Nathan Hauritz Sells Kit

Nathan Hauritz Unhappy With Selectors

Nathan Hauritz has signalled his frustration at being frozen out by Australia by giving away his Test kit.

The off-spinner was sat outside his Sydney flat, giving out his training kit to anyone who was interested,

Hauritz, 29, who has played 17 Tests and taken 63 wickets, was shocked when novice left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty was brought in ahead of Hauritz for the first two Ashes Tests and uncapped Michael Beer for the third.

Nathan Hauritz responded by giving away jumpers and selling training kit. Hauritz said: ‘I don’t play for them (Australia) any more.’

Even Xavier Doherty, who was dumped after taking just 1-158 in the innings defeat at Adelaide, has admitted that there seems to be some confusion over what selectors want from spin bowlers.

''You have seen how many spinners they have used over the last couple of years, so I'm sure the selectors aren't quite sure who the next person is," the 27-year-old said upon learning of his axing on Friday.

Ricky Ponting: I Won't Quit

Ponting Up For The Test

Ricky Ponting has insisted he still has fight left in him and has not contemplated quitting as captain of his nation's team. Nevertheless, he may be just one test defeat away from becoming the first Australian captain in 120 years to lose three Ashes

Ponting turns 36 on December 19.  He is the first to admit that he has not been at the top of his game with the bat lately and his team are struggling, trailing England 1-0 in the five-match series with three tests remaining. An England victory in the next test could see England retain the Ashes in Australia.

"My absolute focus is on all the things within my control, preparing the team and myself to perform at our very best in Perth, Melbourne and then Sydney over the next three tests," Ponting wrote in the Australian newspaper Saturday.

"I have not stopped for one moment to consider retirement. The question of my future as captain is ultimately a decision for Cricket Australia and categorically the future of Australian cricket must come first.

"I have every confidence in my ability to score runs and be the experienced batsman and leader that my teammates can rely on."

"As captain, I am accountable for the performance of my team and I accept that our most recent results mean that I am being assessed more critically than at other times in my career as captain.

"The team is my priority, not my own ego or the status that comes with being the captain of the Australian cricket team."

Ponting on his preparation and batting, added, "We've been ordinary, we've played poorly. I haven't played the way I would like to have played, especially in Adelaide, but I don't think I'm that far away.

"I've got to keep trusting the way I prepare and play and keep working hard. If anything I might have worked a bit too hard on my batting over the last couple of weeks."

Swann Plays Down Warne Return

Graeme Swann says Shane Warne won't return

England spinner Graeme Swann has played down speculation that Legendary Australian bowler Shane Warne will come back out of retirement for the remainder or the Ashes tour.

"I very much doubt that Shane Warne would come out of retirement to play just in these three games," said Swann.

Much of the media has suggested that Australia's all-time leading wicket taker could return to Test cricket after England's dominant innings-and-71-run win in Adelaide and Australia going 1-0 down in the series after the second test.

"It's very good for us that the Aussies are doing this and the Aussie public are looking for Shane to get back in.

"He's not played any cricket for so long. We'll just carry on as we are and let the Aussies worry about that."

Alastair Cook Puts England In Command

Alastair Cook scores another ton

Alastair Cook hit a successive century as England set a lead of 72 against Australia in the second Ashes Test..  Cook hit an unbeaten 136 with the tourists reaching 317-2 in their first innings. The Essex left-hander, who also hit 235 not out in the first test at the Gabba took his aggregate score to 371.

Following Andrew Strauss' dismissal in the first over bowled by Doug Bollinger for no runs, the tourists made a bad start to the day. But Alastair Cook & Jonathan Trott (78) put England in command and once Trott was dismissed Kevin Pietersen then hit 85 not out, helping England rack up the runs in Adelaide.

Alastair Cook said, "It's important to cash in when things do go your way,"

"(I learned after the first Test) what had gone had gone.

"It's about not getting complacent; it's a mental switch that you have to start at nought again.

"That was one of the challenges I had this week - trying to back up what I did last week."

The Essex batsman speaking on the batting conditions, he added: "They bowled really well up front so to stick in through that and go on and bat all day was especially rewarding.

"It was almost ideal batting conditions.

"A lot of credit must go to the way our guys bowled to put us in that position.

"But there is still a lot of hard work to do."