Australia Omits Symonds, Picks 10 Ashes Rookies
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Thursday 21st May, 2009 Australia Squad: Ricky Ponting Who is (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-cap- tain), Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Australia's Australia Omits Symonds, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Graham Manou? Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Graham Manou, Andrew Australia's Ashes squads have McDonald, Marcus North, Peter Siddle usually been a who's who of the picks 10 Ashes Rookies and Shane Watson. world's top players over the years, but this year there are names that Andrew Symonds was omitted from Poms have barely heard of. And Australia’s Ashes squad to tour England Graham Manou is one that few after a series of disciplinary issues and Englishmen know anything about. injuries, as selectors picked a group Although he is unlikely to play in the five-match Test series, with 10 players new to cricket’s oldest Australia's selectors have kept with international rivalry. tradition in choosing a back-up Shane Watson, Andrew McDonald wicketkeeper, naming Manou as and Marcus North were preferred as the Brad Haddin's understudy. all-rounders in a 16-man squad for the The South Australian captain five-Test contest starting July 8 in has form on his side, too. He scored Cardiff, Wales. Watson was chosen sub- most runs (647) for a keeper in first- ject to fitness after picking up a minor class games last season, including groin injury. two centuries, and took 31 first-class The 33-year-old Symonds, who played catches to boot Manou, who has lived with a hole the most recent of his 26 Tests in in his heart throughout his life, is December, failed to make the squad fol- also an aggressive hitter: The ING lowing a season in which Cricket Cup has helped his bank balance to Australia ordered him to seek counsel- the tune of $100,000 over the years ing and rehabilitation and his form after twice hitting the sponsor's dipped. sign. “We all know how good a player The selectors have clearly kept Andrew can be,” Australia captain tabs on Manou but it took the right- Ricky Ponting said at a news confer- hander 10 years of persistence to ence. “The facts are that he went out of finally make the grade. His work rate has even seen him set up his the side for reasons last year and oppor- annual Tour de Heart, a gruelling tunities were given to others. He’ll be three-week cycling race for charity. disappointed but I’ve got a squad of 16 Yet Manou still can't hide his players to take to England that I’m very amazement at being chosen for an confident can play a level of cricket Ashes series. that’s going to be good enough to win "It's just the series that you want the series.” to be part of in any shape or form," The Australians will seek their first he said. Ashes win in England since 2001 after An Australian baggy green cap sits next to the Ashes trophy during a press conference to announce the 2009 Australian Ashes Cricket squad in Sydney, "I'm just so excited about joining shedding most of the squad that kept Australia, Wednesday, May 20, 2009. (AP) up with the squad next week at the camp and then meeting them in them ranked No. 1 for close to six years, England." including Shane Warne and Glenn last week. He is in Australia’s squad for Africa. He’s claimed nine wickets in Ponting, vice- captain Michael Clarke, Meanwhile, Haddin, who mir- McGrath. They will draw on six players next month’s World Twenty20 in four Tests at 33.33. Katich and Lee -- have Test experience rored Manou when he travelled as with Ashes experience as they bid for England. For the first time in four Ashes in England, while Clark and Michael No 2 to Adam Gilchrist in 2005, said the trophy they regained in the 2006- For the Ashes, Lee and Clark are series, two new batsmen -- Phillip Hussey played leading roles in the selectors' policy gave the wicket- 2007 season following a 2-1 defeat in joined by Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle Hughes and Simon Katich -- will head Australia’s 5-0 sweep 28 months ago. keeper a reminder of the impor- England in 2005. and Ben Hilfenhaus in Australia’s pace Australia’s lineup after Matthew Fifth-ranked England completed a 2-0 tance of Test cricket. Symonds was suspended from the bowling ranks, with Nathan Hauritz the Hayden joined former opening partner victory over the West Indies in a two- "It was great to be involved, just national team in September for going only specialist spinner. The last time the Justin Langer in retirement in January. Test series this week. Australia, No. 1 to see the whole atmosphere sur- fishing instead of attending a meeting teams met, Clark topped the wicket-tak- Hughes, a 20-year-old left-hander since June 2003, won 2-1 in South Africa rounding the cricket and how as a nation England just jumped on the and was barred from the squad that ing list with 26 ahead of Warne and who averaged 69.16 in South Africa in after losing by the same score at home. back of the whole campaign," toured South Africa this year after criti- McGrath, the most successful February and March, tuned up for the England and Australia first played Haddin said. cizing a New Zealand player on a radio Australian bowlers in history who quit Ashes by smashing four centuries in a each other in 1877. The rivalry became "I just can't wait. I'd be lying to show. Test cricket afterwards. month-long stint with English county known as the Ashes after an English say I hadn't had one eye on this Symonds, who was also suspended in McDonald, who replaced Symonds team Middlesex. Graham Manou was newspaper, lamenting a defeat five years series as soon as the last ball in 2005 for arriving for a match under the for the Sydney Test in January, kept his included as backup to wicketkeeper later, said English cricket had died and South Africa was bowled." influence of alcohol, was omitted today place in the squad after helping Brad Haddin. the Ashes would be returned to © The Telegraph Group, even after receiving a central contract Australia to a 2-1 series win in South Only a quarter of the touring party -- Australia. London, 2009 Tough ask for newly Referees’ Society concerned about promoted teams unruly elements in rugby by Ravi Nagahawatte cerned about these incidents and added Fernando. will battle it out in 12 groups in the by Reemus Fernando that they should be nipped in the bud. Responding to a question about first round. After the first round, the The Rugby Referees’ Society of Sri “If these incidents aren’t checked, requests made to the RRSL to reduce the Newly promoted teams, P. de. S. top four teams of each group will Lanka (RRSSL) is concerned about the there could be further trouble,” said fees of referees, Fernando said that he Kularatne MV,Ambalangoda in advance to the second round. Those 48 unruly elements that have crept into Fernando. had received a request from the Rugby Division I and Ananda College, teams will then play in eight groups. rugby. According to Fernando, referee Interim Committee to consider slashing Kottawa and Central College, The champion and the runner of each Jayasekere has sent his report on the their price, per match. “I have forwarded Wadduwa, in Division II will face group in the second round will Last Sunday, referee Aruna Kandy SC vs Navy SC match to the Rugby this request to the referees’ society to be tough opposition in their respective advance to the knockout stage. Jayasekere was forced to call off the groups as the new season of the Inter Meanwhile, 44 teams will play in match between Kandy Sports Club and Interim Committee. Referee Gunasekere considered,” he said. School Elephant Lemonade Trophy the Division II tournament and will Navy Sports Club when spectators invad- is in the process of sending his report, Fernando said that an emergency Under-17 Tournament commences this compete in eight groups. Ananda ed the field and caused a commotion. On also to the Rugby Interim Committee. meeting of the RRSL had been called this week. College, Kottawa and Central College, Tuesday, referee Dimithri Gunasekere Fernando said that the host team and Sunday to take up several matters The Under-17 Wadduwa, who was manhandled by a spectator at the match commissioners should take appro- regarding refereeing. “One of the key tournament will reached the inter-school rugby match between priate steps to ensure safety at matches. issues to be discussed is grounds not commence this Inter School Under-17 Cricket finals in Thurstan College and Ananda College, in He said that the expectations clubs being prepared to meet the requirement week with the first Division III will Colombo. have about referees is very high. “On of referees. The markings on most set of group be playing in RRSL President Dilroy Fernando told paper, we (RRSL) have enough referees, grounds are not visible and this makes matches, which should be played Division II for the first time and they ‘The Island’ that referees were con- but there can be an issue about quality refereeing so much difficult,” said before May 30. will play against some strong teams in when there are too many matches,” said Fernando. P. De. S. Kularatne will be playing the first round.