of Jagger in the stands at the SCG would give cricket heavies plenty of satisfaction, with fellow rock superstar Elton John already rumoured to have planned his tour around the series and has tickets to every day of every Test.

Jagger, who has previously described himself as a decent cricketer, famously purchased the rights to use audio from a one-day tournament in Sri Lanka so he could get coverage of the series over the internet.

Imagine Mick and Warney on tour together.

www.news.com.au

[Poida]

From what I've seen of Mitchell Johnson he deserves a shot at this years Ashes

[Poida]

what makes these ashes exciting is the fact we are trying to get them back.it would be either way but us v them is better when we got more of a goal.

[jenny]

Under the pump

By Ben Dorries

November 07, 2006 12:00
Article from: The Daily Telegrap

RICKY Ponting mocked England's most recent flop ? and accused the Old Enemy of "pumping up their tyres" ? after Australia plugged the only hole in their trophy cabinet.

Australia's eight-wicket Champions Trophy romp over the West Indies was a heart-starter for the Ashes summer and gifted Ponting another chance to land some pre-Ashes blows.

England failed miserably in the Champions Trophy ? plunging out of the Indian tournament in the group stage ? and Ponting needled them before flying home to begin full-blown Ashes preparations.

Ponting hasn't forgotten how a ****y England insisted their semi-final win over Australia in the 2004 Champions Trophy was a launch pad towards 2005 Ashes glory.

But the roles have been reversed after Ponting's men battered the Poms by six wickets in a group match in Jaipur last month ? and claimed a maiden Champions Trophy in a cakewalk.

"I know England have pumped their tyres up a bit, judging themselves against us in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy last time," Ponting chirped.

"It will be interesting to see if they make the same assessment of themselves after the last game we played against them.

"Winning does breed confidence and we'll go home nice and confident."

Ponting was quick to tell his players not to get bloated heads after the Champions Trophy win, insisting the one-day tournament has little relevance to the Ashes summer.

However Australia have taken great heart out of the last month in India and several players will now go into the Ashes feeling they are in peak form.

Comeback paceman Glenn McGrath (10 wickets at 15.8) and veteran batsman Damien Martyn (241 runs at 80.3) were prime movers in the Champions Trophy while the Ashes stocks of young firebrand Mitchell Johnson (five wickets at 22) also soared.

Johnson may have been the big winner to come out of India because he performed above expectations ? and Ponting loves the nippy left-arm variety he provides.

The Queenslander has been pencilled into Australia's first Test plans ? partially because Ponting learnt some bitter lessons from England's pace attack during the last Ashes. There is also a feeling that seamer Stuart Clark could miss out because he is a Glenn McGrath line-and-length clone.

"You always want variety in your attack. If you look back at the last Ashes series, that was England's great strength against us last time ? the variety they had," Ponting said.

"Although they had all right-arm bowlers, they were all very different.

"Matthew Hoggard swinging the new ball, Steve Harmison banging it into the wicket, Andy Flintoff doing a bit of both and Simon Jones bowling reverse swing very well.

"Mitchell Johnson is improving game by game."

And reborn Australian swingman Nathan Bracken also did his Ashes prospects no harm with 10 wickets at 19.4 while allrounder Shane Watson shone at times with both bat and ball.

Australia's experimentation for next year's World Cup, with Watson opening and McGrath tried at first-change, has so far proved a success.

[BrisbaneBroncosRule]

How would you guys have the ashes team?

M.Hayden
J.Langer
R.Ponting
M.Clarke
M.Hussey
A.Gilchrist
S.Watson
S.Warne
B.Lee
S.Tait
G.McGrath

D.Martyn
S.MacGill
N.Bracken
M.Johnson
S.Clark

^Thats my team.