Aussie juggernauts hope to roll-on in Adelaide

Hosts aim to continue assault on England in second Ashes Test.

ADELAIDE: England will hope that their cricket does the talking in the second test in Adelaide after engaging in some ‘ugly’ verbal exchanges with Australia during their 381 runs opening loss in Brisbane, captain Alastair Cook said on Wednesday.

A hostile crowd at the Gabba coupled with on-field altercations reignited the debate about sledging and sportsmanship.

Australia captain Michael Clarke was fined 20% of his match fee after he was caught by a stump microphone telling England fast bowler James Anderson to get ready for a ‘broken’ arm when the pace man was batting.



Australia have pledged to maintain the aggression at Adelaide Oval when the match starts Thursday, but Cook struck a more statesmanlike tone.

“It’s important that we play in the right way,” said Cook. “I think people what to see real tough cricket, that’s what they enjoy, especially between England and Australia, but there’s got to be a boundary that we don’t cross.

“Obviously you let your cricket do the talking. Last time we had the same hostile environment when we got here, but towards the end of the series we played some really good cricket and that hostility changes because everyone was very respectful of the way we played.”

Joe Root or Ian Bell are expected to move up from the middle order to replace Jonathan Trott, who left the tour to deal with a stress-related illness after failing twice with the bat in Brisbane.

Swann seeks Mallet’s help to turn fortunes

England off-spinner Graeme Swann has linked up with former Australian Test spinner Ashley Mallet in an effort to lift his fortunes and bowl England to a series-levelling victory in Adelaide.

Swann met him on Tuesday to get tips on what he needs to do to achieve success at the Adelaide Oval.

Swann struggled at the Gabba, taking two wickets for 215 runs, but his seven wickets were a major factor in England’s innings victory over Australia in Adelaide three years ago.

Clarke urges Aussies to stay grounded

Australia Captain Michael Clarke on Wednesday told his Australian team not to gloat after their emphatic first Ashes Test victory over England, and focus on winning again in the second match in Adelaide.

Clarke urged his team to stay grounded heading into what is shaping up as a crucial Test in the series on Thursday.

“I’m excited by the way we played in Brisbane,” he said, “But, if you look at our results over the past 12 months, we have no reason to brag, or gloat or be over the top.”

England fought back to draw the opening Test of the corresponding series in Brisbane three years ago before thumping Australia by an innings and 71 runs in Adelaide and going on to take the series 3-1.

Clarke said the Australia side was a long way from being the team they wanted to be.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2013.

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