AUSTRALIA: CRICKET - England believe they will do better in the second Ashes test

England seamer Matthew Hoggard believes new ball partner Steve Harmison is close to rediscovering his best form after two days of hard practice in the Adelaide nets ahead of the second test. Hoggard also told a news conference in Adelaide on Wednesday (November 29) that he expects England to put up a tougher fight in the second Ashes test starting on Friday, but he conceded that a draw might be the best result they can hope for against a confident Australia. Durham paceman Harmison made a disastrous start to the Ashes series when his first ball veered off the pitch straight to second slip and he finished the first test defeat in Brisbane with figures of 1-177. Lampooned by the British and Australian media for his erratic display, England's strike bowler has spent two days working with bowling coach Kevin Shine. Harmison wrote an emotional apology about his performance in his weekly column in a British newspaper, admitting he "choked" and Hoggard said he had been just as frank with his team mates, canvassing ideas from them to resolve his problems. Hoggard said on Wednesday: "It is obviously hard to watch somebody struggling, especially in front of a lot of people and getting abuse from all sides. He openly admits he didn't bowl well, but again he has worked hard and he has been down here yesterday, he was down here at half-eight this morning putting in the hard yards and he is feeling good about his bowling now so, I think we will see a different Steve Harmison come Friday morning." Hoggard, who took 2-141 in Brisbane, said Harmison was not the only English bowler who needed to raise his game. The tourists crashed to a 277-run loss in the first of the five-test series in Brisbane and know that another defeat in Adelaide would leave them needing a miracle to retain the Ashes they won last year. Hoggard said he was certain England would play better than in Brisbane last week, but the nature of the Adelaide Oval pitch meant that winning the match would prove difficult. Adelaide is recognised as Australia's flattest test wicket and England know they face a tough task bowling the home side out twice after they racked up 804 runs for the loss of just 10 wickets in Brisbane. England's batting collapsed in the first innings when they made a paltry 157, but improved dramatically in the second lnock when they made 370. Hoggard said he was confident the English batsmen could repeat their second innings performance in Adelaide to at least force a draw and keep alive in the five game series. "We're in a five test match series, we have lost the first one, our backs against the wall, which happened over in England, we showed that we didn't lay down, we didn't die, we came back out and fought hard and it's exactly what we are going to do this time," said Hoggard. Australia named an unchanged 13-man squad for the second Ashes test. Shane Watson is ruled out with a hamstring injury. Pacemen Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson were retained in the squad and there was no recall for leg-spinner Stuart MacGill, who had been predicted to return with the Adelaide Oval pitch expected to assist the slower bowlers. Michael Clarke, a late replacement for Watson at the Gabba, stays in the squad. The Australians had few troubles dealing with Harmison in Brisbane but opening batsman Matthew Hayden told a news conference on Wednesday that they expected him to be far more dangerous in Adelaide where the ball swings more. "To me, our attitude remains pretty much like we are second still. It has carried us through now for 14 months that we have got a point to prove, so that hungry mentality straight away and that unquenchable thirst is still within our grasp and we want to make sure and continue that process on throughout the test match series"

ITN Source | November 29, 2006

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