CA back-flips on banning Poms

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CRICKET Australia has back-flipped on a plan to ban Alastair Cook's Ashes squad from using its $29 million National Cricket Centre, which will be opened in Brisbane today.

Senior Cricket Australia officials were initially hoping to place the centre off limits to the English squad, who arrive in Brisbane on Sunday for Thursday week's first Test at the Gabba.

But with the ever-present fear that Australian teams could get a rough deal when they wanted to use England's National Cricket Academy in Loughborough and the acceptance that other nations are technically allowed to use the venue, Australia decided it would not object to England using the Centre if it is not booked.

But here's the catch - it is booked, very heavily.

England's cricketers have arrived in Sydney ahead of their tour match before the Ashes opener.

So far the English squad, who land in Brisbane on Sunday, have not requested use of the venue though schedules often change in Brisbane's fickle weather.

Cricket Australia performance boss Pat Howard said "anyone could use the venue" but added "the Australian team is the priority".

"Queensland Cricket would come after that," Howard said.

"There is not a lot of availability at the moment. There is no real space left. There are bits and pieces but I sense they will go to Australian teams.

"Australian cricket has to work hand in hand (with England) here but we have not had an approach. It is a joint venture but obviously Australian cricket comes first.

"It is first in best dressed. The Australian team have been getting ourselves ready for a long period over here. We know our times and structures.

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"Half the team is getting ready up here already so you are going to have a fairly strong group getting prepared early."

The NCC, to be opened by Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, features an indoor training centre with several simulated match surfaces designed to help players refine their skills on pace and spin-friendly wickets.

A new rehabilitation centre features a three-lane, 25-metre lap pool, a hot and cold plunge pool, three medical consulting rooms, a physio treatment area and a gymnasium with an anti-gravity treadmill.

Cricket Australia's High Performance staff will operate out of the new building that will also include two lecture theatres, one named after Ricky Ponting.

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Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland said the National Cricket Centre will provide the support Australian cricketers need to shine on the world stage.

"Our vision is for cricket to be Australia's favourite sport and a sport for all Australians," Sutherland said.

"There are many things we need to do to achieve that. Men's and women's teams that are on top of the world game are key to Australian cricket's popularity.

"This new facility will help us with that objective, through its work supporting the champions of today and tomorrow."

Test great Greg Chappell said the NCC would be a bonus for Australia.

"We have a really good understanding of how to use these facilities now," Chappell said.

"The place for the NCC is adding value to what already exists. It is a wonderful addition to the development pathway for Australian cricket. These sorts of centres can only do the one per centers though."

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Injured Messi out for two months

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LIONEL Messi has been ruled for out up to two months after tearing his hamstring in Barcelona's La Liga match against Real Betis on Sunday.

The Argentine international was replaced in the 19th minute of the 4-1 win over Betis at the Benito Vilamarin stadium, and Barcelona's club doctors revealed early Tuesday (AEST) that tests revealed a tear to his left leg.

"The club's medical services confirmed after tests this Monday morning that Leo Messi has a torn hamstring muscle in his left thigh and is expected to miss the next 6 to 8 weeks," Barcelona said in a statement.

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Messi has suffered three injuries already this season. The four-time World Player of the Year missed a week after bruising his thigh in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Atletico Madrid against Atletico Madrid on August 21. The forward was also out for three weeks after a small muscle tear in his right thigh in the league match against Almeria on September 28.

Despite the injury setbacks and a four-game streak without scoring, Messi has still managed 14 goals in 16 matches this season.

After Sunday's match, Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino said Messi's injury troubles were not related and his absence could never be used as en excuse for the team to not perform.

"We have the best player in the world, but we also have four or five of the next six or seven best players in the world," Martino said. "Therefore, as a coach, the absence of Messi should never be used as an excuse for not winning.

"The injury to Messi doesn't have anything to do with the previous ones because it is in the other leg."

Despite losing Messi with the score still at 0-0, Barca cruised to victory as two goals in two minutes from Neymar and Pedro Rodriguez put them 2-0 up at the break.

The first phase of Messi's recovery will be covered in Barcelona, the club said, and he will then travel to Buenos Aires for further treatment.

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Smith not thinking about Sonny

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KANGAROOS captain Cameron Smith says Australia can't afford to worry about what the Kiwis and Sonny Bill Williams are doing at the World Cup as the two powerhouses of the tournament head towards an inevitable showdown.

The two heavyweight nations of international rugby league have once again been the standout performers over the opening pool matches and England appear to be the only other side capable of ruining the dream final.

The Kangaroos lost to the Kiwis in 2008 and again in the 2010 Four Nations and for many of the senior players in the Australian side this will be their final chance for revenge.

Australia will again go into this Saturday's quarter final against the United States at just about unbackable odds - but Smith was adamant the Kangaroos would not treat the Tomahawks with disrespect.

Sonny Bill Williams of New Zealand. Source: Getty Images

"The thing about this side is that we don't underestimate anybody we play," Smith said.

"Although we'll come in as red hot favourites against most teams, we don't underestimate any opposition we're playing against and we show the respect they deserve.

"I think that's the reason why we've played so well the last couple of weeks.

"It hasn't been the best of conditions that we've played in. We haven't really had a good track to play on.

"In Cardiff blokes were slipping all over the place. Last week and (against Ireland) was wet.

"But we've still played some pretty good football. We've controlled the ball really well.

"I think in all three matches we've had a completion rate in the 80s so we're just trying to build for the big matches.

"We want to continue what we've done in the last few weeks over the next few weeks."

And while everything looks to be heading towards a clash of the titans in the final at Old Trafford on November 30, Smith said the Kangaroos need to focus not on the Kiwis but improving their own game.

He said he had watched some of New Zealand's early pool performances and it was obvious Williams was their strike weapon - just like he was with the Roosters on their charge to premiership glory in the NRL.

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"We've seen a bit of the game against PNG. They played really well, they've got a great side," Smith said.

"They played strong and physical through the middle.

"Obviously they're trying to get the ball to Sonny Bill Williams as much as they can and he's done a fair bit of damage there.

"We're not too worried about them at the moment.

"If we meet them it's going to be in a grand final of this tournament so we'll just worry about getting ourselves right for this week.

"Everyone wants to be involved in the World Cup final so whoever we come up against, they'll be hungry and we can't get ahead of ourselves trying to think about New Zealand, if they're going to be there, how they're going to play, how we're going to play against them.

"We've just got to worry about who we're playing."

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Unsettled conditions all round

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ENGLAND'S Ashes preparation continues to be unsettled by injuries and the weather, with Kevin Pietersen needing to prove his fitness at training today.

If England's star performer cannot bat without discomfort in the nets this morning he will not be chosen for the last warm-up game, a four-day match against an invitation XI at the SCG starting tomorrow.

That would leave Pietersen with just 10 balls of match batting in the lead-up to the first Test at the Gabba, beginning on Thursday week.

He is not a certainty for the Test either after requiring a cortisone injection for a knee injury last Sunday in Melbourne.

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Wicket-keeper Matt Prior has already been ruled out of the tour match after scans revealed a low grade tear of his left calf suffered in last week's washed out match against Australia A in Hobart.

The England vice-captain has also spent limited time at the crease and will need to prove his fitness before playing in the Test.

Reserve wicket-keeper batsman Jonny Bairstow will replace Prior in this match,

Not only is England's side unsettled, the Cricket Australia invitation XI they will play has become a revolving door spinning off its axis.

West Australian Adam Voges will be ruled out today with a back injury, while spinner Steve O'Keefe has been called back into the NSW team to play the Sheffield Shield match against Queensland in Brisbane, beginning tomorrow.

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Earlier yesterday CA announced that Usman Khawaja had been released back to Queensland and Phil Hughes back to South Australia, in a swap for Callum Ferguson into the invitation XI.

NSW was going to lose exciting young batsman Nic Maddinson but he is also now in the Shield team.

Originally England was to play a NSW second XI but an angry England Cricket Board demanded greater competition so a gun batsman was summarily plucked from each state, turning the team into the CA capitulation XI.

Now half the original invitational players are unlikely to front.

And bad weather continues to follow England. After more than two days of the Australia A game were washed out, it has been pouring in Sydney since England arrived on Sunday.

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The tourists were forced to train indoors yesterday and the forecast is no better for today, but there is hope that the sun will return for the opening day of the match tomorrow.

England batsman Ian Bell described his team's injury situation as "not ideal."

"It's disappointing ... Matt is a key part of our success over the last few years and obviously we want him recovered as quick as possible.

"But there's still a bit of time. Matt has got himself in fantastic condition for this tour and he'll be very good with his rehab so we've got every faith that he'll be be fully fit for Brisbane."

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Wife feared the worst for Slater

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BILLY Slater's wife Nicole has defended her husband in the wake of a nightclub attack, saying the Kangaroos superstar could have been killed after being king hit.

Slater was detained by police in Manchester after the alleged attack in the early hours of Monday morning but he was later released without being charged.

A police spokesman said Slater was the victim of a king hit and that he only defended himself.

Slater's wife posted this emotional message on Instagram:

"Someone thought it was ok to punch my husband in the face, because he thought he pushed in line. If he had king hit him and killed him I would have to raise my 2 kids alone. What has this world come to? I have already lost dad. Makes me sick. Think before u act, there is a family behind everyone. And your actions in that 2 sec can change people's lives 4 ever. This has to stop."

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Manchester police confirmed Slater had done nothing wrong and was returning to the nightclub to collect his jacket when the attack occurred at about 2.40am.

It is understood Slater was talking to the doorman and the man behind him was having an argument with the staff member from Mojo's nightclub and then turned his attention on Slater.

The police spokesman said the man punched Slater in the face and it was only after that Slater defended himself, knocking the man backwards.

Police detained both men for several hours but Slater was released without being charged and was told he could press charges.

A police spokesman said: "One of the men threw a punch at the other, so the victim retaliated and punched him back in self-defence."

Slater did not return to the team motel until after 8am when he was taken via a back entrance to his room.

The Kangaroos team management would not comment on the incident but released a statement.

"After reviewing CCTV footage of a scuffle outside a Manchester nightclub, police have determined that Slater was the victim who then acted in self-defence and has informed him of his right to press charges," a spokesman said.

"Billy was returning to the venue to collect his jacket that he left behind when he was attacked."

The Kangaroos trained yesterday afternoon but Slater was given the afternoon off.

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