The reporters of the cricket news in England seem to have overlooked one tiny fact in their excitement that is the run up to the Ashes, and that tiny fact is the T20 World Cup which is also to be held in England. If yesterday it was the Cardiff pitch that was exciting controversy and comment in the cricket news, today it is some other point related to the Ashes Series.

Ricky Ponting was quoted by the BBC as saying, “We try to target the opposition captain a little bit. If you do that you can generally take another couple of guys down with him. He's an important player for them." Reportedly Stuart Clarke and Brett Lee have got rid of Strauss several times and both will be part of the squad that will tour Australia. Kevin Pietersen is another player that the Aussies will be looking to “keep under control” as Ponting put it. He was appreciative of the fact that the English team had performed well in their last two tests against the West Indians, having made them follow on, on both occasions.

The English coach Andy Flower is himself hopeful of England’s chances against the Aussies. "I think we can win the Ashes, yes. We'll have to play very well and we'll have to be strong over a long period of time but, yes, I do believe we can win them," he was reported as having said in the cricket news. Fresh from their two test series triumph against the West Indians recently, the English cricket team is a confident and buoyant looking unit right now.

As for the Australians, the players picked for the team for the Ashes seem to reflect the new breed of young Australian players over the old guard. Reportedly Andrew Symonds has been given the miss in favour of some of the younger players. Younger all rounders like Shane Watson, Andrew McDonald and Marcus North have been picked for the Ashes games over the older guys like Symonds and Brad Hodge.

Shane Watson has been named in the squad subject to fitness and Symond’s being left out is really not that surprising in view of his disruptive off field activities that have gained worldwide censure in international cricket and view of the fact that there are several strong contenders in Australian cricket for his place in the side. According to Ponting "The facts are he (Symonds) went out of the side ... and we gave opportunities to others and they've played well enough to keep Andrew out of the squad. That's as simple as it has to be."

The Aussie Squad: Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin, Nathan Hauritz, Ben Hilfenhaus, Phillip Hughes, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Brett Lee, Graham Manou, Andrew McDonald, Marcus North, Peter Siddle, Shane Watson.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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