Steve Waugh has backed calls from fellow former Australia captain Ricky Ponting and West Indies great Michael Holding for cricket chiefs to rid Test cricket of the toss.
Australian vice captain Michael Clarke, who is India for the two Test series, described how devastated he felt when he was dropped from the team in 2005.
Australia's new Twenty20 captain Michael Clarke says he is willing to learn new tricks to ensure the team's number one position in this format of the game as well.
He turned down the chance to play in Indian Premier League's first two seasons, but Michael Clarke has had a change of heart now and wants to be a part of IPL's third season next year to gain experience for his stint as Australia's Twenty20 captain. Clarke was appointed captain of Australia's Twenty20 team after Ricky Ponting retired from the format following the side's early exit from the Twenty20 World Cup in June.
Australia have defied expectations with their fight in India but with all to play for in the final Test in Dharamsala, Steve Smith's team would not leave happy with a drawn series, according to former wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist.
Australia secured a consolation victory in the final Test by an innings and 46 runs on Sunday before England captain Alastair Cook lifted the Ashes urn at the end of a dramatic and fluctuating series.
A handful of leading Australians, including Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson, turned down the offer to focus on their international careers.
The celebrated Boxing Day Test will remain in Melbourne, Cricket Australia said today, after a report that administrators could reshuffle fixtures.
The opener was left out because of a hamstring strain from the Australian squad for the Twenty20 match against India.
Former captains, including Ian Chappell and Michael Clarke, have called for the inclusion of young opener Will Pucovski in Australia's team for the upcoming four-Test series against India.
Former Australia captain Michael Clarke feels that fast bowler Mitchell Starc's absence due to injury will have a huge bearing on the final outcome of the four-Test series against India.
Australian batsman Steve Smith feels skipper Michael Clarke has shown "unbelievable" courage in the wake of the tragic death of Phillip Hughes and played "beautifully" battling severe back pain to score a century on Day Two of the first Test against India.
"There could be up to eight guys who might not ever play Test cricket again in this touring squad. That's a big number... half the squad," Ponting was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.com.
A century stand between skipper Ricky Ponting and vice-captain Michael Clarke kept Australia afloat as they reached 194 for five at tea on the first day of the first Test against South Africa Thursday.
Australia intend to go all out for a win in the fifth Test against England starting at the Oval on Thursday rather than settle for the draw that would ensure they retain the Ashes.
Twin half centuries from David Hussey (79) and elder brother Michael (75 not out) fashioned Australia's six-wicket victory against New Zealand in the fourth ODI as the hosts recorded their second successive win to level the five-match cricket series 2-2, in Adelaide on Tuesday.
Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke on Thursday announced his unavailability for the second season of the multi-million dollar Indian Premier League, citing a busy international calender for the national team.
And despite a slowdown, media planners say advertisers are pouring in over Rs 600 crore (nearly half the ad budget for cricket in 2009). This represents a more than 10 per cent increase over last year's spends on television, co-branding of teams and marketing, among others.
Australian pacer Mitchell Johnson feared being axed and struggled to cope with the pressure of playing at the Ashes before vice-captain Michael Clarke's advice and a bit of sledging turned things around for him.
Michael Clarke will take over as captain of Australia's Twenty20 team to play England after Ricky Ponting was given permission to go home after the last Ashes Test. Ponting will return to Britain to take charge for the bulk of one-day international series but the selectors wanted to give him a rest as they start blooding younger players for next year's Twenty20 World Cup in West Indies.
Australia batted with grim determination through the final day to earn a draw in the third Ashes Test against England on Monday.
Australia opening batsman David Warner won the Allan Border Medal on Monday for the second year in row, becoming only the fourth player to achieve that feat.
England fast bowlers James Anderson and Graham Onions dismissed Australia for 263 on the second day of the third Ashes Test. England were 56 for one in reply at tea with captain Andrew Strauss on 33 and Ravi Bopara on 23.
Australia will attempt to add a final twist to a consistently gripping Lord's Ashes Test against England on Monday by chasing down a world-record fourth-innings target of 522. At the close of the fourth day of the second Test on Sunday, Michael Clarke (125) and Brad Haddin (80) had added an unbroken 185 for the sixth wicket to take Australia to 313 for five.
South Africa got off to a sedate start after Michael Clarke's sterling century and some spectacular rearguard action powered Australia to 445 in their first innings on day two of the third and final Test in Sydney on Sunday. In reply, South Africa lost Neil McKenzie (23) to Peter Siddle and Graeme Smith (30 retired hurt) to injury before reaching 125 for one at stumps.
Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds has been fined after sleeping in and missing the team bus to a training session in Barbados. Symonds was 10 minutes late for the bus but did not miss any part of practice after finding his own way to Kensington Oval.
England still blinking after perfect Ashes start.
Captain Ricky Ponting, his deputy Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden, Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Brett Lee, Nathan Bracken, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Simon Katich, Jason Gillespie and Cameron White are the Australians who have joined the IPL.
Peter Siddle took three wickets to give Australia the upperhand as South Africa were reduced to 198 for seven at stumps on day two of the second Test at the MCG in Melbourne on Saturday. Captain Graeme Smith scored a fine 62 but kept losing wickets at regular intervals in reply to Australia's first innings score of 394.
Australia opening batsman Matthew Hayden has been ruled out of Thursday's first Test against West Indies at Sabina Park with an Achilles tendon injury, a team spokesman said. Simon Katich, returning to Tests after nearly a three-year absence, will now open along with Phil Jaques.
A report in The Australian said senior Australian players are uncertain about going to India in the near future and player managers have also expressed concern. Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke said security is one of the issues he had to weigh up when considering signing for the second edition of the IPL next year.
Michael Clarke has replaced his skipper Ricky Ponting as the highest earning cricketer in the Australian team according to an estimate, which puts his salary to $ 1.01 million.
Poor ground conditions may prevent the second ODI between India and Australia on October 2 from getting underway.
Australia vice captain Michael Clarke will delay his departure for the tour of West Indies due to the failing health of his fiancee's father. Cricket Australia (CA) announced on Friday that Clarke would join the Australian team at a later, as yet unspecified, date and that Brad Hodge would act as a temporary replacement.
Brad Haddin and Michael Clarke hit centuries to give Australia the upperhand after day three of the second Test against New Zealand in Adelaide on Sunday. Wicketkeeper Haddin smashed 169, his maiden Test century, and Clarke made 110 as Australia scored 535 in their first innings to take a comfortable 265-run first-innings lead.
Pakistan are missing some key players in the ongoing Twenty20 World Cup but Australian captain Michael Clarke on Saturday said it would not make his team's job any easier when they take on the defending champions in a Group A match in St Lucia on Sunday.
Australian captain Michael Clarke has dismissed the idea of being driven into retirement by a degenerative back problem and believes he could play three more Ashes series over the next five years.
India were 43 for 2 in their second innings after taking a 36-run lead on Day 4 of the third Test. Michael Clarke scored 112 as Australia were dismissed for 577.
The critics may be pronouncing an end to Australia's domination in Test cricket following their debacle at Mohali, but vice-captain Michael Clarke refuses to concede that the balance of power has shifted to India. 'We're going into Delhi to win the [second] Test match,' he said.
Breaking his silence on the on-field clash between Australia skipper Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee, coach Tim Nielsen said a poor over-rate wasn't the main reason the strike bowler was not used in the first session on the fourth day of the second Test in Mohali. It was, he says, also because they wanted to take pace off the ball.
