February 16th, 2010 by admin
The green cap worn by former Australian Test captain Greg Chappell just before he defected to World Series Cricket in the 1970s has sold for more than 16,000 dollars at a Melbourne auction.
The auction’s spokeswoman said that the cap, worn by Chappell during 1977, was sold to an Australian private collector by Charles Leski Auctions for 16,310 dollars,which included the auctioneer’s commission.
During the last 9 years the cap has been in private hands since it was last sold by rival auction house Christies Australia in 2001.
February 15th, 2010 by admin
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has stated that his latest ODI century at the Gabba was down to extra time in the nets correcting technical glitches and flaws that had undermined his one-day batting performances. Ponting hit 106 from 112 balls to set up a series-securing victory over the West Indies to show he was back near his best after a poor summer.
Ponting said he had worked hard with head coach Tim Nielsen in ironing out some technical issues, making him feel more comfortable at the crease.
“I have been working pretty hard with the coaching staff on a few little things. It was my turn that I made sure I got us through and we got a big score and we didn’t let an opportunity slip,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.
January 25th, 2010 by admin
Mike Atherton has stated that Andrew Flintoff will not be considered for selection for the 2010 / 2011 Ashes series. Atherton believes that as far as he is concerned, the England team has evolved under the captaincy of Andrew Strauss, and Flintoff will never be under consideration for Test cricket again.
“There’s no way Flintoff will play Test cricket again. It’s not even worth contemplating. England have moved on from Freddie, and have had some good results without him,” The Mirror quoted Atherton, as saying.
“They have a settled side with the likes of Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann filling the all-rounder void,” he added.
The Lancashire star is said to be keen on facing the Aussies again when England go Down Under at the end of 2010.
However, it is believed that the selectors – most notably head coach Andy Flower and Strauss – are not prepared to make special plans and potentially upset the current players to accommodate him.
January 19th, 2010 by admin
A new cricket bat called “The Mongoose” developed by Marcus Codrington Fernandez, could revolutionise the way Twenty20 cricket is played in the near future, many believe. The bat consists of a pygmy blade with a long handle, and is seen as the single most radical change to cricket equipment since way back in 1771.
The theory is that the wood at the top of the bat is wasted in Twenty20 cricket, as there was not a great deal of need for the back-foot defence. Instead the splice is integrated into the handle and the weight shifts down the bat, so much so that even yorkers that hit the toe of the bat can be hit for four.
January 5th, 2010 by admin
Looks like the Barmy Army will be at the 2010 / 2011 Ashes in great force thanks to Cricket Australia. The English fans will also have the full assistance and backing of Cricket Australia, who have reserved up to 7500 tickets for each day of the fifth Test for tour groups.
The bad new is that Barmy Army members who purchase these tickets will be forking out almost double the price for the privilege of getting in early, and there are now legitimate concerns as to just how many rank-and-file Aussie fans will be able to attend, The Daily Telegraph reports.
According to reports, once the members and corporates are accounted for, less than half of the SCG’s 44,000 capacity will be available to the home fans, but they won’t get a chance to purchase seats until July.
July 28th, 2009 by admin
Ian Bell simply can’t wait to get back in action for the England cricket team. He has reported to have said that he is ready to grab his Ashes chance with both hands – and ram the Aussies’ taunts straight back down their throats.
This is the kind of fighting talk the England squad have been missing for some time!
Bell believes that if he is getting sledged as he has been for the past two years, he must be doing something right at the batting crease.
“I can take it. They (Australians) can say what they want, it is a matter of taking it and then cracking on,” Bell said.
He averages 65 at Edgbaston this summer, rattling up 670 runs overall.
“You are always desperate to play for your country, but I have had to try and keep myself as focused as I can for county cricket. It’s hard but if I wasn’t focused for Warwickshire I wouldn’t have got the runs to help me get back in,” he said.
“When I walk out on Thursday I’ll have already played 10 Tests against Australia. I know what it’s all about,” The Sun quoted Bell, as saying.
“When you have played a considerable amount for your country, when you are not there it really hurts. You miss what you used to do a hell of a lot. You will do everything you can to get back into that team. You are desperate to get back into an England shirt.
When I got back from the West Indies after the winter tour, I really had to put the Ashes to the back of my mind. I had to get the runs in county cricket with Warwickshire to give myself a chance to be part of the Ashes and overall I’ve done that,” he added.
July 13th, 2009 by admin
England’s Ashes team has escaped a sex ban – as long as they stay off the booze which on current form will not be an easy task.
The Daily Express quoted a team source as saying: “We’ve got no reason to believe sex affects performance, unlike a few too many beers. But if they do decide to have a few drinks, we may have to review the rules.”
Former party-loving England star Phil Tufnell reckons the players will only turn to booze if they win. In the past, stars like all-rounder Flintoff, 31, “got a bit carried away” while away on tour.
July 2nd, 2009 by admin
Well I would guess you would hear this from English cricket fans but how about from one of Ponting’s countrymen? The Sun quoted Thommo, as saying: “I thought Ricky was crapp when he was first captain in 2004 and nothing much has improved since then. I’m not the only one who thinks that. I’ve always bagged him and everyone at home thinks he’s s**t at the captaincy. He’s a great player but captaincy is a totally different thing.”
“He was in a side that had very good players and now he’s got a side that has average players. He’s still left wanting. You see it on him – he gets frustrated. He worries when the players don’t do what he’s used to with the ball when he passes it to them,” he added.
“The choices he makes, his field settings and the things he does are never right. England has the edge in the captaincy department. But while England have a better captain, Australia have a better line-up,” he said.
June 8th, 2009 by admin
Latest reports suggest that Manchester United are set to sign a 17 million pounds deal for Wigan winger Luis Antonio Valencia. United boss Fegie is confident that the Ecuador star will become part of his team instead of joining rivals Real Madrid, because the player is keen to play for United.
United at first were talking about player exchanges, but this is now unlikely because Steve Bruce has left and Roberto Martinez is set to take over as boss. Wigan may now prefer straight cash.
May 29th, 2009 by admin
England all rounder Andrew Flintoff believes he can still be fit in time for the Ashes, despite being ruled out of the Twenty20 World Cup due to injury.
I’m disappointed to not be playing in the World Twenty20 – but my main target is always to get 100 per cent fit for the Ashes. I’ve said all through my time out, it’s the dream of playing Ashes cricket and beating the Aussies that keeps me going,” he said.
Although Australia are not the force they once were, England are not as strong as many would like them to be. If England are to win the Ashes then they need Flintoff playing and 100% fit.
Let’s wish Flintoff a speedy recovery so he can help England stuff the Australians!
