wednesday, january 8, 2014
guyanatimesGY.com
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Attack is the world’s best, says Siddle
From left: Nathan Lyon, Ryan Harris and Peter Siddle, along with Mitchell Johnson formed a formidable bowling attack that ripped England apart
P
eter Siddle declared Australia’s bowling attack the world’s best no fewer than three times as the somewhat hung-over but deliriously happy Ashes victors set their sights on a Test match showdown in South Africa next month. A crowd of more than 4,000 converged on the Sydney Opera House overlooking the harbour to pay tribute to the Australian team, a number that might have been greater in a venue less cramped for space. As some members of the
team battled to regain voices lost over the course of two nights’ raucous celebrations and Chris Rogers danced for the crowd after sleeping through the start of the event in the best traditions of Andrew Flintoff, Siddle spoke stridently about how the bowling ensemble was a match for any in the world. Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel will not be able to ignore Siddle’s words. “When we’re bowling at our consistent best like we did throughout this series
I think it shows [we are the best],” he said. “Everyone playing their role, Mitch bowling fast, Ryano and myself doing our role and Nath with the spin from his end. The consistency we’ve had against England over a five Test series, no-one’s ever really done it as successfully as we have, to be able to do that and win so convincingly shows how strong we are at the moment. “Just the way we’ve worked together at different times and break partnerships, I don’t think we’ve
let any partnership get too big on us, and we’re able to break them and get stuck into the rest - that’s what caused all the collapses, so that’s what we’re looking to do over there and if we continue to do that it could be a very good year for us. “It’s going to be a very tough contest over there, we’re looking forward to it. Conditions are going to be similar to back home which is going to make it easier for us to adapt, but we’re going to have to lift our game a bit more to get over them.”
Asked repeatedly by an English correspondent if the attack was the best around the globe, Siddle could not have made his point clearer: “For the third time, yes. Did you get that? Good, okay, remember.” Siddle’s fellow fast man Ryan Harris reiterated his own desire to push through a complete schedule of Tests in South Africa, revealing he had delayed knee clean-out surgery during the Ashes to make sure he could play in all five matches against England. Harris had long doubted his own capacity to stay fit for lengthy enough periods to do justice to his undoubted bowling talent, but to have played nine out of a possible 10 Ashes Tests had proved his durability at the unlikely age of 34. “[Surgery] has got to be after South Africa now,” Harris said. “I went to Melbourne after Perth and had a check with the surgeon. There are bits of bone floating around. We were thinking about doing it then and there and missing the rest of the series but I wanted to play five games. I wanted to be a part of it for the whole thing. Hopefully it can get through South Africa. “The knee is no different now than it was a month or six weeks ago. You wake up sometimes in the morning and it’s tough. You get out of bed and it’s sore. But you either decide whether you want to go through the pain
or you don’t. It’s as simple as that. And I want to be in this team as long as I can. I’ll put up with it. If we win in South Africa we go to number one in the world, which is our goal. But more importantly we just want to make sure we keep winning.”
Final chapter
As for Rogers, the chance to go to South Africa will prolong the most remarkable final chapter of a career that looked destined to remain unfulfilled for most of his journey. “I think if I’d have finished and not played international cricket I’d have been quite disappointed,” he said from behind sunglasses. “To get this opportunity and play it well, I can finish cricket at some stage and think I’ve done everything, and that’s great to do. “I still didn’t think people had seen the way I actually bat and I wanted to show that and fortunately I’ve been able to play a couple of good innings. I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to play international cricket and thought I was good enough but never got the opportunity, so it is nice now to get that chance. “People talk about retirement, but what’s the point of retiring? This is amazing and I haven’t had this opportunity before, so I might as well enjoy it while it lasts.” (Cricinfo)
Russia launches Sochi England security clampdown women draw warm-up match Emergency Situations Minister Vladimir Puchkov said. “Every facility will be put under protection and a space-based monitoring system will be launched.” Russian officials are establishing two security zones to protect the Games. A “controlled zone” near Olympic venues will limit access to people with tickets and proof of identity while another “forbidden zone” will be in place in large areas around Sochi.
Fully prepared
Final preparations for the Games are underway England women bowled well on day two of the game
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Anya Shrubsole claimed three wickets as England women drew their twoday warm-up match with Australia A in Perth. The fast bowler finished with figures of 3-35, while spinner Danielle Hazell also took two wickets at Floreat Oval. Australia A scored 3017 in reply to England’s 386 all out, which included an unbeaten 123 from Heather Knight on day one.
The multi-format Women’s Ashes series starts on Friday with the only Test match at the WACA in Perth. The four-day Test is then followed by three one-day internationals and three Twenty20 games. Six points are awarded for a Test win and two points for each ODI and T20 victory. England won the home series last year 12-4. (BBC Sport)
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ussia has launched one of the biggest security operations in Olympic history, a month before the start of the Winter Games in the Black Sea resort of Sochi. The authorities are deploying more than 30,000 police and interior ministry troops and limiting access to the area. The main concern is the threat of attack by Islamist militants from the restive North Caucasus region. Russia’s most wanted man, Chechen rebel leader
Doku Umarov, has urged his fighters to target the Winter Olympics. The BBC’s Steven Rosenberg in Moscow says recent deadly bombings in Volgograd have intensified those worries. President Vladimir Putin was in Sochi on Monday night to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas, appearing at a church service. “Starting 7 January, all divisions responsible for ensuring the guests’ security at the Games are being put on combat alert,”
“Every sport venue is fully prepared and has been thoroughly tested, new road and rail routes are ready to transport visitors and rehearsals for the opening ceremony are well under way,” Sochi 2014 Organising Committee President Dmitry Chernyshenko said. “Athletes, coaches and the media have all received their official accreditations and are gearing up to travel to Sochi, where our volunteers and staff will give them the warmest of welcomes.” Mr Chernyshenko said that “Sochi will be a truly memorable Games... That will amaze audiences across
the world”. He said that Sochi’s “new year-round resort” forms “part of the legacy of the Games that will transform the region for generations”. Vehicles not registered locally and which do not have special accreditation will be banned from the city. The sale of firearms, explosives and ammunition will also be prohibited.
Security fears
Security fears have been heightened after two suicide bomb attacks killed 34 people in the southern city of Volgograd on December 29 and 30. Investigators believe the perpetrators were two men who arrived in the city from the North Caucasus region. The bombings prompted Mr Putin to order further security measures and personally inspect Olympic sites. In recent years, a conflict between Russian forces and separatists in Chechnya has fuelled attacks by Islamists. The violence has spread across the North Caucasus, including to mainly Muslim Ingushetia and Dagestan, killing hundreds of people, among them members of the government and security services. (BBC Sport)