Melbourne

Andrew Symonds fails again as Queensland struggles

Andrew Symonds fails again as Queensland strugglesMelbourne, Feb 16 : Australian all rounder Andrew Symonds failed again with the bat as Queensland struggled to avoid outright defeat in the Sheffield Shield match at the Adelaide Oval.

South Australia reduced Queensland chasing 333 for victory to 3-88 to take control of the match at lunch on the final day.

The Redbacks dismissed Ryan Broad, Martin Love and Symonds. Young quicks Peter George (1-12) and Jake Haberfield (2-11) both enjoyed fruitful spells.

Ads offering free rooms in exchange for sex surface amid rental crisis Down Under

AustraliaMelbourne, Feb 15 : Taking advantage of Sydney''s rental crisis, some men are placing online advertisements offering women free rooms in exchange for sex.

Targeting desperate women looking for somewhere to live, the zero-rent ads are becoming increasingly common on popular `share house' rental websites.

There have been numerous complaints about the ads, which some website users have dubbed `offensive', but they do not breach policy guidelines for sites such as flatmates. com. au

Johnson''s workload to ease on Oz tour of South Africa

Johnson''s workload to ease on Oz tour of South AfricaMelbourne, Feb. 15 : Australian cricket team coach Tim Nielsen has said that he plans to reduce the workload of fast bowler Mitchell Johnson during the tour of South Africa, which gets underway from Monday.

The vastly improved Johnson has emerged as Australia''s beacon of hope, ripping through the Proteas to take 17 wickets in three Tests at 25.88. But the Queenslander''s rise to Australia''s top-dog quick has coincided with a gruelling workload.

Slater feels exuberance will help opener Phil Hughes ride crest of success wave

Michael SlaterMelbourne, Feb 14 : Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater feels that exuberance will help opener Phil Hughes to succeed in South Africa, expecting that he will ride the crest of a wave into the start of his Test career, just as a young Slater did in England 16 years ago.

It was Slater's exuberance that stood out above all else as he scored a half-century in his first Test and a big hundred in his second at Lord's on the 1993 Ashes tour.

Symonds to visit doctor over knee injury flare up

Andrew SymondsMelbourne, Feb 14 : Australian allrounder Andrew Symonds will visit Cricket Australia doctor Trefor James early next week to learn the full extent of his latest knee injury that flared up again on the field on the first day of the Sheffield Shield match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval.

Symonds pulled up after bowling just two overs for Queensland, looking uneasy and did not re-emerge from the dressing room after the interval.

Rainstorm saves Australia from major humiliation, but not Ponting

Rainstorm saves Australia from major humiliation, but not PontingMelbourne, Feb 14 : A rainstorm saved Australia from major humiliation when the match was abandoned with the Kiwis in sight of victory, but skipper Ricky Ponting was left red-faced in a dramatic series finale at the Gabba.

Australia was saved from the final insult of a woeful summer, allowing Ponting's side to retain the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy with the series finishing at 2-2.

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