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Jos Buttler in possession as England prepare to get back on the field

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Wicketkeeper to captain in intra-squad warm-up as Silverwood preaches continuity

George Dobell30-Jun-2020Jos Buttler is set to retain his place in England’s Test team for the start of the series against West Indies.While Buttler has endured a lean run of form with the bat in recent Tests – he has averaged 23.32 in 13 Tests since the start of 2019 and 17.55 in five Tests since the end of the last English season – he retains the faith of the team management and is poised to keep the gloves ahead of competition from Jonny Bairstow and Ben Foakes.Underlining that faith, Buttler has been confirmed as one of the team captains in England’s warm-up match, starting on Wednesday, and as England’s vice-captain in the first Test against West Indies next week. England’s regular Test vice-captain, Ben Stokes, has been promoted to the captaincy in the absence of Joe Root, on paternity leave, and Buttler is taking on Stokes’ previous role. England hope to have Root back for the second Test.The three-day warm-up match will feature 27 players – there are 14 on Buttler’s side and 13 on Stokes’ – so will not have first-class status. The only three players from the 30-man training squad not taking part are Amar Virdi, Jamie Overton and Root. All three are understood to be fit, but Root is leaving the squad on Wednesday to attend the birth of his second child and the team management have decided that, in order for key players to gain the match practice required, there is no room for the other two. The match will be live-streamed from static cameras at each end of the ground on the ECB’s website Although England’s head coach, Chris Silverwood, was giving little away when he spoke to the media on Tuesday afternoon, he did confirm Buttler’s inclusion and hinted that, in general, those players “in possession” of places at the end of the South Africa tour might be in favourable positions. With the Sri Lanka tour subsequently postponed and the English domestic season curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, none of the players involved have played since the South Africa tour finished.”I wouldn’t say selection is a blank page,” Silverwood said. “You know the people who are the mainstay, the engine room of the team. It is difficult to go too far away straight away from where we finished off.Jos Buttler gives a thumbs up in England training•ECB

“Jos will be vice-captain and he is in possession [of the gloves] at the moment. No, you don’t [have to be a genius] to work that out.”That would appear to represent bad news for Foakes and Bairstow. While it remains possible England could recall Bairstow as a specialist batting replacement for Root – he is probably competing with Dan Lawrence and Joe Denly for the position – his preference for batting in the middle order may count against him.Equally, it is possible England could play Buttler as a specialist batsman and recall Foakes. Certainly Buttler’s Test record as a specialist batsman – 35.68 in 20 Tests – is significantly better than his record as an all-rounder – he averages 27.43 in 21 Tests when he has kept – but all the evidence suggests England are inclined to make few changes.If possession really is a key factor in this selection, it would appear to be good news for Denly and Dom Bess, too. But Denly could be squeezed by the return of Rory Burns at the top of the order, while Bess is fighting off competition from both Moeen Ali and Jack Leach as spinner. Moeen, with five Test centuries behind him, might have an especially strong claim for a recall in a side lacking Root.The beneficiary of Root’s absence could well be Lawrence. While Denly’s durability has been admirable, his failure to register a century in his 14 Tests and his age (he’s 34) may both count against him. Lawrence impressed on the Lions tour to Australia – he made 190 in the warm-up match and 125 in the unofficial ‘Test’ – and, aged 22, is seen as a growing force. With one eye on a return to Australia in 18 months, this could be the time to promote him. Zak Crawley, who seemed to grow in stature with each appearance in South Africa, looks set to retain the No. 3 spot behind Burns and Dom Sibley.ALSO READ: Ben Stokes to captain as Joe Root misses first Test for birth“Dan has settled in very well,” Silverwood said. “He’s a confident guy. He has come in, been himself and played well. He’s certainly one of them that has put his best foot forward.”The other area England are facing competition for places is in their seam bowling. The enforced break has given the bowlers an almost unique opportunity to rest and work on their strength and conditioning. The result is that, right now, they are all deemed fit.”The only thing the lockdown has done is delivered me a load of fit fast bowlers,” Silverwood said. “All the guys coming back have had a good break. They are refreshed and they’re firing. They are very, very motivated to crack on. The one thing I have been impressed with is the shape that everyone has come back in.”Crucially, the three quickest bowlers of those involved in this warm-up match – Mark Wood, Jofra Archer and Olly Stone – are all available, giving the selectors (and for this first Test, Stokes should be considered a selector) an intriguing dilemma. Wood, at his best, is hard to omit and claimed nine wickets in England’s most recent Test. But similar might be said about Archer, James Anderson and Stuart Broad. Tough choices loom.Team Stokes: Dominic Sibley, Keaton Jennings, Zak Crawley, Jonathan Bairstow, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes, Moeen Ali, Lewis Gregory, Craig Overton, Jack Leach, Olly Stone, James Anderson, Saqib Mahmood.Team Buttler: Rory Burns, James Bracey, Joe Denly, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler (c), Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Dominic Bess, Mark Wood, Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad, Matthew Parkinson, Ollie Robinson.

Team-mates past and present lead Vernon Philander retirement tributes

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Fourth Test against England at the Wanderers will be Philander’s last before he retires from international cricket

Firdose Moonda in Johannesburg23-Jan-2020Faf du Plessis: “A banker”“With Vern, it’s great to know as a captain you can give the ball to someone with control. Test cricket is all about control, run-rate, putting guys under pressure through either spells where you feel you can get a lot of wickets – with Vern sometimes that is the case, when the ball is moving around, it feels like he can get a guy out at any stage or with the control factor. If the wicket is a bit slower, I know I am going to get control out of him.”In Test cricket you don’t want to be throwing the ball to someone and hope that he keeps the run-rate under 4.5, it releases a lot of pressure. I know that Vern gives me that control. He is a banker, most certainly always. Later in his career, it has been about managing his workload. This is a four-Test series. He didn’t bowl as much in the previous game as a bowler like him can bowl but had the foresight and understanding that we will need him here at Wanderers and if necessary push himself a little bit more, which he will be because it’s last.”Graeme Smith: “The last cog in the wheel”“Under my captaincy Vern was like the last cog in the wheel. He was an incredible guy who came in and added to our bowling attack. His skill against left-handed batsmen was a huge thing. Being able to be effective and get us into games, allowing other people to be more aggressive and attack more because we always knew Vern was going to be reliable and give us what we needed.”I think the one thing that always gets missed about him is that he’s a fantastic competitor. He’s got the bit between his teeth and he gets into contests. And his ability to front up. We are all put under pressure in the international game. It’s how you regroup and front up again. Vern was fantastic from that perspective. An element of that needs to come back into our national side – how guys front up under pressure and perform when needed; when the moments are right.”He was outstanding. I would have loved to see him progress more in the short formats. My argument with Vern has always been has he always got to that level of talent that he’s had? Has he worked hard enough, at times, to get there. Certainly what he’s produced in the Test format for us, his record speaks for itself. He can be proud.”Now the conversation is how do we keep him in the system, because his knowledge on bowling and his skill is something we cannot afford to lose. As CSA we lose too much intellectual property all the time. Even post my 11 years of captaincy no-one sat down and said, ‘Look here, what did you learn? What are the systems?’ It’s an area we’re not very good at. So we’ve got to try and keep all this knowledge of international cricket and quality players in the system to hopefully develop the next heroes.”Quinton de Kock: “His own person”“Vern’s his own person. He brings a lot, not just with his skills with the ball and the bat, but with his attitude towards the game. We’re going to miss that. I hope he can have a good goodbye.”Beuran Hendricks: “Special””With Vernon and me, there’s always that senior player versus younger player. I am always turning to Vern and making sure I get enough info out of him. It’s a special one for me to play with Vern even though it’s his last Test. I started my career with Patto [Dane Paterson] and Vern and it was special to share the new ball with Vern. “

Glenn Maxwell dropped, Marnus Labuschagne included for Australia's ODI tour of India

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Marcus Stoinis has also been left out while Josh Hazlewood and Sean Abbott are among those brought back

Alex Malcolm17-Dec-2019The Australia selectors have dropped Glenn Maxwell from the ODI squad to tour India in January despite him being available to play following a mental-health break.Marnus Labuschagne has been called up to his first ODI squad following his outstanding form in Test cricket and an impressive Marsh Cup where he was the joint Player of the Tournament alongside Queensland team-mate Usman Khawaja, who has also been left out. There are recalls for Josh Hazlewood, Sean Abbott, Ashton Turner and Ashton Agar.Maxwell will make his return to cricket via the BBL this week where he will captain the Melbourne Stars and has declared he is available play for Australia. However, national selector Trevor Hohns said they will monitor his form in the BBL after Maxwell only managed 177 runs at 22.12 during the World Cup.ALSO READ: Peter Siddle recalled for Boxing Day as Australia opt for local knowledge“It is great to see Glenn Maxwell returning to the game in the Big Bash League,” Hohns said. “We will closely monitor his form after what would have been disappointing 12 months in the one-day game by his standards.”Justin Langer, who will skip the tour to rest with Andrew McDonald taking charge, added: “We love what [Maxwell] can bring, but the truth is he hasn’t performed very well over the last 12 months. We had to take that into account. We are sure he’ll get back to his best and we look forward to that.”Khawaja, Shaun Marsh, and Marcus Stoinis have also been dropped after being part of the World Cup. Langer said that Khawaja and Marsh were especially unlucky to be left out. “They have played such great cricket. In a three-game series, you have David Warner, Aaron Finch and Steve Smith; it squeezes those two guys out who have been so important to the one-day side.”Australia’s ODI team has not played since the semi-final loss to England at Edgbaston and the selectors have opted to reward the players who were part of the two T20I series wins against Sri Lanka and Pakistan as they start the next four-year cycle towards the 2023 World Cup.Nathan Lyon has also been overlooked despite being the second spinner in England and playing in Australia’s tour on India in February, with Adam Zampa and Agar being preferred.Turner, who underwent shoulder surgery after being omitted from the World Cup, returns while Peter Handscomb, who scored his maiden ODI hundred in India earlier this year and whose skills against spin were underscored by Langer, has been retained following his late call-up to the World Cup. Turner will also provide wicketkeeping cover.Nathan Coulter-Nile, the leading wicket-taker in this year’s Marsh Cup, misses out with Hazlewood recalled and Abbott, who played his only previous ODI in 2014, claiming the fifth fast-bowling spot. Jason Behrendorff is unavailable following his back surgery.”The performance of our white-ball squads has been strong, and we are hoping to build the momentum towards the T20 World Cup at home at the end of the year and ultimately build towards the 2023 World Cup in India,” Hohns said.”The performance of the top order at home through the T20 series was very strong so we look for that to continue in the Indian ODI series. We also believe Marnus Labuschagne is ready for his international white-ball debut after his strong form for Queensland in this form of the game.”Ashton Turner has proven himself in India with his ability to adapt to local conditions as did Peter Handscomb who joined the squad at the most recent World Cup. Peter also doubles as a back-up keeper if required while Ashton Agar adds to the squad with his all-round abilities.”In terms of the bowling group we are sticking with combination that are performing well. Sean Abbott and Kane Richardson are in the squad following the successful T20 campaign.”Adam Zampa and his growing combination with Agar is also something the selectors want to see more of while Nathan Lyon remains in the one-day squad selection frame.”The squad will be coached by McDonald, who was recently appointed as senior assistant coach, with Langer staying in Australia after being involved in all forms over the last 18 months.”As one of the leadership group it’s important to show that not only are we focussed on getting the balance right for the players but equally the coaches and staff, head coach included,” Langer said. “Macca (McDonald) is an exceptional coach in all forms of the game and has been fantastic since coming on board. He will do a great job with this squad. We are in very, very good hands.”Australia squad for the ODI tour of India Aaron Finch (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vice-capt), Pat Cummins (vice-capt), Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Kane Richardson, Steven Smith, Mitchell Starc, Ashton Turner, David Warner, Adam Zampa

Kenyan Cricket Wars postponed again

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The controversial Cricket Wars tournament which was due to take place this weekend at Nairobi Gymkhana has been postponed for a second time

Martin Williamson30-Jan-2013The controversial Cricket Wars tournament which was due to take place this weekend at Nairobi Gymkhana has been postponed for a second time. While not an official event, the last-minute cancellation is another blow for the already tarnished image of Kenyan cricket which is widely seen as disorganised and ravaged by in-fighting.Organisers, who have failed to respond to questions in recent days, broke the news on the tournament’s Facebook page. “We are having to postpone it but we assure you that it is going to happen soon,” a post on Wednesday morning said. “Thank you for all the support, we appreciate it.”The three-day competition was originally scheduled for early December and then, at short notice, moved to the first weekend of February. But organisers had fallen foul of Cricket Kenya after they failed to respond to repeated requests for clarity over the financial arrangements. As a result, no players affiliated to the board – or any board overseas – was given clearance to take part.It was clear by Tuesday that there were problems. ESPNcricinfo was contacted by someone who had paid for a concession at the ground only the be advised the event had been delayed for at least a fortnight.Earlier this month Jay Varia, one of the movers behind the tournament, boasted there would be “Kenyan and international cricketers” taking part, but with the board refusing to sanction the event it is unclear who will appear. While local club players could have made up the numbers it was highly unlikely any of the Kenyan national team, who have professional contracts with the board, would have been allowed to participate.There was at least more clarity on the non-cricketing talent lined up to take part with media website Tellychakkar.com reporting eight Indian TV names were due to head to Nairobi including Manav Gohil, Vrajesh Hirjee, Madhura Naik, Sehban Azim and Hassan Zaidi.However, Gohil told the site “we will travel soon but the dates are still need to be worked out” while Naik admitted she had no idea how to play cricket, adding: “I am scared that I might fling the cricket bat thinking it to be a baseball.”

Ajit Agarkar out of next game with calf injury

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Ajit Agarkar, former India bowler and Mumbai Ranji captain, has joined Irfan Pathan as the second quick to miss the second round of Ranji Trophy with injuries sustained during the first round

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Nov-2012Ajit Agarkar, former India bowler and Mumbai Ranji captain, has joined Irfan Pathan as the second quick to miss the second round of Ranji Trophy with injuries sustained during the first round. Baroda’s Munaf Patel and Kerala’s Sreesanth are already out of action.Agarkar injured his calf during Mumbai’s draw against Railways at the Wankhede Stadium, and the calf is still sore. Rohit Sharma will captain Mumbai in Agarkar’s absence. Mumbai’s next assignment is an away game against defending champions Rajasthan, starting on Friday. The first-round matches ended on Monday, giving fast bowlers little time to recover.From the squad that notched three points against Railways, Mumbai will be missing three other big players: centurions Sachin Tendulkar and Ajinkya Rahane, and fast bowler Zaheer Khan. All three are part of the India squad to take on England, and will be present at the team’s conditioning camp in Mumbai from November 9 to 11. Mumbai are already missing senior batsman Wasim Jaffer, who is away on Haj pilgrimage.However, Mumbai will also be reinforced with those players who represented Mumbai A in the tour game against the English around the same time as the first round of Ranji matches. Suryakumar Yadav, Mumbai’s leading run-getter and fourth-highest overall with 754 at an average of 69, will be brought in. Also coming back into the side will be young quick Kshemal Waingankar and Hiken Shah, who averaged 58 last season. The other addition to the squad, which has been reduced from 15 to 14, is Shoaib Shaikh, who is yet to make first-class debut.Like Irfan, Agarkar too came straight from the Champions League T20 in South Africa to play first-class cricket on much less conducive Indian pitches. Irfan, though, played another first-class game in between, against the English at Brabourne Stadium before travelling to play in Baroda the next day. What makes it worse for these fast bowlers is the unforgiving Ranji Trophy schedule. Some of them are being played three days apart, and some provide a gap of four days.However, Agarkar will find sufficient time to recover before Mumbai’s next game as Mumbai will be one of the three teams not playing in the third round. Their next game will start only on November 24, but they will have to play back-to-back games after that.

T&T disappointed with no direct entry to CLT20

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West Indies Twenty20 champions Trinidad and Tobago will have to play qualifying matches for the second-year running before the Champions League 2012 to join the four IPL teams and two teams each from Australia and South Africa

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Jul-2012West Indies Twenty20 champions Trinidad and Tobago will have to play qualifying matches for the second-year running to make it to the main draw of the Champions League, a situation that T&T chief operations manager Dudnath Ramkessoon termed ‘unfortunate’.Ramkessoon’s comments came after a fourth IPL team was granted direct entry into the tournament, while the Twenty20 champions from the West Indies, Pakistan, New Zealand and Sri Lanka, and two teams from England, will have to compete in a pre-tournament qualifier for two remaining spots. Apart from the Indian teams, two teams each from Australia and South Africa gain direct entry.”We have not received any word yet from the committee, but with regard to what has been reported, it is rather unfortunate that we have to participate in a play-off, seeing how well we have performed in our last two appearances,” Ramkessoon was quoted as saying on the West Indies Players’ Association website.T&T were the runners up in the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2009 and qualified for the main draw after topping their group last year.”Being the champions of the West Indies and given how well we have played, you would have thought we would have gone to the main draw because of the quality of our play and the fact that people like to see us play.”However, Ramkessoon added that T&T would ensure it played its strongest team, to top the qualifying and leave nothing to chance.”We are aiming to top that group to ensure that we qualify. We will prepare with that in mind,” he said.Three of T&T’s top players – Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Sunil Narine – are contracted to play for IPL teams. But discussions have been initiated with a view to having these players representing T&T in the tournament.The CLT20 will be played between October 9 and 28 this year. Cape Town, Johannesburg, Centurion and Durban have been named as venues for the tournament, though the dates and venues for the qualifiers, as well as the schedule, are yet to be released.

Canada's coach Michael Dighton resigns

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Michael Dighton has resigned as Canada’s coach after being in charge of the side for eight months

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Apr-2012Michael Dighton has resigned as Canada’s coach after being in charge of the side for eight months. Dighton accompanied the team on a preparation camp for the World Twenty20 Qualifier in Sri Lanka, the World Twenty20 Qualifier in the UAE and Canada’s tour of Namibia during his tenure.Cricket Canada vice president Vimal Hardat said he was disappointed to lose a coach with the calibre of Dighton. “[We] understand his reasons [for resigning] and thank him for his contribution to Cricket Canada. We wish him all the best in the future,” Hardat said.Cricket Canada’s CEO Doug Hannum said that the board will need to find a replacement quickly as Canada look to qualify for the 2014 T20 Cricket World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup. “[A replacement will be found] well in time for the national team’s trip to Scotland in July. We are certainly focussed on putting our best foot forward to get ourselves into the next World Cup cycle and a new coach will be an integral part of that.”Dighton who hails from Queensland has represented Netherlands, Derbyshire, Hampshire, Tasmania and Western Australia. He took charge of Canada’s team in October 2011 but they failed to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 being played in Sri Lanka in September this year.

Katich reprimanded over Clarke comments

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Simon Katich is looking forward to putting his disciplinary hearing behind him after he escaped suspension from Cricket Australia for cutting comments he made about Michael Clarke in October

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Dec-2011Simon Katich is looking forward to putting his disciplinary hearing behind him after he escaped suspension from Cricket Australia for cutting comments he made about Michael Clarke in October. Katich pleaded guilty at a CA Code of Behaviour hearing, chaired by retired county court judge Gordon Lewis in Melbourne on Monday, and was handed an official reprimand.”It’s not something you want to go through but I’m glad it’s out of the way now and very grateful for Commissioner Lewis’ findings,” Katich said on SEN radio after the hearing.”Obviously I said things for a reason. At the time I was still coming to terms with the mixed messages I’d been receiving over the previous few months from the chairman of selectors and from other people involved in the team. From that point of view I said what I said, but at the end of the day now I just want to move forward and play some good cricket for New South Wales and put this behind me.”The hearing was delayed from its original date of November 21 due to scheduling conflicts, after Katich was charged by Cricket Australia for his comments on October 28, when he suggested that his dressing-room stoush with Clarke in 2009 had contributed to his axing from Australia’s side. After scoring a Sheffield Shield hundred, Katich was asked whether the appointment of a new chairman of selectors, John Inverarity, would help his cause in winning a recall.”It’s pleasing to hear but I think you don’t have to be Einstein to figure out that it’s not just the selectors that had a part in sending me on my way,” Katich said at the time. “I mean to be brutally honest obviously what happened in the dressing room here a few years ago didn’t help my cause. And obviously the captain and coach are selectors.”Just because he [Inverarity] is going to be chairman of selectors or whatever role it is I wouldn’t have thought that’d make too much difference.”When asked if he could expect to play for Australia again while Clarke remained captain, Katich said: “I wouldn’t have thought so. That’s probably why I’m in this position in the first place.”In the dressing rooms after the 2009 Sydney Test, Katich grabbed the then vice-captain Clarke by the throat after an argument over when the team song would be sung. After Monday’s hearing, Katich softened his tone when asked about his relationship with Clarke.”We were able to play cricket for a good couple of years there in the same team without it causing any problems, so from my point of view I didn’t see any dramas in that respect,” Katich said. “I guess I have just been searching for answers as to why I wasn’t in the team, given that I felt I’d been performing to a reasonable standard over the last three years.”Katich was set to fly back to Canberra on Monday evening to play in the Sheffield Shield match between New South Wales and Tasmania at Manuka Oval, starting on Tuesday.

Jason Krejza wins surprise ODI call-up

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Jason Krejza is in line for a surprise international comeback and Cameron White will captain Australia’s ODI team for the first time in the final match against England in Perth on Sunday

Brydon Coverdale03-Feb-2011Jason Krejza is in line for a surprise international comeback and Cameron White will captain Australia’s ODI team for the first time in the final match against England in Perth on Sunday. Australia have already wrapped up the series with a 5-1 lead and with the World Cup rapidly approaching, Michael Clarke and Shane Watson will be rested for the series finale.That has opened the door for the Western Australia batsman Adam Voges to make his return to the squad, nearly a year after he last played for Australia. And Steven Smith has been ruled out with a hip injury that he sustained during Wednesday’s win at the SCG, which will increase the chances of Krejza making his one-day debut as the sole specialist spinner in the squad.If Krejza plays at the WACA, it will be his first international outing since he was belted out of the Test attack at the same venue by South Africa in December 2008, when his aggressive bowling style that leaked runs proved costly. That was his second Test, and it undid much of the good work he achieved by taking 12 wickets during his debut against India in Nagpur the previous month.However, since then Krejza has been an effective offspinner in the shorter formats for Tasmania, and at times the Tigers have even used him to open the bowling. The absence of the preferred slow bowlers Nathan Hauritz (shoulder), Xavier Doherty (back) and Smith, could even give Krejza the slim hope of a World Cup call-up, despite not being in the 30-man preliminary squad.”Jason is a very skilled spinner and more than capable batsman who has already enjoyed international success and we are sure will seize the opportunity,” the chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said. “Adam is having a very successful Ryobi Cup season for Western Australia and has good all-round skills with bat, ball and in the field. Adam was part of the Australian team’s one-day series win in India late in 2009 and we are sure will relish the chance to again represent his country.”The other major change is the leadership, which will be handled by White, who last month became Australia’s new Twenty20 captain. White has been vice-captain under Clarke during this series and the selectors are confident he will lead the side well, with the newly in-form Clarke in need of a break in the lead-up to the World Cup.”Both Michael Clarke and Shane Watson have had a very heavy workload this summer and as key players going into the ICC Cricket World Cup a decision has been made that they will not play in Perth for the final match of this series,” Hilditch said. “Shane and Michael will remain in Sydney until attending the Allan Border Medal on Monday which provides them a few days at home before departing for India next Wednesday.”Cameron White will assume captaincy of the side for this match and we are sure given his performance as vice-captain this series and record as captain of Victoria, he will do a fine job in leading this side.”White will become the 19th man to captain Australia in one-day internationals and the first Victorian since Shane Warne led the team in 11 matches in 1998-99. He will be in charge of a side thin on batting experience, with the backup wicketkeeper Tim Paine the likely man to replace Watson as Brad Haddin’s opening partner.Squad Brad Haddin (wk), Tim Paine, Callum Ferguson, Cameron White (capt), David Hussey, Adam Voges, Mitchell Johnson, John Hastings, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Doug Bollinger.

Australia have no attack leader – Chappell

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Ian Chappell believes Australia’s selectors may be forced to skip a generation in a bid to identify a new attack leader, after the three seamers chosen for the second Test at Adelaide – Doug Bollinger, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle – suffered one of Austra

Andrew Miller at Adelaide05-Dec-2010Ian Chappell believes Australia’s selectors may be forced to skip a generation in a bid to identify a new attack leader, after the three seamers chosen for the second Test at Adelaide – Doug Bollinger, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle – suffered one of Australia’s most demoralising days in the field in recent Ashes history.On a blisteringly hot day, with temperatures exceeding 37 degrees, England’s batsmen cruised to 2 for 317, a lead of 72, with Alastair Cook racking up his second consecutive hundred in a tally of 371 runs since his last dismissal on the opening day of the series. Though Australia had their chances early on, most notably when Jonathan Trott survived a run-out chance and a catch in the gully in quick succession, England cashed in with alacrity as soon as the new ball threat had been negated.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Chappell nominated the 19-year-old Josh Hazlewood, who is currently sidelined with a stress fracture, as the type of player in whom they will have to invest, much as was the case during their last period of rebuilding in the 1980s, when Craig McDermott was also blooded as a teenager. “The fast bowlers I see are handy back-up guys, but not attack leaders, not even into the future,” he said. “Australia has got to be looking outside this group and into the next group.”One of the problems for Australia, if you’re a batting side, you say to yourself they’ve got efficient fast bowlers, but they don’t have an attack leader,” he added. “Mitchell Johnson was for a little while, and that’s why he was such a big loss to the team, even if he was an inconsistent bowling leader.”Before him there was Brett Lee, before him obviously Glenn McGrath, and before him Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. These are the fellows you look to on a day like [yesterday], if they get a wicket it helps the rest of the attack. Instead England looked to the scoreboard and thought, let’s get on top of them, let’s grind them down, because they haven’t got that guy who can come back and break open the innings.”Despite his criticism, Chappell said he admired the efforts that the current attack had put in, but felt they were badly let down by their fielders and afterwards lacked the skills to get back on level terms. “Australia had to get early wickets and keep England in bounds,” he said. “They got as big a gift as Australia gave on the first day, when Andrew Strauss made a monumental blunder. But they needed to go on from there.”One of the reasons why Bollinger and Harris were brought in was not just their bowling ability, but they are the type of guys who give you all you’ve got,” he said. “When it’s such a hot day, and Saturday was the worst type of hot day, with that hot northerly wind, it’s terrible. You’ve got to know in the back of your mind on such a day, you can’t afford to miss opportunities.”One man who didn’t offer a single opportunity throughout his day’s work, however, was Cook, who finished the day on 136 not out, having compiled an innings that Chappell believed epitomised England’s single-minded attitude to their Ashes campaign.”I’m staggered at his endurance ability,” he said. “Forget the batting, just look at the endurance he showed to back up such a long stint at the crease at Brisbane and repeat the dose here at Adelaide. England have talked a lot in the lead-up about how they were determined to make this a special series, but it’s one thing to talk about it, you’ve actually got to do, and England are doing it.”