Australia tour of southafrica 2011. News and updates here.

[Karthik]

Australia name Twenty20 and ODI squad for their upcoming tour to South Africa, which starts from October 13. 2 T20Is, 3 ODIs and 2 Tests will be played. Test squad will be named later.


ODI squad Shane Watson, David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (wk), Steven Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Xavier Doherty, James Pattinson, Patrick Cummins, Doug Bollinger.

Twenty20 squad Shane Watson, David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Aaron Finch, David Hussey, Cameron White (capt), Matthew Wade (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Steven Smith, Steve O'Keefe, Brett Lee, James Pattinson, Patrick Cummins, Doug Bollinger.

 

[Karthik]

Hashim Amla will lead South Africa in upcoming ODI and T20I series against Australia. Amla is named captain after AB de Villiers injured his finger, which also ruled him out of limited-overs leg against Australia.

 

[M@zh@R]

Hussey given short rest ahead of South Africa tour

Melbourne: Australia is taking no chances with veteran batsman Michael Hussey ahead of the team`s tour of South Africa, deciding to give him the week off from domestic competition.

Cricket Australia said on Monday that the 36-year-old Hussey, who just returned from Champions League Twenty20 duty with the Chennai Super Kings, will not play in Western Australia`s first-class match beginning Tuesday against Tasmania in Perth.

The match is scheduled to end on Friday, the day Hussey is expected to fly to South Africa.


Australia will play two T20 matches — the first on Thursday — three limited-over internationals and two Tests in South Africa — the first beginning Nov. 9 in Cape Town, the second Nov. 17 in Johannesburg.

Hussey, who is not part of Australia`s Twenty20 squad, was named man of the match in all three of Australia`s test matches in Sri Lanka, where the visitors won the first test and played to draws in the others.

"His (Hussey`s) workload has been significant," Cricket Australia general manger Michael Brown said in a statement. "Looking at all the coming international fixtures, it was decided that it is best for Michael if he sits out this week."
Source: ZeeNews

 

[M@zh@R]

Good to come off hardened competition - White

David Warner smashes the ball down the ground, RCB v NSW, 1st semi-final, CLT20, Bangalore, October 7, 2011
Cameron White is hoping David Warner replicates his Champions League T20 form against South Africa Cameron White, Australia's Twenty20 captain, had every reason to be smug as he walked into his arrival press conference in Cape Town. He appeared in front of the media minutes after his country's national rugby union team knocked South Africa's defending champion Springboks out of the World Cup by 11 points to nine and, in so doing, qualified for the semi-finals.

Instead, he was gracious and chirpy. "It sounds like the referee didn't have a great game," White joked.

That one-liner would have immediately endeared him to the South African public, who are reeling from seeing their rugby team suffer the same fate their cricket team did six months ago in Dhaka, and have already earmarked the upcoming cricket series as a way to take revenge over Australia.

With public pressure mounting, South Africa's cricketers will have to hit the right spots immediately after coming off their longest winter break in 14 years. They will only have three days to plot the downfall of Australia because of the timing of the Champions League. But, their opposition have had the same concern, with two Australian franchises having played in the competition.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-australia-2011/content/current/story/535702.html

 

[M@zh@R]

South Africa call up Ryan McLaren for T20s

Allrounder Ryan McLaren has replaced Albie Morkel in South Africa's squad for the two Twenty20 internationals against Australia on October 13 and 16. Morkel is expected to be sidelined for between four and six weeks after suffering an abdominal muscle tear while playing for Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League Twenty20.

"Although it is a blow to lose Albie Morkel, Ryan McLaren has always done well for us in this format," Andrew Hudson, the convener of selectors, said. "He is one of the few bowlers to take five wickets in a T20 international. In addition he comes into the series in good form, having made a big century for the Knights at the weekend."

Mark Boucher also suffered an injury, to his hamstring, while playing for Warriors in the Champions League T20. He missed the final group game and is expected to recover in eight to 10 days, in time for the ODI series against Australia which begins on October 19.

Legspinner Imran Tahir, who is also in the ODI squad, had a mild groin strain and was withdrawn from the Dolphins squad for this weekend's SuperSport Series match as a precautionary measure. His availability for the ODI series was not in doubt.

South Africa have already lost AB de Villiers, their Twenty20 and ODI captain, for the limited-overs matches against Australia. de Villiers broke his finger during a training session with Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Champions League Twenty20.
Source:Cricinfo

 

[M@zh@R]

Captain White seeks runs and wins

These are challenging times for Cameron White. Now officially a Twenty20 selector after the Argus review recommended captains join the panel in each format, White flew out for South Africa on Saturday needing not only to choose and inspire his young team-mates, but also turn around his own form.

As White departed for next week's two Twenty20s, he knew that within ten days, he would be on his way home again. No longer part of the one-day international squad, having lost his place soon after the World Cup, White has only two chances to get things right on this trip.

He is one of five members of the T20 squad - along with David Hussey, Matthew Wade, Aaron Finch and Mitchell Marsh - who will head home after the matches in Cape Town and Johannesburg, not required for the three ODIs that follow. Having not scored a half-century in his past 21 innings for Australia across both formats, dating back to last October, White knows he needs some runs under his belt to force his way back in.

"I'd love to be playing one-day cricket," White told ESPNcricinfo this week. "That's the way it is. I'm desperate to get back into the side. Part of that is going to be scoring runs for Victoria, which is something to focus on when I get back."
http://www.espncricinfo.com/south-africa-v-australia-2011/content/story/535579.html

 

[M@zh@R]

Australia's Lee ruled out of South Africa tour

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has been ruled out of the team's Twenty20 and one-day series against South Africa after being diagnosed with appendicitis.

The speedstar was due to have an operation in Cape Town overnight which will sideline him from all cricket for six to eight weeks, a statement from Cricket Australia said on Tuesday.

"Brett complained of some abdominal pain after arriving in Cape Town on Sunday," team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said in the statement.

"After consulting specialists and having the relevant investigations he has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will be having surgery in Cape Town.

"He will obviously be ruled out of the Twenty20 and ODI series in South Africa and is likely to return to cricket in six to eight weeks."

Australia open their tour against the Proteas with a T20 in Cape Town on Thursday, followed by another in Johannesburg on Sunday.

The three-match one-day series kicks off on October 19 ahead of Tests in Cape Town and Johannesburg in November.

Cricket Australia's National Selection Panel said it will make announcement regarding a possible replacement in due course.
Newspaper: Hindustan Times, 11th Oct

 

[Karthik]

Series will be live on tencricket.
Source:www.tencricket.com

 

[M@zh@R]

Brett Lee undergoes surgery in Cape Town, returning home

Australia's fast bowler Brett Lee on Monday underwent surgery for appendicitis in Cape Town and a decision on a replacement will not be taken until the one-day series against South Africa begins next week.

A decision on Lee's return home will be taken in the next couple of days.

Lee's replacement may join the squad just in time for the three-match one-day series as the 13-man squad for the two Twenty20 games in Cape Town Friday and in Johannesburg on Sunday has already been selected.

Lee's tour of Twenty20s and one-dayers ended after he complained of abdominal pain on arrival in Cape Town on Sunday and had to be operated on Monday.

He will be out of cricket for six to eight weeks.

"Brett complained of some abdominal pain after arriving in Cape Town on Sunday," Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said in a Cricket Australia statement.

"After consulting specialists and having the relevant investigations, he has been diagnosed with appendicitis."

"He will obviously be ruled out of the Twenty20 and ODI series in South Africa and is likely to return to cricket in six to eight weeks."
Newspaper: Asian Age, 12th Oct

 

[M@zh@R]

SA must work on choking problem: Kirsten

New Delhi: South Africa coach Gary Kirsten feels they need to work on a strategy to overcome the team's long standing problem of choking in crunch matches.

South Africa have been struggling to shake off the 'chokers' tag, which they earned over a decade, since the 1999 World Cup semifinal tie against Australia.

"You need to have some sort of a strategy around it," Kirsten, named the coach in June, was quoted as saying in espncricinfo.

"You can't just be naïve to think it's not a problem and doesn't exist. There's been a bit of scarring there, and it's been going on for a long time.

"But then you need to think cleverly and think smart about how you manage that issue. I think it is something we'll focus on when we get to those events and work out ways in which we can strategise to cross the line."

The Proteas have given away matches from winning positions including in World Cup earlier this year when they went down to New Zealand in the quarter-final.

Kirsten, who had a successful stint with India that culminated in a World Cup victory, believes South African has the potential to be at the top in world cricket.

"We all believe that we're a good enough cricket team to be at the top of the pile," he said.