Impressed by Australian team's resurgence post the Ashes humiliation last year, former national coach Tim Nielsen says the side could regain the top spot in world cricket within 12 months.
Australia coach Mickey Arthur has admitted their Test series against his former team South Africa would be massively emotional for him, and cheekily added that he would love to get one over them.
Australian skipper Michael Clarke does not regret the infamous 'Homework-gate' scandal in India last year but does admit that the tour was the toughest period of his captaincy.
Livid after consecutive losses in the ODI tri-series, Australia coach Mickey Arthur on Saturday said the side and its "jaded" stand-in skipper Ricky Ponting would have to face the consequences if they don't atone for the defeats with an improved performance against India in Brisbane on Sunday.
Coach Mickey Arthur is hopeful of Shane Watson returning to the Australian One-day fold in the latter part of the ongoing tri-series, but he is hesitant to put a definitive time frame on the all-rounder's return to the national team.
South Africa captain Graeme Smith revealed he and coach Micky Arthur had plotted a three-year plan, the perfect execution of which led to the Proteas' first series win in Australia.
Australian opener David Warner has credited new coach Mickey Arthur for his recent good form, saying the South African's advice has brought impressive results.
India is confident that Gary Kirsten will stay on as coach for another year despite speculation that the former South African opener will succeed Mickey Arthur in the role in his native country. Arthur resigned and the entire selection panel were sacked last week following the drawn series with England, while Kirsten's current two-year contract comes up for extension in March.
A good record in the subcontinent and experienced players will help South Africa on their tour of India after a tumultuous week in which coach Mickey Arthur resigned, captain Graeme Smith said.
The decision to send the Pakistan team for the ODI World Cup in India next year will be taken at the government level, newly-appointed Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi said.
Factbox on the second Test between Australia and South Africa, which begins on Thursday.
The selection panel failed to meet CSA guidelines by picking at least seven coloured players in the squad for the Bangladesh tour.
Former England batsman Geoffrey Boycott criticised Australian coach Mickey Arthur for treating the players like "school children" and said he finds the idea of setting the cricketers written tasks as "childlike".
Australia's fast bowling sensation James Pattinson revealed that the four players, including him, were banned from the third Test not only for not handing presentations to coach Mickey Arthur but for various other reasons.
Australia coach Mickey Arthur on Monday said that his men will "hammer down" the visitors in next month's One-Day International tri-series as well once all-rounder Shane Watson comes back into the team.
Factbox on the third Test match between Australia and India, which starts on Friday.
Controversial Australia batsman David Warner has a "clean slate" and is in contention to return for next week's first Ashes test, coach Darren Lehmann said.
South Africa coach Mickey Arthur said the attack by gunmen on Sri Lanka's team bus in Pakistan could signal the end of top-flight cricket in Pakistan for some time. 'Any loss of life is tragic but when it involves sport it just seems so senseless,' Arthur said. 'The Sri Lankans are a fantastic bunch of guys who did not deserve to be subjected to something like this. As far as Pakistan is concerned I'm afraid this could mean the end of international cricket in that country.'
Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland on Wednesday backed the team management that had axed four players, including then vice-captain Shane Watson, ahead of the Mohali Test against India in March on grounds of breach of discipline.
South Africa's team psychologist is helping concentrate the players' minds on the first Test against Australia
Australia have put their squad into 'quarantine' before next week's second Test against Sri Lanka to make absolutely certain there are no additions to their already lengthy casualty list, according to coach Mickey Arthur.
However the Indians could be greeted by fast and bouncy tracks in the three-match Test series.
Australia coach Darren Lehmann was in a typically light-hearted and upbeat mood after an incident-packed opening day of the Ashes series against England on Wednesday.
"Hopefully they (senior players) can pass on their thinking and thought process and planning to the younger guys in the team in this series," South Africa captain Graeme Smith said.
Australia's Ashes triumph has been cast as a fairytale swansong for an ageing team, but 34-year-old paceman Ryan Harris has urged selectors not to pension off the greybeards needlessly.
Shane Watson said on Monday that the homework gate issue is firmly behind him and he is looking forward to joining the Australian Test team in Delhi ahead of the fourth and final Test in Delhi after sorting out his differences with coach Mickey Arthur and high performance manager Pat Howard.
Australia's dramatic turnaround to dominate England and win back the Ashes just months after a 3-0 series defeat to their traditional rivals has largely been attributed to the man (Darren Lehmann) they call "Boof".
India coach Duncan Fletcher has made both local media and Cricket Australia set-up paranoid ahead of the four-match Test series starting on December 26.
Pakistan's Director of Cricket Mickey Arthur says the main reason for the team's struggles in the ongoing World Cup is the inability to put together the "perfect game".
Mickey Arthur has blown the divisive feud between Michael Clarke and Shane Watson out of the proportion and the root of the rift between two players has been the all-rounder's shuffling around the Test match batting order by the Aussie skipper, believes legendary spinner Shane Warne.
Australia must show a bit of "mongrel" and gel as a team if they are to lift the Ashes against England, former captain Steve Waugh has said.
Usman Khawaja, Phil Hughes and Brad Haddin scored half-centuries as Australia put a difficult week behind them to notch a six-wicket win over Somerset in their four-day tour match on Saturday.
South Africa coach Mickey Arthur that Australia were masters of putting pressure on the umpires
South Africa coach Mickey Arthur was fined 25 percent of his match fee for swearing at an umpire during the fifth ODI against New Zealand.
While Shane Watson was focused on the training session ahead of the fourth and final Test here at the Feroz Shah Kotla, Michael Clarke was busy talking to coach Mickey Arthur.
Michael Clarke has not yet given up hope of playing in the fourth and final Test against India, starting in Delhi on Friday.
Captain Michael Clarke supported coach Mickey Arthur's decision to drop four players from his squad, saying discipline is a big part of the Australian cricket team.
Waqar's chances of being named bowling coach appeared strong after another former Test bowler Muhammad Akram withdrew his application
Australian captain Michael Clarke enjoyed an off-day in Agra visiting the Taj Mahal along with his wife Kyly.
Desperate to claw their way back in the series, Australia's chief coach Mickey Arthur on Wednesday said they are not averse to the idea of making a few changes in the playing eleven if that can change their fortunes.
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