Nathan Hauritz scores another century for NSW just to further press his cause for a recall.

Team for the 4th Test

Watson
Hughes
Pointing
Clarke*
Hussey
Haddin
Smith
Johnson
Hauritz
Harris
Siddle**

*I wouldn't have him in the team but there going to stick with him, i'm trying to stick with the bounds of what is probable rather than what i'd do
**Siddle because it's the MCG and then have Hilfenhaus in Sydney for the possible swinging conditions unless Siddle bowls the house down

Also, all these calls to get rid of Clarke are stupid. I don't like him at all, but you don't just average 47 for your career without doing things right. He's in poor form, but so was Mike Hussey. Imagine what this series would be like if he had been dropped early like people wanted. As Cliche as it is, Form is temporary, Class is permanent. Clarke deserves to have faith kept in him for now. Ditto Ponting. Just like Hussey.

[size=6]Finch charged with ball-tampering[/size]

Cricket Australia today advised that Victorian Bushranger Aaron Finch has been fined 50 per cent of his match fee for changing the condition of the ball during the Weet-Bix Sheffield Shield. The match against South Australia at Adelaide Oval finished yesterday.

At the hearing today, Finch made a statement to Cricket Australia (CA) Code of Behaviour Commissioner Judge David Smith indicating that he was most likely responsible for the damage to the ball.



The initial level one charge against the Victorian team was withdrawn and changed to a level two offence against Finch under rule 2.7 of the CA Code of Behaviour relating to an individual ‘changing the condition of the ball in breach of law 42.3’.

The umpires found markings on the ball after play on day two (Saturday) and Victoria received an immediate five-run penalty as a result according to law 42.3.

Proceeding yesterdays match the entire Bushrangers side were facing a loss of 10 per cent of their match fee as a sole player could not be identified as the source of the alleged tampering.

Umpires laid the charge when finding "markings on the ball" after the final delivery and immediately penalised the Victorians.

On Monday, the initial charge against the Victorian team was withdrawn. A separate charge was laid against batsman Finch under Cricket Australia's code of behaviour relating to an individual changing the condition of the ball.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/domestic-cricket/victorian-bushranger-aaron-finch-has-been-charged-with-ball-tampering-during-the-weet-bix-sheffield-shield/story-e6frf3kl-1225974007815?from=public_rss

MCG accused of swapping pitch to suit Australia's pacemen in Boxing Day Ashes Test

By Malcolm Conn
The Australian December 21, 2010 6:06AM

False accusations ... groundskeepers refute claims the MCG pitch was made to benefit Australian attack.

Australia's selectors have been falsely accused of switching the pitch for the Boxing Day Test to suit Australia's battery of fast bowlers following Australia's emphatic series-levelling win in Perth this week.

While Ricky Ponting remains hopeful the broken little finger on his left hand will not stop him playing in the biggest game on the cricketing calendar, the Melbourne Cricket Club insists the Test pitch was chosen before the Perth Test.

London's Daily Mail reported that Australia had made a dramatic late switch to a new pitch for the all-important fourth Test.

"Buoyed by their thrashing of England on a fast, bouncy surface to level the series, Australia are desperately trying to replicate the same conditions for their pace attack at the MCG," the newspaper said. "That means the ground's curator, in conjunction with the selectors, has agreed to abandon the surface he was preparing for the Boxing Day Test because it is too dry and could have played into England's hands."

MCC chief executive Stephen Gough rejected claims that curator Cameron Hodgkins has or would take instructions on how to prepare the Boxing Day pitch.

"In terms of using the pitch for the Test, that decision was made before the Test in Perth even started," Gough told The Australian yesterday, pointing out that two pitches were always prepared initially in case something "horrible" happened to one.

Even the London Times claimed the pitch had been switched.

"Despite denials that a decision has been taken to help the home side, it is likely to diminish the impact of Graeme Swann, England's most potent threat," the newspaper reported.

"Changing pitches so close to a match is rare, but Channel 9 and Sky Sports have been told to move the position of their cameras, which must be directly behind the bowler to allow technology to operate accurately.

"There is bound to be suspicion that Australia are trying to produce a surface to give every assistance to their pace attack."

Gough claims the broadcasters are told the position of the pitch before every Test.

"I'm glad we made the decision early," he said.

"I'd hate to think if we released it after Perth whether anyone would think we were up to something. I'm not surprised with the conspiracy theory, given the success in Perth. Cameron's a straight shooter. He's preparing it as he would always prepare it irrespective of the result in Perth."

Gough is more excited about the fact that the Boxing Day crowd may break the world record of 90,800, set against the West Indies in 1961.

The last Ashes MCG Test four years ago attracted more than 89,000 on a dreadful cold and dreary Boxing Day.

"The presales are virtually identical to the last Ashes Test, with almost 70,000 tickets sold for this match," Gough said.

"That's about the same as 2006 and we got more than 89,000. The indicators are strong (for a world record)."

Ryan Harris, one of Australia's bowling heroes in Perth, with nine wickets for the match, including 6-47 in the second innings, was happy with what he saw at the MCG earlier in the season.

"The wicket we played on in the Shield game was quite good, fast and had a bit of grass on it, so I'm not sure what the Test wicket is going to be like," Harris said.

"I enjoy bowling in Melbourne. It's one of those wickets where I compare it a bit to Adelaide, where you've got to hit the deck and get the results. So, hopefully, if there's a bit of grass on it, that'd be good for us."

Whether Australia takes in the four pacemen from Perth or includes spinner Michael Beer is a difficult decision on two fronts.

Spinners have a mixed record at the MCG this season and the only Victorian player in the side, Peter Siddle, would most likely be forced out if Beer played. Beer is originally from Victoria, but only began playing first-class cricket this season after moving to Western Australia.

Beer has been one of the more impressive spinners at the ground in 2010-11, taking 3-39 in the second innings to help WA beat Victoria by 241 runs last month.

But the most successful spinner has been recently dumped Xavier Doherty, who took seven wickets, including 5-83 there in October.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/the-ashes/mcg-accused-of-swapping-strip-to-suit-australia-pacemen-in-fourth-test/story-e6frf3gl-1225974234397

John Wright replacing Greatbatch as NZ coach, Greatbatch heading an independent selection panel.

Dan Vettori off said panel \:d/

Have you heard of Jeet Raval? Apparently got quite a bit of talent with the willow.

Most certainly have. Excellent player for the Aces, pity he doesn't feature in t20 and one-day domestic stuff. If he continues to play well he may be in the test line-up sooner rather than later.

He's an opener yeah? Exactly what the kiwi's need too. If McCullum continues his form up the order, Ryder stays sober, Taylor finally clicks, you'll have a decent top order.

[size=6]Former West Indies captain Brian Lara, Graeme Swann and James Anderson nominate for IPL for first time[/size]

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara is one of the 21 names to attract the highest reserve price of $400,000 ahead of the IPL players' auction, to be held in Bangalore on January 8 and 9.

Lara, who was not part of the first three editions of the IPL, has thrown his hat in the ring despite bowing out of international cricket in April 2007.

Other first-timers who have been included in the highest price bracket include England's Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Graeme Swann, Michael Yardy and Luke Wright.

Australians Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee and Shaun Marsh have also been valued at $400,000.

Pakistan's cricketers will continue to miss out on the IPL bonanza after none of their players were included in the auction.

No Pakistani featured in a list of 416 players whose services will be auctioned for the fourth edition of the Twenty20 tournament, which is to be held in April and May.



Pakistani cricketers took part in the inaugural IPL in 2008, but were forced out of the 2009 edition due to security concerns in the wake of the Mumbai attacks, and were then ignored for the 2010 tournament.

An IPL official said the Pakistan Cricket Board had not forwarded any names for the January auction.

"The rules stipulate that a player must apply through his home board if he wanted to be put up for the auction. No names were received from Pakistan," the official said.

Notable absentees from the list include Australia trio of captain Ricky Ponting, his deputy Michael Clarke and fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, while former Test stars Matthew Hayden and Glenn McGrath also chose to skip the event.

Former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, who signed for $US1.55 million ($A1.56 million) with the Chennai Super Kings in 2009, was also not included.

The eight foundation franchises will be joined by two new teams from Kochi and Pune for the auction.

Twelve players who were retained by their franchises will not feature in the auction.

Star batsman Sachin Tendulkar, Harbhajan Singh, West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard and Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka were retained by the Mumbai Indians.

Reigning champions Chennai Super Kings kept India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Murali Vijay and South Africa all-rounder Albie Morkel.

The Aussie duo of Shane Warne and Shane Watson were retained by Rajasthan Royals, while Delhi Daredevils kept Virender Sehwag and Bangalore Royal Challengers retained Virat Kohli.

Of the other nominees, Jacques Kallis and Muttiah Muralitharan, who featured significantly for Royal Challengers Bangalore and Chennai in the first three seasons, find themselves in the $300,000 bracket.

Zaheer Khan, Yusuf Pathan, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews are also on that list.

Sourav Ganguly, who was Kolkata Knight Riders' 'icon' in the first three seasons, has been relegated to the third band of players whose base price is $200,000.

The Australia pair of Michael Hussey and Doug Bollinger, who played crucial roles in Chennai's victorious IPL and Champions League campaigns in 2010, are also in that bracket, along with Dirk Nannes, Eoin Morgan, Gautam Gambhir, Robin Uthappa and Sanath Jayasuriya.

Eighty-seven players are at the next level - a base price of $100,000 - the biggest names being Tamim Iqbal, R Ashwin, Morne Morkel and Ben Hilfenhaus.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/indian-premier-league/former-west-indies-captain-brian-lara-graeme-swann-and-james-anderson-nominate-for-ipl-for-first-time/story-fn50nhzf-1225974672240?from=public_rss

Other first-timers who have been included in the highest price bracket include England's Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Graeme Swann, Michael Yardy and Luke Wright.

Wtf?! They're both currently in NZ, playing in one of the weakest domestic competitions in the developed cricket world. Without making significant impact, it should be said.

What are you surprised about? :? They're actually two very good players that a regulars in England's one day and t20 sides.

With all due respect, England's t20 and one-day sides are pretty underwhelming in the scheme of things. Broad and Anderson I fully understand, but Yardy and Wright? Might as well have Jimmy Franklin in there too.

Luke Wright would be there because of his all round value. I agree that he should probably not be in the top price bracket though after you see some of the players that are in the lesser amounts. His batting average is only 20.4 in ODI.
Michael Yardy is more a bowling all rounder with his slow left armers. Perplexed as to why he is in the top bracket as well.