No pressure from Ashes whitewash claim - Bollinger
CRICKET: SYDNEY, Aug 21 (AFP) - Paceman Doug Bollinger says skipper
Ricky Ponting's claim that Australia could sweep this year's Ashes
series 5-0 has not heaped extra pressure on the team to beat England,
reports said Friday.
Ponting's belief that routing England was "absolutely possible" riled
the England team with batsman Jonathan Trott replying: "If I said that I
would probably find it puts pressure on me and the team."
But Bollinger, who is vying with Mitchell Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and
Ryan Harris to lead Australia's new-ball attack in the November-January
Ashes series, said Ponting's assertion would not hinder the Australians.
"I don't think so, I think that is exciting," Bollinger told The
Sydney Morning Herald.
"That is the benchmark we can set ourselves and if we can achieve
that it would be brilliant.
"Winning 5-0, especially at home, you wouldn't see me for a couple of
weeks, that would be awesome."
Although England have defeated Australia in Test, one-day and
Twenty20 matches in the past year, Bollinger added to the pre-Ashes mind
games.
"They are confident because they have been winning every game. What
team wouldn't be confident?" he said.
"But I'm not worried. We have just as good players - if not better
players than they do."
Meanwhile, senior batsman Simon Katich said he was unconcerned that
half of Australia's likely top order batting line-up against England
will be aged 35. Ponting will be just a month shy of 36 when the first
Test against England begins at Brisbane's Gabba in late November while
Mike Hussey turned 35 in May.
Katich, who celebrates his 35th birthday on Saturday, dismissed age
as a factor as Australia attempt to retrieve the Ashes they lost in
England last year.
"There's a fair bit being made of that and you can't hide from the
fact that there are going to be three of us over 35 in the top four or
five," Katich told The Australian.
"From my point of view I know I'm older but at the same time I'm as
hungry as I've ever been, I'm enjoying playing cricket again and my
attitude has been the same for the last two or three years.
Having lost the Ashes, the coming series is likely to have a big
bearing on the future of the 35-year-old Australian batting trio.
"I'm confident with us playing in Australia we know our conditions
well and we're looking forward to playing at home. Hopefully that will
hold us in good stead, but anything can happen," Katich said. |