Sun, Aug 30 08:09 PM

Dumped Australia opener Phillip Hughes has set up a date with Sachin Tendulkar where he hopes to learn from the Indian stalwart's experiences following his own Ashes meltdown.

The 20-year-old left-hander lost his spot to all-rounder Shane Watson after the second test at Lord's. Australia lost the series 2-1.

"I'll chew his ear off. I've got questions about a lot of things that I want to ask him," Hughes told the Times of India newspaper on Sunday.

"I like getting around and talking to the guys who have been around for a long time."

Hughes, who scored a century in each innings in his second test after scoring a duck on debut, is in the western Indian city of Nagpur with his coach Neil D'Costa, who is head coach of a regional cricket academy in the city.

The paper said Tendulkar, who holds several international batting records, will meet Hughes in Mumbai on Monday.

Reuters

Bopara threatens to join IPL, if not selected for England Test

...ANI Thursday, May 22, 2008 4:08:47 PM

Middle order batsman Ravi Bopara has revealed that he may join the Indian Premier League next season if he does not earn an England Test recall.The 23-year-old player of Indian origin, who had earlier claimed refusing a "six-figure sum" offer from one of the IPL franchises said he would reconsider his decision if he fails to stage a comeback to the side by the next season."The decision I made (not to join the IPL) was just based on this season. I don't know what my decisions will be in the future, but if things continue as they are, and the offer comes along again, then I'll have a think about it, and if things haven't change for me with regards to England then I may have to reconsider my options," Bopara said.Earlier this month, the youngster claimed turning down an IPL offer in order to concentrate playing for Essex to brighten up his chances of a comeback to the national side

Source: http://in.sports.yahoo.com/cricket/ipl/news/news_20080522_460.html

Aus play down Warne return

Tuesday, 20 May , 2008, 11:48

Cricket Australia (CA) has played down reports that retired leg-spinner Shane Warne could return to international cricket for next year's Ashes tour of England.
The former leading Test wicket-taker, who quit the international arena after Australia's 5-0 victory over England in early 2007, was quoted in local media as saying he would consider returning for the next Ashes series.
"If Australia really needed me and there was no one else around, and Ricky (Ponting) thought I could do the job, you would weigh up the options," Warne was quoted as saying in Tuesday's Herald Sun newspaper.
"If Stuey (Stuart) MacGill fell over and broke his leg, and there were no other spinners around, and Ricky came out and said, 'Mate, can you please help us out for this one-off tour? We need you', that is something I would weigh up."
CA chief executive James Sutherland, however, distanced his organisation from Warne's comments.
"I've been in cricket long enough not to be surprised of any headlines that Warnie grabs," a smiling Sutherland told reporters.
"The simple answer to that is that Shane is retired from international cricket and has been for 15 months or so.

"I acknowledge there has been speculation in the newspapers...but the reality is that Shane is retired and not available for selection.
"It is up to him if he wants to make himself available and that is something only he can decide. I haven't spoken to him."
Sutherland said if Warne made himself available, then it would be up to the selectors to decide on the best team.
"I'm not a selector," he added. "They make decisions in the best interests of Australia cricket.
"They choose the best Australian cricket team based on those players that are available at the time.
"It's not for me to be determining what the Australian cricket team needs."
Warne, who took 708 Test wickets, has since retired from first-class cricket and is only playing in a domestic Twenty20 competition in India.
"If I wanted to keep playing I don't think there would be an issue with me being the number one spinner and performing," he said.
"I would still love to be playing international cricket, and miss it because I devoted 20 years to first-class cricket. It is a big part of my life.
"If you could just turn up and play Test cricket, that would be cool. I would definitely consider that."

Source: http://sify.com/sports/cricket/fullstory.php?id=14677522