A one-day Test!
Former Australian batsman David Hookes has called on Steve Waugh's world champions to humiliate Bangladesh with an unprecedented one-day result in each of this month's potentially farcical Test matches.
Any number of records are set to be broken when Australia takes on Bangladesh at Darwin's Marrara Oval from July 18 and Bundaberg Rum Stadium in Cairns from July 25.
"Steve Waugh should send them in to bat, bowl them out before lunch, bat until tea and declare, then send them back in and roll them again before stumps," said Hookes.
"It could be all over and done with in a day.
"The reality is that Bangladesh doesn't deserve to be in Test cricket and they certainly shouldn't be given any favours out on the field.
"If the Australian team is being true to the Test cap, their aim will be to go out there and annihilate Bangladesh."
Boje breaks shin bone
South Africa spinner Nicky Boje will require surgery after breaking his shin bone while fielding against England in a one-dayer on Tuesday.
Boje turned over his ankle as he fielded a ball immediately after coming on as a substitute fielder. A hospital examination showed he had broken his left tibia as well as spraining his ankle ligaments.
The 30-year-old was selected for South Africa's one-day squad for the triangular series against England and Zimbabwe which ends on Saturday but was not picked for the five-match Test series against England starting next month.
Recall Thorpe, says Wessels
Former South African skipper Kepler Wessels has warned England they will lose the forthcoming Test series against South Africa if they do not recall Graham Thorpe.
The Surrey batsman has not played for England since last summer after personal problems led him to retire from one-day cricket and pull out of the Ashes series in Australia.
But scintillating county form this summer has prompted calls for Thorpe to be re-instated
"You cannot go into a Test series against a nation like South Africa without Graham Thorpe," said Wessels, who toured England twice as a player, once with Australia and once with South Africa.
"He is a better player than anyone else in that middle-order and to leave him out is ridiculous. It beggars belief."
Gough remains wary
Darren Gough has played down suggestions he could return to England's Test side for the first time in two years.
The 32-year-old pace bowler, who has struggled with serious knee trouble, was included in England's one-day squad to add vital experience to a young pace corps.
"I have proved my fitness for the one-day game," he said
"And now before I even think about playing Test cricket it is vital I get some four-day games under my belt with Yorkshire."
Akhtar summoned
A civil court in Lahore has summoned fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to respond to a petition alleging statements he made about fellow cricketers, officials said Tuesday.
Shoaib has been summoned to appear on July 27 after a private citizen moved the petition, they said.
The 27-year-old told Guardian: "Imagine if I was playing for Australia with Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie softening them up, then come on, I'd have got more wickets than anyone ever, mate."
He went on: "Because when I play for Pakistan, with Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis they are in decline. They were great but they're not match-winning bowlers any more. So I have to make it all happen on my own."
