Story The Ashes 2009: Australia in England [Day 3: 1st Ashes Test Posted]

Australia in England, 2009
MacGill returns for Ashes
Wisden Cricinfo staff
April 15, 2005

Stuart MacGill, Tim Paine and Cullen Bailey have been rewarded with an Ashes birth after fine performances in the Pura Cup, while Daniel Cullen, the on-again-off-again replacement for Shane Warne, has been left out of the side. Brad Hodge, who was left out for Shane Watson in the tour of South Africa and the Twenty20 Championship, was also named in the 16-man Test squad. The rest of the squad featured the players, who since the last Ashes series, have become the Australian regulars, with no surprises. Ricky Ponting, as captain, will lead a test contingent featuring eight batsmen, six bowlers and two wicketkeepers.

MacGill's inclusion is a significant decision, as he has not played an international match since Australia's 2006 tour of Bangladesh, where he claimed seven wickets for the match. On the back of solid performances in the Pura Cup for New South Wales, with 50 victims at 26.72, and English County side Nottinghamshire, where he claimed 27 wickets in his four appearances for the side, the Australian selectors gave the 38-year old one last chance in a side desperate for experience.

Bailey, at 24, is the youngest member of the side and replaces fellow South Australia Daniel Cullen in the squad. While playing very little limited overs cricket for the South Australians, his first class form was eye catching with 46 wickets at 29.85, which may see him make his long awaited international debut. He joins MacGill in what is a very pace heavy attack, with Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Stuart Clark and Ben Hilfenhaus in the squad. Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of the selection panel, said, "He is a quality young spinner who has impressed us all with his discipline and control. His 46 wickets in the Pura Cup certainly didn't go unnoticed, and he provides another quality spin option alongside (Stuart) MacGill. It's a great opportunity for him to learn from such an experienced leg spin bowler and also to familiarise himself with different pitches to those in Australia."

Paine, a wicketkeeper for Tasmania yet to appear in an international match, was chosen as backup for Brad Haddin as Australia could play as much as 48 days of cricket during the your that begins with a one day tour match against the PCA Masters XI on June 9. The selectors paid heed to his consistency over the Pura Cup season, as he was in brilliant touch opening the batting for Tasmania with 782 runs at an average of 39.1. Daniel Cullen's exclusion follows a poor tour of South Africa and unimpressive showings since his selection in the side in the 2007-08 Australian summer.

Besides the Test squad, a 15-man one-day squad was also announced. The squad included Mitchell Johnson - who has spoken of seeking a test birth as well - Luke Ronchi and Nathan Bracken.

Australian Test Squad: Phil Jaques (New South Wales); Chris Rogers (Western Australia / Northamptonshire); Ricky Ponting (Tasmania); Mike Hussey (Western Australia); Michael Clarke (New South Wales); Brad Hodge (Victoria / Lancashire); Shane Watson (Queensland); Cameron White (Victoria); Brad Haddin (New South Wales); Tim Paine (Tasmania); Brett Lee (New South Wales); Shaun Tait (South Australia); Stuart Clark (New South Wales / Hampshire); Ben Hilfenhaus (Tasmania); Cullen Bailey (South Australia); Stuart MacGill (New South Wales / Northamptonshire)

Australian One Day Squad: Phil Jaques (New South Wales); Brad Haddin (New South Wales); Ricky Ponting (Tasmania); Michael Clarke (New South Wales); Andrew Symonds (Queensland); Adam Voges (Western Australia); Mike Hussey (Western Australia); Cameron White (Victoia); Shane Watson (Queensland); Luke Ronchi (Western Australia); Brett Lee (New South Wales); Shaun Tait (South Australia); Nathan Bracken (New South Wales); Mitchell Johnson (Queensland); Ben Hilfenhaus (Tasmania)

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PCA Masters XI Selected ? 14/04/2009

The PCA Masters XI to take on the Australia XI this Tuesday has now been finalized. Amongst the stars turning out will be former Australian spin bowler and current Hampshire captain Shane Warne and Somerset captain Justin Langer. Ironically, the two men now out of international cricket for Australia will meet their old team mates in the match at Arundel.

Get There Early

The match takes place on Tuesday 9 June at the Arundel Castle Cricket Club Ground. The start time is 11am, but the plyers have been asked to arrive by 10am to allow time for photographs, kit and autographs to be arranged.

50-overs a side

In a change from the traditional 20/20 format these tour matches usually take, the match will be a 50-overs a side contest.

PCA Masters XI
Justin Langer (Western Australia, Somerset & Australia)
Darren Maddy (Leicestershire, Warwickshire & England)
Ed Joyce (Middlesex, Ireland & England)
Nick Compton (Middlesex)
Ali Brown (Surrey & England)
Sam Northeast (Kent)
Nic Pothas (Hampshire & England)
Dimitri Mascarenhas (Hampshire & England)
Shane Warne (Victoria, Hampshire & Australia)
Jon Lewis (Gloustershire & England)
Reon King (Guyana, Durham & West Indies)

Australian XI
Including stars such as Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Andrew Symonds and Brett Lee!

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PCA XI v Australian XI, Arundel
Australians off to a winning start
Cricinfo staff
9 June 2009

Australian XI 360 for 5 (50 overs) (Haddin 113, Ponting 54, Mascarenhas 3-61) beat PCA Masters XI 266 (42 overs) (Compton 51, Maddy 44, Symonds 2-39)
Scorecard

Australia launched their tour of England with a comprehensive 94-run win against a PCA Master's XI at Arundel. Despite posting a formidable 360-5 from their fifty overs, the Australian bowling attack struggled to contain the PCA XI top order, conceeding 266 in the 42 overs.

Brad Haddin was the star for the Australians as he hammered 113 in 102 deliveries as the two put on a stand of 87. However, Phil Jaques' innings came to an end on 47 as Dimitri Mascarenhas had him playing on.

Australian captain Ricky Ponting also gained some much needed batting practice as he effortlessly worked his way to 54, including a towering six off his fourth delivery as he hit Mascarenhas into the trees surrounding Arundel.

Mascarenhas picked both he and then Michael Clarke up for 36, but it was Haddin who was the star as he crushed a four off test great Shane Warne to bring up his ton.

PCA Masters XI captain Warne had a horror day in the field against his country, conceeding 1-84 from his ten overs, while Jon Lewis did not get the start he would have liked ahead of a one day series against the Australians, conceeding 72.

Earlier, former West Indian bowler Reon King nearly had Haddin out LBW for just twelve, but it was adjudged to be heading over the top. Andrew Symonds and Cameron White pushed the score above 350 with some late order hitting, while Mike Hussey was the only one to fail as he was bowled by Shane Warne for just 16.

Ponting was impressed with Mascarenhas, who picked up 3-61 from his ten overs. "He's played a little bit of one day cricket, but he was bowling well today," he said. "There are some quality pace bowlers in England, and he showed it today, he's quite nippy and gets movement in the right areas, he's difficult."

Former Australian opener Justin Langer attacked early with veteran Darren Maddy. The two added 67 from just ten overs before Langer chopped on Nathan Bracken for a quickfire 38. Soon after, Maddy departed for 44 as he knicked a swinging ball from Shaun Tait to Ricky Ponting.

England one day member Ed Joyce looked solid as he worked his way to 42 alongside the grandson of legendary Dennis Compton, who made 51. However, it was Andrew Symonds who removed Compton by bowling him, followed shortly by Joyce who cut Cameron White straight to Michael Clarke at point.

Semi-retired Sussex big hitter Ali Brown went to work immediately by hitting Symonds to the fence, but his attempt to sweep Michael Clarke's first delivery saw him trapped plumb in front.

The rest of the order failed to add much, South African born keeper Nic Pothas made an impressive 34 not out while Shane Warne provided some entertainment with a 19.

This was a gentle introduction for Australia in a festival atmosphere, but a crowd of 11,000 will know they mean business. Their next stop in the build-up to the two match Twenty20 series against England at Bristol is a match against Somerset at Taunton, where Justin Langer will again get the chance to face his old side.

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"One of the worst attacks in recent memory"
Simpson blasts Australian bowling attack
Cricinfo staff
9 June 2009

Former Australian batsman and national coach Bob Simpson has launched a scathing attack on the current Australian attack, labelling it the "worst in recent memory."

After the announcement of the squad which included Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Stuart Clark, Shane Watson and Ben Hilfenhaus, Simpson made the stinging claim in Melbourne newspaper The Herald Sun.

"To me, this attack has never been worse. Its one of the worst attacks we've had in recent memory. Unfortunately, since the loss of (Glenn) McGrath and (Shane) Warne, only Stuart Clark has stood up as test quality, while Shaun Tait has shown glimpes," Simpson wrote.

"Tim Nielsen (Australian coach) hasn't got enough development out of the players, which is why he was selected as coach, to get more out of your Taits, your Johnsons and your Cullens. You compare this to Dav Whatmore who has done very well with the England attack and made players like Stuart Broad and Jon Lewis into quality one day players.

"Bringing MacGill in wasn't the right option. The selectors needed to have the confidence in the spinners they have tried in the last couple of years, but yet again they went with the old timers. Australia rely on their batsman way too much as it is, and I don't think MacGill, as good a bowler as he's been for his career, can change that."

Simpson has been very critical of Australia in the past, saying the Aussies needed to go harder to get Dav Whatmore as coach, and in particular, was very much against the various techniques employed by former coach John Buchanan in terms of fielding and bowling.

In 2007, Simpson was criticised by captain Ricky Ponting over his criticism on the 'poor management and coaching' of the Australian cricket side which resulted in a torn bicep to all-rounder Andrew Symonds in the Commonwealth Bank Series. "Bob needs to get with the times," Ponting said. "He was a great coach, but unfortunately he needs to notice that there is more importance in fielding now than there was in the early nineties."

Australia play their second warm up match tomorrow at Taunton against Somerset before their one day international against Ireland in Dublin and then their opening Twenty20 match against England.

(c) Cricinfo

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