could we convince Shaun Tait to return for one test?

Ian Botham and Ian Chappell in car park dust-up after Adelaide Test

Daily Mail From: Daily Mail December 07, 2010

LEGENDARY cricket enemies Sir Ian Botham and Ian Chappell had to be pulled apart after a furious dust-up in a car park after the fourth day of the Adelaide Test.
The England and Australia icons have a feud going back more than 30 years and squared up before their Sky and Channel 9 colleagues intervened.

Botham, who hasn't spoken to former Australia captain Chappell since 1980 despite them working in close proximity in cricket ground television booths around the globe, was waiting for his Sky transport to collect him outside the Adelaide Oval, the Daily Mail reported.

Chappell muttered something highly provocative as he went past.

A surprised Botham turned around to retort: 'What did you say?'

When Chappell made another incendiary remark, both of them dropped their bags and were at each others' throats before being quickly separated.
Channel 9 News reported tonight that Botham is disputing some elements of the Daily Mail report.

A Channel 9 source who works with Chappell said: 'They went for each other all right and it could have got very nasty if there hadn't been people on hand to keep them apart.

'They reacted quickly because we all know the history between these two. They might be aged 55 and 67, but neither of them are the type of people to give an inch in the face of conflict.'

The pair have a deep mutual resentment going back to 1977.

It started during the Centenary Test at Melbourne in March of that year when an uncapped 21-year-old Botham, playing club cricket in Australia, ended up in the same bar as Chappell next to the Hilton Hotel.

The fiercely patriotic Botham objected to the Pommie-bashing comments of passionate republican Chappell, who had recently retired.

According to Botham's version of events, he landed a punch on Chappell which sent him sprawling off his bar stool into a group of Aussie Rules footballers, scattering their drinks.

Chappell was then chased out of the bar by Botham, who hurdled a car bonnet to get at him.

The Australian's version is that Botham had goaded him about not wanting to tour England that year because 'too many blokes are looking to knock your block off' and that 'everyone's looking for you because you're a p****' before pushing him off his chair. Chappell says he then walked calmly out, pursued by a ranting Botham.

Since then the pair, despite working together for Channel 9 during the 1998-99 Ashes tour, have only traded insults.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/the-ashes/ian-botham-and-ian-chappell-in-car-park-dust-up-after-adelaide-test/story-fn67w6pa-1225967077912

Pundits say Shane Warne still our best spinner but he won't talk about prospect of comeback

Robert Craddock From: The Courier-Mail December 08, 2010

SOME of Australian cricket's highest-powered backers say Shane Warne retired too early. But the master yesterday could not bring himself to talk about the prospect of a comeback.
Even at age 41, and four years into Test match retirement, there is still a feeling Warne is the best spinner in the country, though time would short-circuit any dream of an Ashes comeback.

Australia's spin bowling stocks are so shallow it is barely worth playing one, and that Warne plans to have one last season in the Indian Premier League means he has not totally cut ties with competitive cricket.

"I have always said he retired too early and could still do it," said David Gyngell, a friend of Warne's and now chief executive of Nine Entertainment Company (formerly PBL).

"I would love to see him make a comeback. His captaincy skills are exceptional and he could work with Ricky and add a lot to the team.

"I have not spoken to Warnie about it but I am sure he could do it if he wanted to."

Gyngell's thought are echoed by more than 70 per cent of participants in a Sydney newspaper survey who said Warne should be summoned back to Test cricket.

While blogging for News Limited yesterday, Warne declined to answer questions about a comeback.

History suggests it would be improbable but not impossible for a leg-spinner to play at Warne's age. Former champion Australian leggie Clarrie Grimmett bowled until his mid-40s, though the game is far quicker now and requires younger, fitter bodies.

It would not be realistic for Warne to play in the Ashes because he has not done enough preparation.

And he has an obscenely full book of appointments including, according to his Twitter chats, a visit to England later this week.

But Australia still longs for a decent wrist spinner.

Since Warne retired Australia has tried nine spinners and most of them have been quickly discarded after their shortcomings were brutally exposed
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/cricket/pundits-say-shane-warne-still-our-best-spinner-but-he-wont-talk-about-prospect-of-comeback/story-e6frepmo-1225967228865

Shane Warne could be next shock

Will Swanton in Sydney
From: Herald Sun December 11, 2010

TEN minutes before the announcement of the Australian Test squad yesterday, news spread that it contained a massive bolter.
The whispers began to grow louder. Surely it couldn't be Shane Warne?

The idea of Warne returning to Test cricket started as a joke last week, but it has gained credence.

Some people believe Warne will play the Boxing Day Test or the Ashes series finale at Sydney in January.

Even former teammate Dean Jones had become a believer.

"Warnie, without doubt, no joke, could actually come back," the former Test batsman said on 3AW yesterday.

"I'll say this, categorically, because I want everyone to understand it: if Cricket Australia walked up to Shane Warne and said, 'Would you come out of retirement and we'll give you the captaincy for two years?' I know for a fact he would take it. He would play."

One of the few disappointments of Warne's career was being overlooked for the Australian captaincy.

So Jones was adamant the 41-year-old leg-spinner would take a large bite if that carrot was dangled before him.

"With bells on, he'd be running out of his house right now putting on his cricket shoes and putting on the runners to get himself fit," Jones said.

"He makes out that it's really, really difficult to bowl leg-spin and do all that type of stuff. But really, he just walks in off three feet and bowls the ball. So it's not too hard.

"Let me tell you, he's the Rolls-Royce. He can do anything he really wants in that regard. He just has to get himself fit."

Warne flew to London after the Adelaide Test for a promotional appearance for his new television talk show.

The media swarmed on him at Heathrow just like they did when he was in his pomp.

It prompted him to post on his Twitter site: "Just landed in London. It's freezing and was welcomed by press and photographers asking am I making a comeback? What have I missed?"

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/the-ashes/shane-warne-could-be-next-shock/story-fn67wv6z-1225969229922