Bulls quick Cutting returns for Shield clash

Updated November 06, 2012 11:14:38

Queensland paceman Ben Cutting will return from a groin injury in this week's Sheffield Shield clash with Tasmania in Hobart.

Cutting, named 12th man for last year's first Test of the Australian summer in Brisbane, replaces Michael Neser in the Bulls squad that recorded a six-wicket win over NSW on Sunday.

The 25-year-old burst into contention for his maiden national call-up after a stellar start to last year's domestic season, only to suffer a side strain shortly after being omitted from the opening Test against New Zealand.

Having overcome a series of setbacks, Cutting made a strong start to the 2012/13 first-class season, snaring 11 wickets at an average of 23.9 in three Shield games as well as scoring 240 runs - including his maiden century.

While Cutting proved his fitness in a one-day club game on Sunday, Queensland selectors opted to give skipper James Hopes (knee) another week on the sidelines.

Usman Khawaja, who scored two half-centuries against the Michael Clarke-led Blues, will look to impress national selectors with a big score in the game that starts on Friday.

Tasmania lost to South Australia in Hobart over the weekend and will lose Test squad members Ricky Ponting and Ben Hilfenhaus for the first rematch of last season's Shield final.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, hobart-7000, tas

First posted November 06, 2012 11:14:38

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Aussie quick Pattinson almost fully fit

Updated May 22, 2012 07:30:55

Australian fast bowler James Pattinson says his recovery from a back injury is progressing well and he is close to returning to full training.

The Victorian heads to Brisbane today to begin work at the AIS Centre of Excellence ahead of Australia's one-day tour of the British Isles beginning in late June.

Pattinson jarred his back in the second Test against the West Indies, but says he hopes to be back bowling at 100 per cent by the end of next week.

"I'm bowling about three times a week now at about 80 per cent intencity and building that up ... and hopefully (I'll have) three weeks of going 100 per cent in the nets before getting over to England," Pattinson said.

"I'm looking for a bit of match intensity (at the centre of excellence), so hopefully I can get out there in the middle.

"It'll mostly be white ball practice with the one-dayers coming up."

Pattinson is looking forward to resuming his fledgling partnership with fellow young gun Pat Cummins, who has also been named in the Australian squad to take on Ireland in a 50-over match and England in a series of one-dayers in June and July.

There is also an Australia A tour to follow in July and August, and Pattinson says he and Cummins will be looking to fine-tune their performances in English conditions, with a view to spearheading the Australian attack in next year's Ashes.

"It's an exciting time for Australian cricket at the moment with a lot of young guys coming through," he said.

"I don't think we've played in these conditions before so it'll be a great learning curve before the Ashes next year.

"Hopefully it gives us a bit of an edge over the Poms and we can go over to the Ashes with one up over them."

AAP

Tags: sport, cricket, brisbane-4000, qld, australia

First posted May 22, 2012 07:30:55

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Starc preparing to be unlucky quick

Updated January 17, 2012 21:05:00

It is the simple equation which has got the pace quartet that delivered a crushing third Test victory for Australia looking over their shoulders.

Despite Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Ben Hilfenhaus and Ryan Harris demolishing India at the WACA Ground inside three days last week, one of the quicks appears certain to miss out at the Adelaide Oval next week.

Chairman of selectors John Inverarity all but confirmed off-spinner Nathan Lyon will return to the starting XI when he named an unchanged squad of 12 for the fourth Test on Tuesday.

Lyon's inclusion would leave left-arm quick Starc as the man most likely to have to drop out despite his four wickets and impressive bowling in Perth.

It seems the only way Starc would keep his place is if rumours Siddle is set to be rested after playing eight straight Tests prove true.

But despite the frustration of having his spot under threat following the best display of his three-Test career, Starc will head to Adelaide ready to fight for a spot.

"I guess you could say disappointing," Starc said about the possibility of being left out.

"They're obviously not going to go in with four quicks to Adelaide so Nathan Lyon will come back in.

"With the four of us there I can't see them dropping any of the other three, they're in great form."

There's a lot of talk about the rotation policy so I'm just going to go out there and prepare as though I was going to play, as I always do, and if I get the chance then I'm ready to go."

Inverarity delivered a double blow when he announced the squad, suggesting there may be little need to rest Siddle after he quickly delivered victory in Perth.

Starc said missing out would be tough but he would be happy if it means delivering a 4-0 series whitewash just over a year after last summer's Ashes debacle.

"It'd be great for our group," he said.

"To beat the world number two team 4-0 on home soil would be a great start to what we've spoken about, becoming the world number one again."

Starc has been released from his Test duties to take part in Wednesday's Big Bash League contest between the Sydney Sixers and Perth Scorchers at the SCG.

Joining Starc in the Sixers team will be under-fire wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, while struggling top-order batsman Shaun Marsh is set to line-up for the Scorchers.

Running out of chances

Marsh said the Twenty20 clash could be the most important of his career after making scores of 0, 3, 0 and 11 so far against India this summer.

"At the end of the day my job is to score runs and I haven't been doing that in the first three Test matches," Marsh said at Perth airport on Tuesday.

"There's always pressure, but that's part and parcel of playing international cricket.

"I've just got to try to turn it around.

"You don't get too many chances to play Test cricket so I know my chances are running out.

"I see it as a good challenge for me.

"I've performed well (at Test level) before, so I know that I can do it. I've just got to get out there and get some runs."

Both Marsh and Haddin will play in Adelaide regardless of how they perform on Wednesday night and Starc believes 34-year-old Haddin is not playing as badly as some might think.

"Brad's been in pretty good spirits. There's been a lot of talk in the press and whatever but I reckon he's still gloving the ball pretty well and he'll get his chance with the bat," Starc said.

"He obviously didn't get much of a chance in the last couple of Tests with the runs coming at the top of the list. I'm sure he'll be going out there to get some runs and take some momentum into the next Test."

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia

First posted January 17, 2012 19:20:39

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Australia out for quick wickets in Brisbane

Updated December 02, 2011 08:17:40

Australia will be looking for quick wickets when play resumes on day two of the first Test against New Zealand in Brisbane on Friday.

The Black Caps were 5 for 176 after a rain affected first day, with former skipper Daniel Vettori not out 45 and Perth-born Dean Brownlie unbeaten on 32.

More showers are expected early on Friday but they are expected to clear on what would be lively bowling conditions.

Rookie left-arm quick Mitchell Starc (2 for 52) will be out to continue his impressive Test debut after snaring the prized scalps of Brendon McCullum (34) and Jesse Ryder (6).

Fellow debutant James Pattinson also had his moments, bouncing back after having 13 taken off his first over to be 1 for 50 off 11.

Pattinson claimed Ross Taylor for 14 after the New Zealand captain chopped the ball onto his stumps.

The damage could have been worse for the visitors - Brownlie was dropped on 3 by Australian captain Michael Clarke.

McCullum said New Zealand was thankful for the let-off and hoped to push on toward 300 on Friday.

"Even 280 is a competitive total on this Gabba deck," McCullum said.

"Hopefully we can push on, post a competitive total ... and then put their inexperienced top order under pressure."

Australian opener David Warner was the third player to receive a baggy green before the day's play on Thursday.

It brought the number of Australian debutants in 2011 to nine - the most in a calendar year since the turbulent days of World Series Cricket in 1978.

Meanwhile, Gabba fans were not the only ones booing when umpires called an early tea break on day one due to bad light.

Former Test cricketer Tom Moody led a chorus of disapproval for umpires Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf's controversial call eight minutes before the scheduled break - with the Gabba lights switched on.

Most of the crowd - about 14,000 people - jeered the pair after they pointed to their light meters and led the players off and Clarke made his displeasure known to the umpires before walking off.

Moody questioned the decision made under the Gabba lights - especially when Test cricket needed a leg up following the emergence of Twenty20 cricket.

"Bad light can't believe that in a time we are looking to save Test cricket we are walking off a field of play when lights are available?" Moody tweeted.

Current Australian batting coach and ex-Test opener Justin Langer also weighed in during the early tea break.

"For the sake of Test cricket I would love us to be playing right now," he told Grandstand.

"At the end of the day it is about entertainment.

"I would like to see us playing in as many circumstances as we can."

The decision added to the frustration Australia felt in its recent two-Test series in South Africa where most days were affected by bad light.

But ex-Test spinner and media commentator Kerry O'Keeffe could see the funny side.

"We need Shane Warne's teeth out there ... we could play until midnight," he said on Grandstand.

But he added that it was not good for Test cricket.

"This sort of thing does it no favours at all - it (light) is not that bad."

In the end, the heavens opened half an hour later to wash out the final session.

AAP

Tags: cricket, sport, brisbane-4000, qld, australia, new-zealand

First posted December 02, 2011 07:01:54

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