Australia declared their innings on 274 for nine and then dismissed England for 168 to ensure a delayed start to day two of the Women’s Ashes Test in Canterbury barely hampered them.
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The fifth Test begins on August 20 here. “I know for a fact that they ruffled mine at times”, Hayden told local media. “Not only do we want to be accountable for our efforts, but on behalf of our team I want to apologise for the manner in which we have lost”, he added.
“Everyone says it (cricket) is a team game and there’s no doubt about that, but batting in particular you can be quite selfish as a batsman and still be a hell of a good team person”, Marsh said.
As Clarke has struggled for runs this tour, the pressure on his deputy also seemed to take its toll and Smith has failed with the bat in four innings since his glorious 215 and 58 in the second test at Lord’s.
“I’ve played one or two average shots”.
“I just couldn’t think of anyone else who could have done the job”.
“Players like Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting and others really tried to make the baggy green culture something special but I could sense it was under threat and under Michael’s captaincy I can sense it has disappeared a bit and that disappointed me”, the 62-year-old said.
“Our blokes scored more runs than their (England’s) top-order, but our middle-order scored no runs and that was the big differential – we just didn’t score any runs in the middle”.
“Michael is one of our most committed trainers who will go to the nets every day even when we have optional sessions or give guys a day off, and on practice days he’ll travel to the ground early with the support staff who go ahead to get everything set up”, he said.
“There is no way, as coach of the Australian cricket team, that I am going to oversee a set-up that doesn’t welcome wives, girlfriends, children and other family members when our players and staff are spending that length of time travelling”. I haven’t been able to relax and get into my innings and play the game I would’ve liked.
“It’s similar to the approach we took with a number of players after the Lord’s Test, when we thought a break was the best possible preparation for them”. “He’ll be forceful as all Australian chiefs have been, yet I think he’ll work out what lives up to expectations for him on and off the field the best”.
THE future is exciting for this young England team and the overall goal has to be to get back to No. 1 in the Test rankings. “That’s appalling in a test match, I don’t care what you’re playing on”, he said.
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I’d never try and rate each success in order – they’re all hugely important in their own right – but the nice thing is I’ve been there and done it at either end of my career.
