Sydney, Nov 23(ANI): Australian fast bowler Peter Siddle has said that along with fellow fast bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Ben Hilfenhaus, he intends to create a reputation as fearsome as their predecessors.
Siddle also said that the gang is eager to deliver similar success like Paul Reiffel, Brendon Julian, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and more recently Brett Lee did.
"Something (I saw) growing up, Australian cricket has always been strong and always a force to be reckoned with. We want to try and forge something of our own, try and become quality players who can hold Australia in good stead for the next five or 10 years when we're going to be around the team," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Siddle, as saying.
"We've had nearly a good year together as the three of us, so we're starting to get used to how each other plays and what our role is in the team. We're all going along well, and we're all close mates at a similar sort of age," he added.
The first thing on Siddle's list will be to demolish West Indies, and penetrating a middle order that includes Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was virtually immovable against Australia in the Caribbean last year.
"My role, I like to charge in, be aggressive and be at the batsman and put pressure on them that way. That's just the way I've played my cricket, and that's the way I've played for the last six or 12 months, and that's how I want to continue to play. So that's what will be coming out this summer," Siddle said. (ANI)
Fearsome Siddle wants to get upfront with Windies
'Pigeon' McGrath still as miserly and deadly as in his hey-day
Sydney, Nov 23(ANI): Former Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath, once again displayed why he will always be one of the best during a Twenty20 charity match between the Australian Cricketers' Association All-Stars and Australia.
McGrath's marvellous figures of three wickets for 18 runs reminded fans of what the national team is missing and questions were being raised if Australia would have a better chance of winning the Twenty20 World Cup next year with his presence.
The 39-year-old charged in during the game and made every run difficult for the Australian team and also removed David Warner, David Hussey and Adam Voges, while he had Brad Haddin dropped at cover off his first ball, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.
The Australian team has been one-day and Test champions, but have been perennial underachievers in the shortest format, and have not come close to making the final of the Twenty20 World Cup.
The next Twenty20 World Cup is scheduled in the West Indies in April-May next year. (ANI)
Dhoni declared fit, Karthik released for Ranji match
Kanpur, Nov 23 (IANS) India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been declared fit for the second Test against Sri Lanka starting here from Tuesday.
Dhoni hurt his finger during the first drawn Test in Ahmedabad and the team management had flown in wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik as a replacement.
But now with Dhoni declared fit here Monday, Karthik will join Tamil Nadu in Dharamshala for the Ranji Trophy match against Himachal Pradesh.
Dhoni arrived here Sunday and during Monday's net session at the Green Park he batted easily hitting some powerful shots. He also bowled seam-up at the nets.
India are likley to go in with the same spin duo of Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha is likely to be released for Hyderabad's Ranji Trophy match.
Dhoni : India fully prepared for second Test against Lanka
Kanpur, Nov 23 (ANI): Indian skipper MS Dhoni said on Monday that his team is fully prepared for the second test and will do whatever best is possible.
"The approach is the same, no matter you are playing the first game of the series or second or third game...since there is no result in the first Test Match one good thing you can do-just forget the first test match as there was plenty of options for batsmen and not very much for bowlers, so we can only say it is a two-match series for now on.
"It is important for like in a three and a five match series the first game is really important specially if you can take a lead, so we are fully prepared for it and we will do whatever best we can," said Dhoni.
The second match of the three match series will be played in Kanpur from November 24.
The first Test match was at Ahmedabad resulted in a draw. The hosts will try to defend their unbeaten record against Sri Lankan side in the second match.
Sri Lanka have not won any of their 15 tests in India since 1982, but held the early advantage in Ahmedabad after left-arm Chanaka Welegedara helped reduce India to 32-4 on the first morning.
Dhoni also described his journey as a Captain as satisfactory.
"Team changes every now and then you miss players because of injury and the good thing is that you always have experienced players in the side who really help you out.
"So the journey has been good so far and I am just expecting that it will go better and better but international Cricket is all about tough moments you go through, so it is expected at some point of time and we are ready for that," added Dhoni, when asked about his experience as a captain so far.
Indian Cricket squad also spent a couple of hours practicing hard at the nets on the eve of the second test match in India's northern Kanpur city.
Meanwhile, injured Sri Lanka pace bowler Dhammika Prasad will miss the second test against India starting on Tuesday but opener Tillekaratne Dilshan will play despite suffering a broken nose.
Prasad, 26, picked up a hamstring strain on the final day of last week's high-scoring drawn first test in Ahmedabad and will not be considered for the second contest of the three-match series. (ANI)
Test match against India starts from scratch, says Sangkkara
Kanpur, Nov 23 (ANI): On the eve of the second Test match against India, Sri Lankan cricket captain Kumar Sangkkara said that this match would start from scratch since the first Test match was drawn.
He said while interacting with the media persons at the Green Park Stadium in India's northern city of Kanpur on Monday (November 23).
The second Test match will be played from November 24 at this stadium.
Despite being reduced to 32 for four inside the first hour on the opening day and later conceding a first innings lead of over 300 runs to Sri Lanka, India battled to a draw in the first Test that was played at Ahmedabad.
"Not really, of course we would have loved to win it but that's the way Test cricket goes. India played very well to get out of it with a draw. Here we go we start again from scratch. We got to do everything all over again," said Kumar Sangakkara, skipper of Sri Lankan cricket team.
Further he noted that Sri Lanka is going to the second Test match with a positive frame of mind.
"We just got to see if there is anything different in the wicket and then adjust accordingly. I think mentally we can't relax, we got to keep challenging, trying and......to make sure we keep doing what's required ...us for the team in every single session we go out there and play," added Sangakkara.
The hosts will try to defend their unbeaten series record at home against Sri Lankan side in the second match.
Sri Lanka have not won any of their 15 Tests in India since 1982, but held the early advantage in Ahmedabad after left-arm Chanaka Welegedara helped reduce India to 32-4 on the first morning.
Meanwhile, injured Sri Lanka pace bowler Dhammika Prasad will miss the second Test against India whereas opener Tillekaratne Dilshan is expected to play despite suffering a broken nose.
Prasad, 26, picked up a hamstring strain on the final day of last week's high-scoring drawn first test in Ahmedabad and will not be considered for the second contest of the three-match series.
Sri Lanka is playing three Tests, five one-day internationals (ODIs) and two Twenty20 matches during their two month-long tour of India. (ANI)
South Africa call up Gibbs to replace injured Kallis
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Herschelle Gibbs has been recalled to the South Africa squad for the remainder of the one-day series against England.
The top-order batsman will replace all-rounder Jacques Kallis who has been ruled out due to a fractured rib, Cricket South Africa said in a statement on Monday.
Gibbs, 35, who has scored 8060 runs in his 245 ODIs, last played a limited overs match for his country when he turned out against England during the Champions Trophy in September this year.
England lead the five-match series 1-0 after beating the hosts by seven wickets in Centurion on Sunday. The first game of the series was abandoned because of rain. The third match is in Cape Town on Friday.
Reporting by Jason Humphries in Durban, editing by Justin Palme