Tait will not play in Ashes
Shaun Tait has confirmed that he will not come out of Test cricket retirement to play for Australia in the Ashes this winter.
There have been a number of reports over recent weeks that have suggested the Australian captain Ricky Ponting has been pleading with Tait to come back and play against England.
Australia are not as gifted as they once were in the fast bowling department and Tait is widely accepted as the fastest bowler in the world. He is one of the very few players to have recorded a delivery of over 100 miles per hour, which appeared during the recent one-day series with England.
Tait would have added something unique to the Australian team but they will now have to rely on what they have this winter. It will also be a thorn out of England's side because Tait has always been quite successful when he's played against the English.
Cope with what they have
Australia have a number of fast bowlers who can do a job during the Ashes but none of them have an extra yard of pace, which is something that Tait possesses.
The likes of Mitchel Johnson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle are all very quick bowlers but they only ever managed to hit 90 miles per hour at their absolute peak.
Tait has the ability to hit the mid-90s every single time he bowls the ball and he is also able to swing it at extreme pace. This would have been very useful on the flat wickets of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 that don't really offer any assistance to the bowlers.
Tait said: "He [Ponting] just mentioned it quickly but nothing was really talked about. I think I have made it quite clear what I'm doing. Obviously, you get through a couple of one-day games and a few people get excited, I suppose, and there is talk about it. I don't think they (selectors) would ask me to play anyway."
A thorn in England's side
Tait genuinely is a thorn in England's side. He came into the team during the 2005 Ashes series against England and immediately had an impact. He clean bowled http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Marcus-Trescothick-c1898 with a ball that touched on 100 miles per hour and immediately eyebrows were raised.
He's taken 46 wickets in 25 one-day games for Australia and this now looks like the best way they can use him. He won't want to put his body through the risk of injury and has made it quite clear he doesn't want to play Test cricket any more.
He added: "The body has been pretty good, touch wood, I have stayed on the park just playing the shorter forms of the game. It's never about anyone else. It's a decision I made for myself and so far I have been happy with it, it's worked pretty well, so I'm sticking by it."
Betting advice
Ricky Ponting has just come out in the media and said that Australia think they can win the next Ashes series 5-0. Don't take any notice of this because it will be a lot closer than he may desire or think.
England are the most in-form team in the world at the moment and they will go to the Ashes as firm favourites. Australia under performed during the Test series with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Pakistan-c755, which finished 1-1.
England are currently 2-0 up in their Test series with Pakistan and look set to head into the Ashes with confidence. Australia can put out whatever team they like, England will still be the firm favourites and odds on to win down under for the first time in 29 years.
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