Cricket News

England's preparations for the first Test were given a lift as Steve Harmison underwent a workout in the nets at the Adelaide Oval

Harmison workout lift for England

Ian Healy, former Australian wicketkeeper, believes Adam Gilchrist's lean batting run is an aberration but he will need to fight his way early into his innings in the Ashes Test series with England

Gilchrist Test batting slump not for keeps, says Healy

18-Nov-2006

Clarke added to Australian squad

Michael Clarke has been added to Australia's first Test squad as cover for Shane Watson after the allrounder picked up a hamstring injury

Ian Bell warmed-up for next week's first Test with a timely hundred as England built a first innings lead against South Australia

Bell hits the right notes ahead of Ashes

Shane Watson threw a scare into Australia's first Test squad when he left the field with a hamstring problem during Queensland's one-day game against Western Australia at the WACA

Injury concerns for Watson and Martyn

Shaun Tait struck a telling blow to justify Darren Lehmann's declaration after he had saved South Australia from embarrassment on day one of the tour match against England

Lehmann keeps England on their toes

Glenn McGrath believes he still has plenty to offer despite Australia's selectors looking to the future by choosing Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait alongside him in the first-Test squad

'England not as good as last year' - McGrath

17-Nov-2006•AFP

Harmison suffers side strain

England's build-up to next week's opening Ashes Test has suffered another blow with Steve Harmison forced out of the tour match against South Australia with a side strain

Michael Clarke was desperately unlucky to miss out on a place in Australia's squad for the first Test, according to Darren Lehmann

'Clarke should be playing' - Lehmann

Richard Caborn, the UK sports minister, has called on ICC to stamp out racial taunts from spectators

Caborn calls for ICC action on racial abuse

Monty Panesar has been encouraged to give the ball more air and slow his speed as he competes with England's senior spinner, Ashley Giles, for England's starting XI at Brisbane next week

Panesar told to slow down

Marcus Trescothick's enforced departure from the Ashes tour of Australia is a bitter-sweet outcome for Paul Collingwood who is expected to play in next week's Brisbane Test

A door opens for Collingwood

Mitchell Johnson and Shaun Tait have been called into a bowler-heavy 13-man squad for the first Ashes Test at the Gabba next Thursday

Tait and Johnson in 13-man squad

Trescothick loss will hurt - Hughes

The Ashes could slip through Australia's fingers unless the team's catching improves, according to the former national coach Bob Simpson

Australia could drop the Ashes - Simpson