Some articles.
Bailey focuses on team effort
17 June, 2010
Cricket Australia
Australia A captain George Bailey says focusing first and foremost on the team’s performance will be the key to individual success during their series against Sri Lanka A, which begins in Brisbane on June 18.
The Tasmanian, who was previously called up to the senior side to replace Michael Clarke during the VB Tour of New Zealand, is one of the squad pushing for a spot in the senior Australian side.
“I think the best way to get success out of yourself is to focus on the team doing the right thing,” Bailey told cricket.com.au.
“If we play well as a team I think we will get some strong individual performances that will push guys up for spots in that Australian side.
“One thing I will do is try and be quite attacking with this Australia A team.
“I think this team is filled with match winners and I think that is quite a dangerous.
“There are a range of people at different stages of their careers and at the end of the day everyone is pushing for Australian selection, so it's trying to get a balance and make everyone feel comfortable enough that they perform at their best.”
The 27-year-old is one of four Tasmanian players named in the original Australia A four-day squad and one of five named in the one-day squad, before Tim Paine was called up to replace Brad Haddin for the VB Tour of British Isles and VB Tour of England.
“Domestic cricket is so strong that if you've got a good domestic team you are going to have some pretty good individual players,” Bailey said.
“We've lost Painey now - he's off to play with the big boys but there are still a lot of us there and I'm looking forward to watching Ben Hilfenhaus on his comeback trail as well.”
As well as losing Paine, Mitch Marsh was earlier ruled out of the series due to injury.
“It would have been really exciting to play a bit with Mitch as opposed to playing against him, which can be quite dangerous,” he said.
“Even though he's only been around a season he's obviously a real player of the future and hopefully he recovers quickly.”
Bailey, however, is more than happy with their replacements – wicket-keeper Matthew Wade and all-rounder Moises Henriques.
“Wadey has had a couple of really good seasons and thoroughly deserves his spot there,” Bailey said.
“He really came of age last year and played some strong match-winning innings so it will be good to catch up with him.
“Moises is a proven performer. He's played Australia A before and did really well at that level so he is a ready-made replacement for Mitch.”
This series will be Bailey’s first as Australia A skipper, although he has his experiences as Tasmanian captain to draw on.
“I really enjoyed captaining Tassie,” he said.
It was a good experience but different to what I expected.
“I thought most of the stuff would be done on the field but I suppose with most of those sorts of roles there is a lot of the balance of getting your own game right on and off the park and not getting too caught up in the leadership stuff.
“I felt like I learnt something every day that I was training or playing and I certainly think it made me a better cricketer, which is also pretty handy.”
The first four-day match starts on Friday June 18 at Allan Border Field in Brisbane.
“I am sitting down in Tassie right now and it's bucketing down with rain and about 10 degrees so I always get excited about heading up to Brisbane,” he said.
“I haven't played much four-day cricket up there so that will be a different challenge for myself and going on the wickets we've played on there in the past they are generally good batting wickets so that might be a good challenge for the bowlers as well.”
Hilfenhaus ready for battle
17 June, 2010
Fast bowler Ben Hilfenhaus will return from injury in Australia A's two four-day matches against Sri Lanka A in Queensland starting on June 18, where he hopes to strengthen his bid for selection for the Test series against Pakistan in England.
The 27-year-old has not played internationally since the first 3 Mobile Test against the West Indies in Brisbane last summer when, in his ninth Test, he damaged a knee tendon.
"I'm really keen to get back out there and play some competitive cricket again," Hilfenhaus told cricket.com.au.
"It's been a long process, but I'm feeling good, have been bowling in the nets for the last couple of months and jusy really looking forward to get back out there again."
Australian team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said last month the Tasmanian swing bowler had worked diligently through his recovery.
If Hilfenhaus remains healthy, he could be a major asset in the two Tests against Pakistan in England in July after flourishing there in last year's Ashes series.
Hilfenhaus was Australia's premier bowler, claiming 22 wickets at 27.45 in a losing campaign.
Even if he misses selection for the Pakistan series, the former bricklayer could yet play a key role in Australia's bid to reclaim cricket's famous little urn on home soil next summer.
Tasmanian skipper George Bailey has been named captain for the two four-day, one Twenty20 and three one-day contests against Sri Lanka A.
Bailey will also be keen to impress having won an unexpected call-up into the Australian one-day squad when Michael Clarke returned home from New Zealand in March for personal reasons.
He was in fine form last season, scoring 538 runs at 59.77 in the Ford Ranger Cup, in which he captained his state to the title. His run tally trailed only Victorian veteran Brad Hodge.
Victorian all-rounder Andrew McDonald, an Ashes tourist last year, will also have another chance to push for greater honours.
Selectors have had to make two recent changes to the Australia A squad.
NSW all-rounder Moises Henriques has replaced injured Western Australian batsman Mitch Marsh, while James Pattinson comes in for NSW fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who was drafted into Australia's one-day squad for the series against England and Ireland after Mitchell Johnson withdrew because of an infected elbow.
Hazlewood, who doesn't turn 20 until next January, could become Australia's youngest-ever one-day international player if he debuts in England, beating Craig McDermott and Ray Bright, the only two men to debut at age 19.
National chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch was confident Australia A would do well.
"The squad recognises the high standard of performance of experienced players such as Michael Klinger and Ed Cowan and features some of our best young batting talent in the country, including captain George Bailey, Usman Khawaja and Peter Forrest," he said.
The Australia A squad for the first four-day match is:
George Bailey (TAS) – Captain
Andrew McDonald (VIC) – Vice-captain
Ed Cowan (TAS)
Peter Forrest (NSW)
Peter George (SA)
Ben Hilfenhaus (TAS)
Usman Khawaja (NSW)
Michael Klinger (SA)
Stephen O’Keefe (NSW)
Matthew Wade (VIC)
Mitchell Starc (NSW)
12th James Pattinson (VIC)
13th Moises Henriques (NSW)
, looks like he has bowled well in this match so far to.
