 Spinners Hauritz and Doherty will go head-to-head this week
BREAKING GOSSIP 1730 GMT: Australia A captain Cameron White says England have made "a smart decision" by sending their first-choice bowlers to Brisbane rather than fielding them against the Aussie second string in Hobart. Full story: The Australian 0940 GMT: Former captain Tony Greig believes England should invoke the spirit of Bodyline in a bid to unsettle Australia captain Ricky Ponting. Greig, who led England in 58 Tests, reckons Ponting is becoming increasingly vulnerable to the short ball and has urged the tourists to target the Aussie's skipper. It was a tactic first adopted by England's Douglas Jardine to blunt Don Bradman in the infamous 1932/33 Bodyline series, which saw relations between the two nations drop to an all-time low. Full story: Press Association OTHER GOSSIP Nathan Hauritz reckons he is a better bowler than Australian squad spin rival Xavier Doherty and will try to set about proving it when they play against each other in New South Wales' Sheffield Shield match against Tasmania this week. Full story: Courier Mail (Brisbane) Australian selection chief Andrew Hilditch is undecided on which one of those two to play. He said: "One of the biggest decisions is whether we go into the first Test in Brisbane with a right-arm off-spinner (Hauritz) or with the variation of a left-arm orthodox bowler (Doherty)." Full story: Courier Mail (Brisbane) Australia spin legend Shane Warne has waded into the debate over who should be named in the team, declaring Hauritz as the number one. Full story: Sydney Morning Herald However, Warne insists in his English newspaper column that the decision to name a 17-man squad does not mean Australia's selectors do not know their best XI. "They have put these guys on notice and basically said 'You are the 17 who are going to win the Ashes back for Australia' is Warne's verdict. Full story: Daily Telegraph Australia vice-captain Michael Clarke is confident he will be fit for the first Test after being ordered to miss this week's Sheffield Shield clash between NSW and Tasmania to rest his back. Full story: Daily Telegraph (Sydney) Australian cricket must brace for considerable upheaval should the Ashes be lost at home this summer, former Test captain Mark Taylor has warned. Full story: Sydney Morning Herald AND FINALLY Former Australian captain Allan Border has had a light-hearted swipe at England, calling them the "Empire XI". "England are sailing under the radar beautifully - let's get stuck into them a bit," he smiled. "I don't know whether they should be called England - it should be the Empire XI. They got any Poms in their side?" Full story: The Age
Listen to the Ashes live on Test Match Special on BBC 5 live sports extra, Radio 4 LW and online (UK users only) - series starts 25 November 2010.Archive: Relive past Ashes series
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