Australia could benefit from Lee's experience

Brett Lee can lead the Australian bowling attack for many years to come, starting in the forthcoming tests against the West Indies.

That is the opinion of veteran wicket-taker Glenn McGrath, who himself is pushing for a return to the international scene having revived his career over recent months.

Lee missed the Ashes tests against England through injury but returned to the fold in the one-day series and then showed he is approaching top form in Australia’s Champions League trophy campaign.

McGrath said the 33-year-old can add a lot to the Australian bowling attack and reckons it's a safe cricket bet that he should be in the starting team if he is match fit.

The experience and leadership he can offer to other bowlers can benefit the side, he added.

“Brett's an exceptional cricketer, exceptional sportsman, and he's got that desire to be out there and be successful,” said McGrath.

“I think he adds a lot to the team, apart from just his bowling.”

Australia are facing a hectic schedule over the next few months, with six tests against both the West Indies and Pakistan in the space of only eight weeks.

They are also scheduled to play one-day and Twenty20 matches in that period before embarking on a tour of New Zealand in 2010.

Australia’s campaign begins on November 26th with the first test against the West Indies in Brisbane.

Harmison excited about England's bowlers for South Africa tests

Steve Harmison has revealed that he is happy to allow the next generation of England bowlers to succeed on the international cricket scene.

The pace bowler has signed an extended four-year contract with Durham following his disappointment at being omitted from England's forthcoming tour of South Africa.

Harmison was quick to dismiss claims he was announcing his retirement from the international game, though expressed his belief that England are blessed with a number of good bowlers which can help him succeed.

“England are going through an exciting time with a group of young fast bowlers in South Africa. The pitches will be helpful for them and I really want them to do well,” said the 31-year-old.

The Durham paceman said he would love the opportunity to play for England in the future, but confessed to having doubts his body would be able to cope with the next Ashes tour in Australia beginning in 2010.

He warned the England squad that the forthcoming international tests with South Africa were going to be “tough” and reclaiming the Ashes in Australia would also be “hard”, but wished the players the best of luck in their quest to upset the international cricket odds in both series.

England follow their winter tests against South Africa with a spring tour of Bangladesh, with captain Andrew Strauss having indicated he may opt of the latter series to give his body a rest.

Vice-captain Alistair Cook has expressed his desire to fill Strauss’ role in Bangladesh, stating it would give him an arena to develop and showcase his skills as a leader in international cricket matches.

Real test starts now for England

Where on earth have England’s ICC Champions Trophy displays come from???? The big test though for Andrew Strauss’ rejuvenated side is on the horizon.

Pretty much every cricket pundit and fan would have expected England to have crashed out of the group stages, with many predicting that they would not win a single game after their recent struggles.

A 6-1 series defeat to Australia left plenty of questions as to where the ECB selectors were heading, as far as team selection is concerned. But it appears the message has finally got through to the undoubtedly talented squad.

Strauss made it clear before the ICC event in South Africa that many of the squad were drinking in the last-chance saloon of international one-day cricket, amongst them Owais Shah.

The Middlesex man has responded in fine fashion and now looks a world-class one-day player, after looking like a club cricketer during the Australia series.

The captain described the 323-8 scored against the hosts, the second highest total in Champions trophy history, as England’s best-ever batting display.

The cynics though would say that the only reason England have beaten Sri Lanka and South Africa, is that the pressure has been off the players with nobody expecting them to win those matches.

If that has been the case, it will be interesting to see how they perform in the semi-final after the expectation level and cricket betting odds have been cranked up several notches.

But even if England are to crash out in the last four, they will have surpassed many people’s expectations and the squad have shown that, even without Kevin Pietersen, they can still compete with the best in the world.

ICC’s last-ditch Test bid

The International Cricket Council’s idea to have a world Test championship appears to be the last chance to save international Test cricket, but the plan is set to face some dissenting voices.

The sport’s governing body has been considering a format which will see a series of matches over four years culminating in semi-finals and a final, in the hope that the crowds will be drawn back to the five-day game.

Although several nations are likely to support the idea, the problem facing the ICC is that some cricket boards want to organise their own tours and set firm itineraries well in advance.

The ECB has already expressed some concern even though they like the idea of a Test championship, preferring a different format with either a single Test play-off or a short series to decide the world’s top team.

England officials are worried that a four-year event could devalue series’ such as the Ashes, which always brings full houses in the UK or Australia, and has the best opportunities to place a cricket bet; it could also bring shortened series to accommodate matches against lesser Test nations.

ECB chief executive David Collier said: “The original proposal from ICC, for a two-year cycle with two years of an uncertain fixture programme in regard to the Test Championship, would be detrimental to Test cricket and the ECB's prime consideration is to ensure that Test cricket is at the pinnacle of the world game.”

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat has claimed that the only two nations unhappy are England and India, but the problem for the ICC is that they are the two nations that bring the most money into the sport.

The other problem attached to the long-term tournament would be how to fit it into the calendar, especially with the number of lucrative Twenty20 tournaments popping up around the world.

No way Owais

As England continue their desperate search for a one-day formula that works, Owais Shah looks set to be a major casualty of the team’s 50-over frustration.

With England looking to salvage the ODI series against Australia, the selectors and Andrew Strauss also have one eye on the forthcoming ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa.

A cull should, and will happen after some below-par performances in recent times, highlighted by the opening two matches in the Australia series – on both occasions England have been in the driving seat and both times they shot themselves in the foot.

Speaking after the 39-run defeat at Lord’s, skipper Strauss admitted: “We can't let chances like this slip through our fingers.”

“We keep talking about the batsmen making a score. We haven't done that in two games, we are aware of it and need to get better.”

Shah is likely to be one of the unfortunate batsmen to lose their position, having endured a torrid time at international level, especially with his running between the wickets.

The 30-year-old got himself run out in the second ODI at Lord’s after a shocking mix-up and that is not an isolated incident – Shah has been run out nine times playing for England, including three occasions at Test level.

The Middlesex man averages 31.00 in 57 innings and has scored just one century in his ODI career – a knock of 107 which came against India two years ago.

In Shah’s defence, a number of batsmen have tried their luck to fill the void left by Kevin Pietersen, but replacing the top one-day player appears a near impossible job.

England can only hope that KP is given the all-clear for the tournament in South Africa, with his presence making them a totally different prospect and increasing their odds of winning the ICC Champions Trophy.

Black Caps could cause an upset

Many people will be backing the regular one-day favourites for success at the ICC Champions Trophy next month, but New Zealand look capable of causing a surprise and maybe even lifting the trophy.

South Africa, on home turf, will no doubt be expected by the punters to go far in the tournament, while the likes of Australia, India and Sri Lanka are always there or thereabouts.

But with expectation comes immense pressure and the Kiwis have shown in patches that in the limited-overs form of the game, they can live with the best teams in the world.

The New Zealand squad selected for September’s ODI event looks strong, although the selectors will have their fingers crossed over injuries, which have cost them dear in the past.

The Black Caps were looking good at this year’s World Twenty20 tournament, but with key players like Ross Taylor, Daniel Vettori and Jacob Oram either missing or not 100% fit, their bid faded.

Skipper Vettori though will be quietly confident looking at the 14 other players he has at his disposal, both in the bowling and batting options.

The enigmatic Jesse Ryder will provide a hard-hitting start at the top of the order, with the world-class duo of Brendan McCullum and Ross Taylor also likely to provide crucial runs.

The bowling line-up has also been strengthened with the return of paceman Shane Bond, who is back in the international fray following his spell in the ICL. Bond, is on his day arguably the best one-day bowler in the world, will be given solid back up from the likes of Kyle Mills and Jacob Oram, as well as the consistent spin of the skipper.

New Zealand have been drawn in Group B with South Africa, Sri Lanka and England and get their campaign underway with a clash against the hosts at Centurion on September 24.

Fortunate England given a last chance

Many England fans were left tearing their hair out at the innings and 80 run defeat at Headingley, but on reflection the home side are lucky to be in with a chance of winning back the Ashes.

The fourth Test in Leeds was built up as the home side’s chance to win back the urn, but the cracks that have shown at other times in the series have turned into gaping chasms.

Yes, England have looked good in patches but when you look at the first four Tests so far in detail, the tourists have enjoyed the better of the series to date.

FIRST TEST (Cardiff)

England escape with a draw after looking for long periods like they were going to go 1-0 behind. Four Australian score centuries and only their inability to take wickets helps England hang on.

SECOND TEST (Lord’s)

An excellent first day 196-run partnership between openers Strauss (161) and Cook (95) helped the home side to break their Lord’s-Ashes hoodoo, but they struggled over the line.

But for an inspired five-wicket haul from Andrew Flintoff, Australia may have held on for a draw and the tourists still wracked up 406 in their second innings.

THIRD TEST (Edgbaston)

A Test match badly affected by the weather, Australia came away with the impetus after another solid display from Michael Clarke and the other middle-order batsmen.
England started day five having an outside chance of victory, but ended that Monday by taking just three wickets and thankful that they didn’t have to bat again.

FOURTH TEST (Headingley)

England were completely outplayed with both bat and ball, as Australia claimed victory in two and a half days. Again the tourists are only asked to bat once and they amass over 400 for the third time in the series.

The stats also point to Australia – eight centuries to England’s one, with five of the top six runscorers from the Australian squad.

Despite the struggles of Mitchell Johnson, it’s a similar story with the ball as the top three wicket-takers are Aussies – Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle and Johnson.

Cricket though, and in particular Ashes history, tells you this series could still go either way as the teams prepare for the final showdown at the Oval – starting on August 20.

Make sure you check out The Oval Test odds before any Fifth Test betting.