Sydney, Dec 29: Australia's cricket coach Tim Nielsen has called it the stuff of nightmares, after South African young batting prodigy J. P. Duminy steered his team to a 61 runs lead on the third day of the Boxing Day Test.
Duminy transformed Australia's overnight lead into an alarming deficit, as one of the most exciting young batsmen in the world, but also inflicted on Ricky Ponting, his team and the selectors a national crisis, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Melbourne, Dec 29: Former Australian skipper and cricket commentator Ian Chappell believes that England could start next year's Ashes series on home soil as favourites.
Chappell said despite England's 2005 series victory, not since 1989 had an Australian side looked so vulnerable ahead of a tour to Britain.
Sydney, Dec 28 : To avoid embarrassment of losing consecutive series against South Africa and England, a section of Australian media has favoured recall of spin legend Shane Warne.
The Sun-Herald, for the people, would like to present the case for Shane Warne returning to the Australian Test team.
It's a serious attempt to remind Warne that his word is his bond. Warne vowed to ride back on his white horse if Australia's spin-bowling stocks went up the chute after his retirement, the Sydney Morning Herald said.
Sydney, Dec 28 : Australian main attack bowler Brett Lee, who lacked penetration and was not able to pick wickets at the MCG, will have to perform in the second innings to convince selectors that he has the ability to lead the pace battery for Ashes 2009.
Less than a week after skipper Ricky Ponting publicly aired his concern by refusing to confirm Lee as a starter for the Boxing Day Test, Lee again found himself wicketless and indebted to Australia's younger bowlers for bailing him out.
Sydney, Dec 28 : John Bracewell, who coached New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman Trophy series that began last month, has said that his team is responsible for beginning out of form Australian opener Matthew Hayden's slide this summer by revealing the flaw in his technique that could force him to retire from the game.
Bracewell said his team had identified that Hayden's "lazy" front shoulder, which made him susceptible to nicking the ball early in his innings.
Melbourne, Dec 28 : Australia is almost certain to make history in November 2009 by hosting cricket's first day-night Test match.
Australia and Pakistan will become the first teams to clash in a Test match under lights, the Daily Telegraph reported.
Cricket Australia chose the Adelaide Oval match next November and will seek ICC approval.
The CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) is also being asked to help design a special ball for cricket's most radical move in 30 years.
Cricket Australia has proposed the Test to start from 2 p. m., following the usual timeslot of regular one-day internationals played under lights. Broadcaster Channel Nine has also thrown its support behind the new concept.
Sydney, Dec 29: Australia's cricket coach Tim Nielsen has called it the stuff of nightmares, after South African young batting prodigy J. P. Duminy steered his team to a 61 runs lead on the third day of the Boxing Day Test.
Melbourne, Dec 29: Former Australian skipper and cricket commentator Ian Chappell believes that England could start next year's Ashes series on home soil as favourites.
Sydney, Dec 28 : To avoid embarrassment of losing consecutive series against South Africa and England, a section of Australian media has favoured recall of spin legend Shane Warne.
Sydney, Dec 28 : Australian main attack bowler Brett Lee, who lacked penetration and was not able to pick wickets at the MCG, will have to perform in the second innings to convince selectors that he has the ability to lead the pace battery for Ashes 2009.
Sydney, Dec 28 : John Bracewell, who coached New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman Trophy series that began last month, has said that his team is responsible for beginning out of form Australian opener Matthew Hayden's slide this summer by revealing the flaw in his technique that could force him to retire from the game.
