Ashes Snippets

England dropped five catches - four of them off Victorian opener Michael Hill.

England sloppy in field

England dropped five catches – four of them off Victorian opener Michael Hill – as the visitors were 50-1 at stumps on the first day of a three-day tour match chasing the home state sides 212-6 declared. Hill was unbeaten on 105,his maiden first-class century,after hitting 11 boundaries in his five-hour knock. Tim Bresnan (1-56) made an early bid to take the place of injured quick Stuart Broad in the England team for next weeks third Ashes test in Perth,removing Carters,caught behind in his first over and the 10th of the innings.

Hughes scores duck

Opening batsman Phillip Hughes marked his selection for the third Ashes test in Perth by getting out for a duck when playing for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield on Friday.Hughes lasted little more than an over before hitting a full-toss to mid-wicket where it was snaffled by South Australias Ben Edmondson. The duck followed a total of four in the first innings, and continued a poor domestic season for the 22-year-old as he prepares to replace opener Simon Katich at Perth,where the track is traditionally fast and bouncy.

Virtual Eye not accurate?

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The ball-tracking technology,Virtual Eye,currently being used in the Ashes series,is not reliable and can impact the outcome of the tournament,feels Paul Hawkins,the founder of Hawk-Eye. A wrong decision could completely change the course of the Ashes, warned Hawkins. Hawk-Eye is accurate to an average of five millimetres for an lbw appeal. This figure could go up to 15mm, maintained Hawkins. Evidence suggests that in case of Virtual Eye the figure goes to 45mm (1.8 inches), he added.

Luck can save Oz: Vaughan

Australias think-tank seems to be bereft of ideas and only luck can save them from losing the ongoing Ashes series to an inspired English team,feels former England captain Michael Vaughan. England won a Test here without luck. It was down to pure skill but I look at Australia and think they will need an element of luck to beat us,Vaughan wrote in a column for the Daily Telegraph. They will need to win a good toss and everything fall their way because I do not see them beating us at the moment in these conditions.

Ricky should quit: Gatting

Australian cricket is in a mess,says former England captain Mike Gatting the last captain to clinch the Ashes in Australia. Gatting also feels an out-of-form Ricky Ponting should step down as captain to ensure that his batting does not suffer. If you took the captaincy off him,or he walks,Ricky might be a better player without having to worry about the trials and tribulations of a captain, Gatting was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph. Gatting,however,conceded that Australia does not have too many candidates to replace Ponting. It says a bit about why Australia are in a mess at the moment. Theres no standout candidate to replace him as captain,other than Clarke, Gatting said.