Australia keep options open in Ashes squad

SYDNEY: Australia kept their options open by naming a 17-man squad for the first Ashes test on Monday, allowing key players time to prove their fitness and form over the next 10 days.

Left-armed spinner Xavier Doherty was the biggest surprise in the party for the Brisbane test having made his one-day international debut against Sri Lanka just 12 days ago at the age of 29.

Doherty is one of three spinners in the squad, alongside offspinner Nathan Hauritz and young leg-spinner Steve Smith as the selectors continue wrestling with who should support their likely three-pronged pace attack at the Gabba from Nov. 25.

Uncapped batsmen Usman Khawaja and Callum Ferguson, who with Smith will face England for Australia A this week, were other inclusions who should keep the more experienced players focused.

“It’s a longer squad than normal primarily because we

England bowlers skip warmup to head for Brisbane early

HOBART: England signalled the probable makeup of their first Ashes test bowling attack on Monday with the decision to send four players to Brisbane early rather than playing a warmup match in Tasmania.

Pacemen Stuart Broad, Steve Finn and James Anderson, and offspinner Graeme Swann would leave Hobart on Wednesday, after the first day of England’s four-day match against Australia A, to begin preparations for the Nov. 25 test, coach Andy Flower said.

“The conditions in Hobart are very different in Brisbane and the ones we will be facing in the first test,” Flower told reporters in a wet and chilly Hobart.

“We want to give that group of bowlers a little head start in those conditions so they’re going three days earlier than the rest of us.”

Flower added while they had signalled their likely bowling attack for the first test there was still a possibility

Australia stumped over first Ashes test squad

SYDNEY: Australia announce their squad for the first Ashes test at a gala event on Sydney harbour on Monday but England may not be closer to knowing the exact team they are going to face at the Gabba even after the bunting is packed away.

Announcing the squad 10 days before the Brisbane test may have been originally thought of as a display of confidence but after a long run of losses, a string of injuries and form slumps for key players, it could end up looking more like hubris.

The four-strong panel of selectors are expected to hedge their bets by naming a squad of up to 14 players before reducing the pool after England’s final warm-up match against Australia A and another round of Sheffield Shield action this week.

With a lively wicket expected at the Gabba for the first test, Australia were always likely to pick at least three pacemen along with a spinner

Court in top shape for Australia-Japan Davis Cup tie

SYDNEY: The purpose-built clay court for the Australia-Japan Davis Cup tie in Brisbane will be in top condition for next month”s clash, construction company officials said on Sunday.

Australia, boosted by the availability of former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, have elected to take on Japan on clay rather than on hardcourt for their Asia/Oceania zone second round tie.

Tennis Australia said the transformation to a classic red clay court is almost complete at Pat Rafter Arena, venue for the May 7-9 tie.

“It (the venue) is perfect for clay court construction here as the direct sunlight is not drawing the moisture from the ash, it comes out of the ash evenly into the clay,” court builder Brett White said.

“This is one of the best jobs I have done.”

He said the conversion process had gone well and the court was expected to be ready for play by Thursday.

The Australian team will be announced on Tuesday, Tennis Australia said.

Claycourter Peter Luczak, big serving left-handers Carsten Ball and Chris Guccione as well as youngster Bernard Tomic are also in contention along with doubles specialist Paul Hanley.

Australia last met Japan in 1996, winning 4-1 and lead Japan 14-2 in Davis Cup, having won their past six encounters.

The winner of the Brisbane tie advances to the World Group playoffs in September.

Rivals On Edge For World Cup Semi-Finals

NEW DELHI INDIA: In Hockey World Cup 2010 Germany will play England in the first semi-final, while the second semi-final will be played between Australia and the Netherlands.

From Pool B, Australia and England easily qualified for the semi-finals. Both teams got 12 points each from 5 matches. While Australia lost only to England, England lost the last game to Spain.

The Pool A witnessed tough competition among three teams – Germany, the Netherlands and South Korea. While Germany qualified for the semis with 11 points from 5 matches, the Netherlands and South Korea were tied at 10 points each from 5 matches.

The Netherlands were lucky enough to sail through the semi-finals on a better goal difference, despite their shocking 1-2 loss to South Korea in the last group match yesterday. They had won the first three matches, but drew the fourth with Germany and lost the last one to South Korea.

Unfortunately, no Asian team could qualify for the semi-finals of the World Cup Hockey 2010. Only South Korea put up some good efforts will play Spain for 5-6 spot now. India may finish either 7th or 8th, while Pakistan will have to content with either 11th or 12th position.

Justin Henin Beat Magdalena Rybarikova

INDIAN WELLS, California: Justin Henin beat Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-2, 6-2, in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday, her first competitive match since a surprising run to the Australian Open final in January.

Henin, who is playing in this tournament for the first time since 2006, held the No. 1 ranking when she unexpectedly retired in May, 2008.

She returned to the tour this year and was runner-up at the Brisbane International and again at the Australian Open in her first two tournaments back.

After being idle since the Australian Open final, Henin didn’t serve well at just 48 percent, but won 20 of 26 first-serve points and saved the four break points against her in the 68-minute match.

“It was a very good feeling. This is a tournament I like a lot,” said Henin, who will meet Gisela Dulko of Argentina in the second round.

Unranked after her lengthy absence, Henin took a wild-card entry into this $4.5 million event and is one of six former champions in the 96-player field — although only two of them are on the bottom half of the draw.

Top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova is in the top half with former champions Kim Clijsters (2003, 2005), Daniela Hantuchova (2002, 2007), Ana Ivanovic (2008) and Vera Zvonareva (2009).

Henin said when she began her comeback she felt it would take four or five months to be at her best physically and mentally, and her run to the Australian Open final didn’t change that.

“I still think I need a few more tournaments,” the seven-time Grand Slam title winner said. “In Australia I proved to myself that I could make it, that I didn’t really need a lot of competition to be at a pretty good level. But I see further than that. For the French Open and Wimbledon I hope I can be at my best level.

Others moving into the second round were Vania King, who beat Christina McHale, 7-5, 6-3, in an all-American match; Virginie Razzano of France, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Kristina Barrios of Germany; Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan, who beat Melinda Czink of Hungary, 6-2, 6-2; Great Britain’s Elena Baltacha, a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6 -4 winner over Alexa Glatch of the U.S.; Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, who toppled Edina Gallovits of Romania, 6-2, 6-3; and Polona Hercog of Slovakia, with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Romania’s Ioana Raluca Olaru.

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Henin into Final on Tour Comeback

BRISBANE: Justine Henin has easily overcome the biggest test of her tennis comeback, brushing aside third seed Ana Ivanovic to race into the final of the Brisbane International.

The seven-time grand slam champion, who has returned to the game after a 20-month break, looked like she never left as she took apart world number 22 Ivanovic, 6-3 6-2 in 65 minutes.

The 27-year-old Belgian narrowly escaped a tough three-setter against Hungary’s Melinda Czink yesterday, but the short turnaround didn’t hamper her game, with Ivanovic’s wobbly serve fodder for the trademark Henin one-handed backhand.

She broke Ivanovic in the fifth game of the first set then again at 5-3 to close it out in 34 minutes. Ivanovic looked to step it up in the second set, but the fifth game saw a break once again.

From there, she was never able to stop Henin’s relentless momentum.

The victory raises the prospect of an all-Belgian final, providing US Open champion and top seed Kim Clijsters can overcome unseeded German Andrea Petkovic this afternoon.

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Henin into Final on Tour Comeback was first posted on January 8, 2010 at 2:34 pm.

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