John Hastings is a giant allrounder who is new on the scene and preparing for a bits-and-pieces role in Australia's World Cup defence. Hastings contributed with the vital wickets of Kevin Pietersen and Ian Bell in the series-sealing victory against England on Sunday to continue his steady rise.
That is just the sort of effort the Australians want from him, although they are also hoping for some handy runs from No.8. At Victoria Hastings is seen more as an evenly weighted allrounder, but the national set-up likes him for his clever changes of pace, including the slower bouncer that upset Pietersen on Sunday night.
Usually at this time in the World Cup cycle the teams are relying on players who have developed on the international stage over the previous couple of years. Hastings has appeared in only five ODIs and one Twenty20, so he will be learning on the job.
"I have played a Champions League [Twenty20] over there and made my international debut over there as well, I love playing in India," Hastings said before the team left for Sydney to prepare for Wednesday's sixth ODI. "There's massive crowds, lots of pressure, that's what I strive to play for. The wickets are lower and slower so you have to mix your pace up a little bit and that's why I think I have been brought into this team."
Hastings, 25, stands at 1.95m and is an intimidating presence on and off the field. He hasn't modelled himself on anyone but rates himself similar to Andrew McDonald, his Victoria team-mate. "He's a medium pacer with a lot of tricks and slower balls, and bats in the top six," he said. "My batting is probably not there at the moment, but I've got to play my role as best I can."
He was a batsman as a junior in New South Wales but has graduated into an accomplished bowler since switching states. "Batting is there in the background so I've got to keep working away at that," he said. "I can come in at No.8 and contribute, I've normally got five to 10 overs to bat."
Australia's World Cup plans have started to come together during the four wins against England and the one loss in Adelaide. Brett Lee is fit and bowling fast, and the opening combination of Shane Watson and Brad Haddin is beginning to settle.
Openers have been a major feature of Australia's three World Cup wins, with Matthew Hayden dominating in 2007, Adam Gilchrist doing well in 2003 and Mark Waugh succeeding in 1999. Michael Clarke, the stand-in captain, said Watson and Haddin were capable of providing a similar partnership to Hayden and Gilchrist.
"Watto and Hadds are a wonderful combination," he said. "They suit each other because on any given day one of them can go off and the other can play that anchor role. Add Ricky Ponting into that top four and I think we've got a pretty good batting order. The subcontinent conditions will really suit Watto and Hadds and the first 10 to 15 overs will be crucial to get off to good starts."
Showing posts with label Fine. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fine. Show all posts
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Fine Trott Century Pushes England to 299
Jonathan Trott chose the perfect time to deliver his second ODI century as he set up England's formidable 8 for 299 in the must-win ODI in Adelaide. Trott collected an attractive 102 off 126 deliveries that built on Matt Prior's brutal 67 off 58 as the top order maintained a ferocious pace.
The hosts lead 3-0 and can wrap up the seven-match contest with victory tonight, but they face an assignment that would have been even harder without the work of their slow bowlers. David Hussey, who stole 4 for 21 off four overs, and Steven Smith (3 for 33 off seven) collected career-best figures as they restricted batsmen who had enjoyed the offerings of their faster team-mates.
Trott backed up his 84 not out in Sydney on Sunday with a much more fluent contribution that drove England. He unfurled a couple of delightful straight drives, including one off John Hastings to move to 85, and reached his century with a single to midwicket.
He didn't push on after the milestone and played-on to Hussey shortly after raising his bat, walking off with six boundaries and a long ovation. Hussey also removed Eoin Morgan, who miscued a reverse sweep on 24, and at 6 for 227 in the 42nd over, it seemed England were wasting their incredible start.
Paul Collingwood, who launched Brett Lee for six to midwicket in the Powerplay, and Michael Yardy provided some late muscle to ensure a big score. Collingwood passed 5000 ODI runs, becoming the first England batsman to pass the milestone, during his run-a-ball 27 while Yardy grabbed an unbeaten 39 off 27. Hussey, the offspinner, was called late, knocking over Collingwood and then dismissing Ajmal Shahzad in the final over.
Prior and Jonathan Trott delivered the early pain to the Australians after the visitors won the toss. Prior, who didn't score in his past two innings, sped to his half-century with a series of brutal pulls and drives. He and Trott put on 113 at almost a run a ball for the second wicket following the early loss of Andrew Strauss for (8).
Prior wasted little time in getting going, flicking a boundary behind square off the expensive Lee in the first over, and he soon hit him for another strong shot on the up through cover. Doug Bollinger was also targeted by Prior, who struck two off-side fours before Trott played a crisp straight drive in an over costing 14.
Australia had a couple of run-out chances and the worst miss came when Prior and Trott ended up at the same end after Lee's ball was defended by Trott on to the base of the stumps. Lee followed through but his wild throw back to the bowler's end was wide and Trott survived on 30. Lee's embarrassment worsened next ball when Prior pulled him off the front foot for six to bring up his fifty as England moved to 100 after 15 overs.
Smith, the legspinner, picked up the key wicket of Prior in his second over when he cut to point in the 23rd over. Smith had more success when he watched Kevin Pietersen chip to long-on on 12 and two balls later Bell exited without scoring. Bell went down the pitch trying a late cut, with the edge being well taken by Brad Haddin, and England stuttered to 4 for 158.
Xavier Doherty, the left-arm spinner, also exploited the sluggish pitch and slowed the run-rate during 10 overs costing 44. The work of the slow men was desperately needed as the quicks were targeted throughout. The fast bowlers seemed in trouble from the moment Lee's first over went for 12 after he started with five wides down the legside. He finished with 1 for 68 off eight while Bollinger also struggled at the start and finish, giving away 55 in nine.
The hosts lead 3-0 and can wrap up the seven-match contest with victory tonight, but they face an assignment that would have been even harder without the work of their slow bowlers. David Hussey, who stole 4 for 21 off four overs, and Steven Smith (3 for 33 off seven) collected career-best figures as they restricted batsmen who had enjoyed the offerings of their faster team-mates.
Trott backed up his 84 not out in Sydney on Sunday with a much more fluent contribution that drove England. He unfurled a couple of delightful straight drives, including one off John Hastings to move to 85, and reached his century with a single to midwicket.
He didn't push on after the milestone and played-on to Hussey shortly after raising his bat, walking off with six boundaries and a long ovation. Hussey also removed Eoin Morgan, who miscued a reverse sweep on 24, and at 6 for 227 in the 42nd over, it seemed England were wasting their incredible start.
Paul Collingwood, who launched Brett Lee for six to midwicket in the Powerplay, and Michael Yardy provided some late muscle to ensure a big score. Collingwood passed 5000 ODI runs, becoming the first England batsman to pass the milestone, during his run-a-ball 27 while Yardy grabbed an unbeaten 39 off 27. Hussey, the offspinner, was called late, knocking over Collingwood and then dismissing Ajmal Shahzad in the final over.
Prior and Jonathan Trott delivered the early pain to the Australians after the visitors won the toss. Prior, who didn't score in his past two innings, sped to his half-century with a series of brutal pulls and drives. He and Trott put on 113 at almost a run a ball for the second wicket following the early loss of Andrew Strauss for (8).
Prior wasted little time in getting going, flicking a boundary behind square off the expensive Lee in the first over, and he soon hit him for another strong shot on the up through cover. Doug Bollinger was also targeted by Prior, who struck two off-side fours before Trott played a crisp straight drive in an over costing 14.
Australia had a couple of run-out chances and the worst miss came when Prior and Trott ended up at the same end after Lee's ball was defended by Trott on to the base of the stumps. Lee followed through but his wild throw back to the bowler's end was wide and Trott survived on 30. Lee's embarrassment worsened next ball when Prior pulled him off the front foot for six to bring up his fifty as England moved to 100 after 15 overs.
Smith, the legspinner, picked up the key wicket of Prior in his second over when he cut to point in the 23rd over. Smith had more success when he watched Kevin Pietersen chip to long-on on 12 and two balls later Bell exited without scoring. Bell went down the pitch trying a late cut, with the edge being well taken by Brad Haddin, and England stuttered to 4 for 158.
Xavier Doherty, the left-arm spinner, also exploited the sluggish pitch and slowed the run-rate during 10 overs costing 44. The work of the slow men was desperately needed as the quicks were targeted throughout. The fast bowlers seemed in trouble from the moment Lee's first over went for 12 after he started with five wides down the legside. He finished with 1 for 68 off eight while Bollinger also struggled at the start and finish, giving away 55 in nine.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Ex-KU AD Lew Perkins to Pay Fine
Former University of Kansas Athletics Director Lew Perkins agreed Tuesday to pay a $4,000 fine to settle an ethics case over allegations that he improperly accepted a gift of exercise equipment while working for the university, but he did not acknowledge intentionally violating Kansas law.
The state Governmental Ethics Commission approved a consent decree signed by its general counsel and a Perkins attorney after a brief discussion about the amount of Perkins' fine. Some members wanted to impose the maximum of $5,000, but others noted that he'd cooperated with the commission's investigation and had himself alerted its staff to the gift and questions about its legality.
A complaint before the commission alleged that Perkins violated a state law barring state employees from accepting most gifts. He was considered a state employee because state funds paid part of his salary.
"I never acted with any intent to violate any laws or ethical rules," Perkins said in a statement issued through his attorneys. "It is time for closure and to move on, and I am glad to have this matter fully and finally resolved."
The commission agreed not to pursue the matter further. The fine is a civil penalty, but the commission could have taken the unusual step of forwarding the case to prosecutors to consider criminal charges.
"Both parties worked very hard to reach this consent decree," said commission Chairwoman Sabrina Standifer, a Wichita attorney. "It is to everyone's benefit. We didn't have to have a full-blown hearing, bring in witnesses, all of those expenses, so I think it's a good resolution."
Perkins stepped down in September, a year before he intended to retire, amid allegations that he improperly accepted perks, including the exercise equipment and free physical therapy sessions from employees of the university's sports medicine department, which is part of the athletics department.
Under Perkins' watch, several athletics department employees were implicated in an alleged scheme to steal tickets to sporting events and scalp them for profit. Perkins was not implicated in that scheme but he acknowledged poor oversight of the ticket operations.
Perkins did not attend the commission's meeting. Todd Thompson, the attorney representing him at the commission's meeting, declined to comment, but in the agreement, Perkins and the commission's staff said they wanted to avoid "potentially costly and protracted litigation."
"I regret that this matter may have detracted from the attention given to our athletes," Perkins said in his statement.
The athletics department declined to comment, and university spokesman Jack Martin would say only that, "We said at the beginning that the ethics commission was the proper venue, and they've done what they were going to do."
In the agreement, Perkins acknowledged that he accepted exercise equipment in 2005, at no cost, from Medical Outfitters, based in the Kansas City area. The equipment stayed in his home until 2009.
Last year, Perkins paid $5,000 as a rental fee on the equipment, something the commission took into account when deciding how much to fine him. The complaint did not mention Perkins' payment or other details about the gift.
Before Tuesday's commission meeting, its staff dropped one of two counts in the complaint against Perkins, dealing with the physical therapy sessions. But the evidence provided by some witnesses was not strong enough to prove the allegation, and the commission had trouble in obtaining the testimony of another, said general counsel Judy Moler.
The unrelated ticket scandal led to federal charges against six former athletics department employees and a former department consultant. Four of the former employees have pleaded guilty -- two to conspiracy and the other two to knowing about but doing nothing to stop the scheme -- and will be sentenced in March. A former employee and the consultant had change-of-plea hearings on a single conspiracy charge later this week, and a former associate athletics director is set to stand trial on a conspiracy charge in March.
The state Governmental Ethics Commission approved a consent decree signed by its general counsel and a Perkins attorney after a brief discussion about the amount of Perkins' fine. Some members wanted to impose the maximum of $5,000, but others noted that he'd cooperated with the commission's investigation and had himself alerted its staff to the gift and questions about its legality.
A complaint before the commission alleged that Perkins violated a state law barring state employees from accepting most gifts. He was considered a state employee because state funds paid part of his salary.
"I never acted with any intent to violate any laws or ethical rules," Perkins said in a statement issued through his attorneys. "It is time for closure and to move on, and I am glad to have this matter fully and finally resolved."
The commission agreed not to pursue the matter further. The fine is a civil penalty, but the commission could have taken the unusual step of forwarding the case to prosecutors to consider criminal charges.
"Both parties worked very hard to reach this consent decree," said commission Chairwoman Sabrina Standifer, a Wichita attorney. "It is to everyone's benefit. We didn't have to have a full-blown hearing, bring in witnesses, all of those expenses, so I think it's a good resolution."
Perkins stepped down in September, a year before he intended to retire, amid allegations that he improperly accepted perks, including the exercise equipment and free physical therapy sessions from employees of the university's sports medicine department, which is part of the athletics department.
Under Perkins' watch, several athletics department employees were implicated in an alleged scheme to steal tickets to sporting events and scalp them for profit. Perkins was not implicated in that scheme but he acknowledged poor oversight of the ticket operations.
Perkins did not attend the commission's meeting. Todd Thompson, the attorney representing him at the commission's meeting, declined to comment, but in the agreement, Perkins and the commission's staff said they wanted to avoid "potentially costly and protracted litigation."
"I regret that this matter may have detracted from the attention given to our athletes," Perkins said in his statement.
The athletics department declined to comment, and university spokesman Jack Martin would say only that, "We said at the beginning that the ethics commission was the proper venue, and they've done what they were going to do."
In the agreement, Perkins acknowledged that he accepted exercise equipment in 2005, at no cost, from Medical Outfitters, based in the Kansas City area. The equipment stayed in his home until 2009.
Last year, Perkins paid $5,000 as a rental fee on the equipment, something the commission took into account when deciding how much to fine him. The complaint did not mention Perkins' payment or other details about the gift.
Before Tuesday's commission meeting, its staff dropped one of two counts in the complaint against Perkins, dealing with the physical therapy sessions. But the evidence provided by some witnesses was not strong enough to prove the allegation, and the commission had trouble in obtaining the testimony of another, said general counsel Judy Moler.
The unrelated ticket scandal led to federal charges against six former athletics department employees and a former department consultant. Four of the former employees have pleaded guilty -- two to conspiracy and the other two to knowing about but doing nothing to stop the scheme -- and will be sentenced in March. A former employee and the consultant had change-of-plea hearings on a single conspiracy charge later this week, and a former associate athletics director is set to stand trial on a conspiracy charge in March.
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