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

View the original article here

Aussies keen to strike first in Ashes build-up

Updated June 21, 2012 08:41:06

Australia all-rounder Shane Watson has backed his side to land a crucial early blow ahead of next year's Ashes when they meet England in a forthcoming one-day series.

Australia is in England for five one-day matches, starting at Lord's on June 29, in what will be their first meeting since England's Ashes triumph on Australian soil 18 months ago.

Since that chastening 3-1 Ashes defeat, Michael Clarke has replaced Ricky Ponting as captain, while South African Mickey Arthur has been hired as Australia's first-ever foreign coach.

Watson believes Australia is a more formidable force than the team that crumbled so tamely when it last faced England.

He has refused to downplay the significance of beating England in the one-day matches that serve as an appetiser for the 2013 Ashes series.

"You've got to make the most of any series you play against England, especially in England with next year's Ashes coming up," Watson said ahead of Australia's opening tour match against Leicestershire beginning Thursday.

"First of all it's a great time for the younger guys to experience what it is like to play in England, but it is also an opportunity to be able to make our mark here in England as well leading into next year's Ashes.

"Hopefully we can play the cricket that we know we can and get the result that we want."

Watson is wary of underestimating England after it wrapped up a sixth consecutive home one-day international series win with its victory over West Indies this week.

It seemed England's hopes of building a strong one-day outfit had been damaged before the series following Kevin Pietersen's untimely retirement from limited overs cricket.

But Ian Bell and Alastair Cook have both scored centuries to ensure an unassailable 2-0 lead over West Indies with the final match at Headingley on Friday.

"They are playing very good one-day cricket at the moment," Watson said.

"I think their batting has been a big strength. For guys to continue to be able to get hundreds at the top of the order obviously sets a very good platform for the team.

"Ian Bell is a world-class player. For me it had been a little surprising that he hadn't taken on the one-day game as he has because he's a highly-skilled player and hits the ball in great areas.

"It's no surprise to me that he's performing the way he has in these past couple of games.

"We'll definitely have to play at our best to get the result we want."

AFP

Tags: cricket, sport, england, united-kingdom

First posted June 21, 2012 08:36:43

View the original article here

Headingley, Edgbaston cop Ashes snub

Updated June 01, 2012 21:34:16

Durham's picturesque Riverside Ground will host an Ashes Test for the first time on Australia's much anticipated 2013 tour of England, but two of world cricket's most famous grounds will miss out.

The schedule for the five-Test series was released on Friday, with Australia's battle to reclaim the urn that England has held since 2009 beginning at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on July 10.

As Australia looks to bounce back from a 3-1 hammering at home in 2010-11, the series then moves to Lord's, followed by Tests at Old Trafford in Manchester and the Riverside Ground in Durham.

The Oval in London concludes the series between cricket's oldest foes, who have played 326 Tests since the first in 1887.

Surprisingly neither the famed Headingley ground in Leeds nor history-rich Edgbaston in Birmingham will host Tests.

Australia claimed its only win of the last Ashes series in 2009 at Headingley with a crushing innings and 80-run victory.

Edgbaston was the venue for one of the greatest-ever Ashes battles in 2005 when Michael Kasprowicz was caught behind on a dramatic final day to give England a two-run win.

Australia will play two Twenty20 matches and a five-game one-day series against England after the Ashes to complete a hectic tour schedule that features 17 matches in total.

New Zealand will start the busy English summer of cricket with two Tests and three one-dayers between May 16 and June 5, while a condensed ICC Champions Trophy will be contested from June 6-23.

In announcing the schedule, ECB chief executive David Collier promised a "memorable summer".

"The prospect of England defending the Ashes on home soil, the world's top eight teams competing in the ICC Champions Trophy, and a full program of 50-over and T20 international cricket will provide rich pickings for cricket fans next summer," he said.

AAP

Tags: ashes, cricket, sport, england, united-kingdom

First posted June 01, 2012 21:27:08

View the original article here

Arthur backs Ponting for one more Ashes

Updated May 01, 2012 16:28:09

Australian coach Mickey Arthur says Ricky Ponting is a wanted man for next year's Ashes series in England.

With Australia not playing another Test until the home series against South Africa in November/December, Ponting's future in the side was thought to be in some doubt.

The 37-year-old was axed from Australia's one-day squad earlier this year, leaving him with just Test cricket on his international calendar.

But Arthur says he has no concerns about Ponting losing his touch with the bat, and is backing the former skipper to play a key role in Australia's quest to regain the Ashes.

"I know there was a lot of media pressure and talk around Ricky, but Ricky's not going anywhere," Arthur said after arriving back in Perth following Australia's 2-0 Test series win against the West Indies.

"We hope Ricky's scoring enough runs to go to the Ashes in England.

"Ricky is definitely [in] no way considering retiring, I wouldn't have thought from my conversations with him, and he'll be fit and ready to go against South Africa."

Ponting, like most of Australia's batting line-up, struggled on the Windies tour.

The 165-Test veteran posted just 146 runs over three Tests at an average of 24.33, but Arthur said the tough conditions and some unlucky circumstances played a significant role in Ponting's lean return.

AAP

Tags: ashes, cricket, sport, australia

First posted May 01, 2012 16:28:09

View the original article here