Arthur excited about Australia's future

Adrian Crawford

Updated January 07, 2013 09:19:56

For a coach who has just watched two of the genuine legends of the game call time on their respective Test careers - from his team, no less - Mickey Arthur is in surprisingly high spirits.

Sunday afternoon marked the end of another era in Australian cricket when Michael Hussey bowed out of the international arena on top as his side beat Sri Lanka in under four days at the SCG to record a 3-0 series sweep.

Hussey was in the middle as the home side reached its target of 141 with five wickets to spare, although Mitchell Johnson 'spoiled' the fairytale by hitting the winning run himself.

The departure of the 37-year-old Hussey, combined with the retirement earlier this summer of former skipper Ricky Ponting, leaves a dearth of Test experience in the Australian order, but Arthur is not particularly fazed.

"I think we are [finding the future]," he told Grandstand after the close of play.

"You lose Ricky, you lose Mike, you lose such a massive amount of experience.

"We've got to coax and coach the young boys to take up that mantle.

"Hopefully we find some talent, hopefully the younger boys stand up. I thought they stood up this game and I'm excited for the future."

Two one-day international series against Sri Lanka and West Indies loom in the next five weeks as well as Twenty20 internationals against both nations (two against Sri Lanka, one against West Indies).

Arthur expects more of the aforementioned "younger boys" to stake their claims in the limited-overs arenas for a chance to wear the Baggy Green in India and England this year.

"I think we have, there's a massive opportunity," he said.

"My message for the one-day squad when we get together on Tuesday is there's just a massive amount of opportunities for you.

"It's very exciting. Australian cricket's very exciting at the moment.

"Who's going to stand up? Because if you stand up there might be some places available for you.

"To be a young player in Australia now is a really exciting time."

One of those youngsters is rookie paceman Jackson Bird, who bagged match figures of 7 for 117 in just his second Test and was named man-of-the-match in Sydney.

He was not selected in the squad for the first two one-day internationals against Sri Lanka but, given Cricket Australia's new resting policy, he may well feature in the rest of the five-match series.

"It's been a good start so far," said Bird, who has 11 wickets at 16.18 from his two Tests.

"There's a lot of hard work to do in the next couple of months.

"If selected there's a couple of tough tours coming up and there's a lot of Test cricket.

"So I've just got to concentrate on what I can in the next couple of weeks and see what happens from there."

Tags: cricket, sport, sydney-2000, australia

First posted January 07, 2013 09:09:45

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Clarke 'pretty positive' about Boxing Day Test

Updated December 26, 2012 01:52:45

Australia captain and selector Michael Clarke put himself through a searching fitness test but is yet to decide if he will lead the side in the Boxing Day clash with Sri Lanka.

Clarke suffered a hamstring injury during last week's first Test in Hobart but has made steady improvement in recent days, including batting and fielding sessions at the MCG on Tuesday.

"It's improving every day," Clarke told a media conference.

"I did a fair bit of running today in the indoor nets. A decision can't be made today.

"I really need to wait and see how I pull up tomorrow morning.

"I'm still pretty positive I'll be right for tomorrow.

"I haven't run at 100 per cent but I've certainly built up over the last three days."

Young batsman Usman Khawaja, who has been out of the side for a year, is on standby for Clarke.

Tasmania paceman Jackson Bird will make his debut in place of injured quick Ben Hilfenhaus while Mitchell Starc has been rested and his fellow left-armer Mitchell Johnson returns to the line-up.

Starc was crushed when told he would sit out the second Test after claiming 5-63 in Sri Lanka's second innings in the first Test in Hobart.

But Clarke has defended the decision to rest Starc, saying it is a reality of modern sport that could lengthen his playing career.

"We're making decisions on Mitchell playing a big part in the Australian team over the next 12 months," he said.

"We tour India, we have one-day cricket, we have Twenty20 cricket, we have Ashes home and away, Champions Trophy.

"It's not a decision made on just this one Test match."

Starc is likely to return for the Sydney Test on January 3.

Australia leads the three-match series 1-0.

Sri Lanka has not won a single test on Australian soil, and captain Mahela Jayawardene says winning a Test in the current series would mean a lot.

"If we do that, it won't be for me personally but for the entire team and for the entire country it would be something good, and it would be for the next generation to look at," he said.

Sri Lanka will make a late call on playing pacer Nuwan Kulasekara, who was hit in the rib while batting in the Hobart Test which the visitors lost by 137 runs.

"We want to give him another chance to bowl today and see whether he's 100 per cent and we'll make a call on that probably tomorrow morning," Jayawardene said.

"The one to come would be Dhammika Prasad if he's not 100 per cent.

"We're quite confident with the bowlers that we have."

But Jayawardene says the team's batting line-up is the key to their hopes of victory.

"We've got the experience. We've got the talent," he said.

"We just need to go out and produce the goods."

Likely Australia team: Michael Clarke (capt), Ed Cowan, David Warner, Phil Hughes, Shane Watson, Mike Hussey, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird. (Note: Usman Khawaja is on standby for Clarke.)

AAP

Tags: cricket, melbourne-3000, vic, australia

First posted December 25, 2012 11:57:05

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Don't think about Ashes, says Clarke

Updated June 19, 2012 22:25:07

Captain Michael Clarke says his inexperienced Australian team-mates risk missing out on next year's Ashes tour by focusing too much on it.

The Australians are gearing up for this month's five-match one-day series against England which is being viewed as a teaser for the 2013 battle for the urn.

With half of the touring squad having never played a one-day international in England, the Australian brains trust is keen for the likes of Pat Cummins, James Pattinson and David Warner to soak up the experience.

Clarke said the youthful looking team had to focus on getting the job done in the next three weeks with the Ashes still more than a year away.

"It's important for us as a group to not get too carried away with the Ashes," Clarke said.

"The reality is, if we don't perform as a team now, you don't even worry about the Ashes because you're not on that trip.

"It's so far away for us that as a team we haven't spoken about it.

"Yes, it is the pinnacle as a Test cricketer.

"It's in the back of your mind, but we've got a lot of cricket in front of us where we're going to have to perform individually and as a team, before we even worry about the Ashes."

Australia open their tour with a 50-over clash against Leicestershire on Thursday at Grace Road with the series against England starting on June 29 at Lord's.

Coach Mickey Arthur is open to the idea of playing young speedsters Cummins and Pattinson together in the national team for the first time.

The quicks have helped re-energise the Australian team in the past 12 months with only injuries stopping them from not playing at the same time.

"I think there might be an opportunity down the line," Arthur said.

"We have a good stock of fast bowlers and there are places up for grabs.

"These three warm-up games are going to determine who plays.

"There is a lot to play for, certainly in the fast bowling department."

Clarke warned the pitches in England meant Cummins and Pattinson, who can both clock speeds of up to 150km/h, couldn't afford to rely on their raw pace.

"It doesn't matter how fast you bowl, if you're not accurate, you're not going to have success," he said.

The tourists will play Ireland in a one-day international in Belfast on Saturday and Essex at Chelmsford three days later.

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, united-kingdom, england

First posted June 19, 2012 09:25:12

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Dhoni not keen to talk about Harbhajan

Updated January 02, 2012 17:01:49

Captain MS Dhoni has refused to be drawn on whether India erred in not including controversial spinner Harbhajan Singh in its squad for the Australian tour.

Harbhajan has struggled in Australia, taking nine wickets at 73.22 in four Tests, well short of his overall average of 29.35 against the Australians.

But with an ability to get under the skin of opposition players Harbhajan's aggression and nagging personality could have been useful in shaking up Australia's inconsistent batsmen in Melbourne.

Harbhajan was dropped after a poor series against England in July and Dhoni was keen to endorse the selection of spinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

"The reality is he's not part of the side and Ashwin has done really well for us in the last few games and the series we just played (against the West Indies)," said Dhoni ahead of the second Test beginning at the SCG on Tuesday.

"He's the best option as of now and he's the guy that will make the difference as of now because Harbhajan is not part of the side and people who aren't part of the side can't really have an impact on a particular Test series.

"I don't really think about it in that way."

Australia captain Michael Clarke says the wisdom behind Harbhajan's omission is not for him to comment on, but he believes the tourists have left out a personality player and a first-class competitor.

"You'll probably have to ask India if they're missing him, I've always enjoyed playing against Harbhajan, he's a tough competitor ... and still is a very good player," he said.

"I guess it's unfortunate for the Australian fans not to see him out here, he's an entertainer and a very good performer for India, so it's disappointing we don't have the chance to play against him again but in saying that India have got a lot of good players."

Harbhajan has been involved in some heated incidents with Australians, most notably the 'monkey' scandal at the SCG four years ago, when he was fined for allegedly making racist remarks to Andrew Symonds.

Both India and Australia have made it clear they are determined to avoid a repeat of that incident and Clarke and Dhoni insists relations between the teams are better than ever.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, sydney-2000

First posted January 02, 2012 16:55:17

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Cairns excited about Black Caps' chances

Updated November 29, 2011 21:06:45

Former New Zealand all-rounder Chris Cairns has declared the Black Caps have their best chance of beating Australia in a Test series since 1985.

The Black Caps tackle an injury-hit and inexperienced Australia line-up in a two-Test series starting on Thursday in Brisbane.

They have won only one series in Australia, a Sir Richard Hadlee-inspired 2-1 win in the 1985/86 summer, which also provided them with their only Test victories on these shores.

But Cairns, the Black Caps' third highest wicket-taker after claiming 218 scalps from 64 Tests, believes Australia is vulnerable given they have selected a youthful bowling attack.

Uncapped trio Mitchell Starc, James Pattinson and Ben Cutting are vying for two spots alongside spearhead Peter Siddle and off-spinner Nathan Lyon for the Gabba Test.

"Since 85 when Hadlee took nine-for ... we had a draw in 2001, but other than that it's almost been just about trying to get a game to go three or four days, which we've struggled to do," Cairns said.

"This New Zealand side is not overawed. They shouldn't be because this attack Australia has at the moment is very inexperienced. They've just got to put pressure on them."

Cairns says the selection of Starc, Pattinson and Cutting is a risk and that he is surprised Australia did not call-up Tasmania quick Ben Hilfenhaus to take on the Black Caps.

"Personally, you've got Siddle, I would have put Hilfenhaus in there as well," he said.

"At least you know he's played Test cricket, you're going to have two guys that have never played Test cricket.

"If they don't get it right in the first session, it plays on your mind.

"To expect the two young guys to come in, and you've also got the spinner Lyon, whose pretty inexperienced as well.

"New Zealand's just got to weather it for a little bit and then put the pressure on them."

Cairns says the series also represents a chance for captain Ross Taylor as well as star batsmen Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder - who all scored centuries in the warm-up match against Australia A last week in Brisbane - to set new standards in their careers.

"It's time now for McCullum, Taylor, Ryder to move into being excellent Test players," he said.

"Going from being very good, which they are, into excellence."

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, australia

First posted November 29, 2011 20:10:04

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