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Sport / Cricket

Tuesday November 6, 2007

Henriques displays his class, frailty

IN CRICKET, timing is half the battle, whether making a cover drive or quick single. And so Moises Henriques' wonderful performance with bat and ball in recent weeks will give NSW selectors a timely reminder of the class and clout that this 20-year-old possesses.

Nielsen enlists leadership guru to fire up the troops

AUSTRALIAN coach Tim Nielsen has hired a former military officer to inspire and motivate his new-look side for the first Test against Sri Lanka.

Summer might be Gilchrist's swan song

ADAM Gilchrist has hinted he might be the next Australian cricketer to draw the curtain on his international career.

No guarantee on Pakistan tour

CRICKET Australia will not make a decision on whether to progress with next year's scheduled tour to Pakistan until January at the earliest, despite president Pervez Musharraf attracting international condemnation for suspending the country's constitution and declaring a state of emergency.

Monday November 5, 2007

Marsh ton too much for Blues

TASMANIA cruised to a 50-run victory over NSW in the one-day game at Bellerive Oval yesterday to shoot to the top of the Ford Ranger Cup points table.

Matter-of-fact Murali takes taunts on the chin

MUTTIAH Muralitharan has been subjected to taunts from passers-by in the streets of Adelaide but remains optimistic the two-Test series against Australia will be devoid of the unpleasantries of past years.

More than just a trophy

NAMING the trophy presented to the winner of the forthcoming Test series between Sri Lanka and Australia after the countries' two greatest spinners was a masterstroke. Doubtless Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne were delighted to find their contributions acknowledged and their monikers immortalised in this manner. It is a rare tribute to a pair of exceptional cricketers. And it is well deserved. After all, they are the highest wicket-takers Test cricket has known.

Clark: it's our turn to shine

STUART Clark concedes Australia's attack could be "a tad vulnerable" after the retirements of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath, but believes the new-look bowling line-up will quickly forge its own identity.

Sunday November 4, 2007

Four wickets gets Queensland home

Bulls beat Sri Lanka by four wickets with 5.5 overs to spare.

Ultimate professional

Mike Hussey's career is a monument to the notion that hard work - and self-belief - can take you all the way to the very top, David Sygall writes.

How mind games were won

MIKE Hussey has a degree in teaching, but it was the tutorials at a cafe near the University of Western Australia that taught him some of the most important lessons of his career.

Trophy honours world's best spinners

CRICKET Australia has announced the introduction of the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy for the Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka starting on Thursday.

Red, green and Indian

SOUTH Sydney Rugby League Club owners Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court are set to extend their unorthodox foray into sports investment by buying into a franchise in the newly launched Indian Premier League cricket competition.

The kiss of life

The Aussie skipper is openly smitten with his wife Rianna, who he says inspires him on and off the field, writes Daniel Lane.

Haddin's efforts not being overlooked

AUSTRALIAN wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has some comfort for long-suffering understudy Brad Haddin: "I've been there, too."

Stu's not into stats - half ton is no big deal

STUART Clark, set to play his 10th Test when he turns out against Sri Lanka in Brisbane next week, is in line to join all-time greats Dennis Lillee, Bill O'Reilly and Clarrie Grimmett in the record books.

Saturday November 3, 2007

Hilfenhaus replaces Tait in Test squad

Tasmania's Ben Hilfenhaus has replaced South Australian quick Shaun Tait in Australia's 13-man squad for next week's first Test against Sri Lanka in Brisbane.

Warne-Murali Trophy to be unveiled by star duo

Cricket Australia announced the introduction of the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy for the Test series between Australia and Sri Lanka starting next Thursday.

Introducing Symonds, the finished article

AUSTRALIA's newest cricketing weapon isn't a wrist spinner, a left-arm quick or a rookie opener. In fact, strictly speaking, Australia's newest weapon isn't new.