
Fast bowler Jason Gillespie was cleared on Tuesday to play for Australia in the first Ashes cricket Test against England starting on Thursday. The lanky seamer was in doubt after being sent home from Australia8217;s recent series with Pakistan after injuring a calf muscle. Australia vice-captain Adam Gilchrist was also cleared to play in the first Test after spending Monday night in hospital on an intravenous antibiotic drip to treat an elbow infection.
Australia team physiotherapist Errol Alcott said he was satisfied the wicketkeeper, who averages 58.51 with the bat and has made six Test centuries, was fit to play and would practise with the team on Wednesday. Gillespie played in a domestic limited-overs match on Saturday, but was not cleared to play against England until passing a fitness test on Tuesday.
Gough may miss entire series
LONDON: England captain Nasser Hussain conceded on Tuesday that his main strike bowler Darren Gough might miss the entire Ashes series against Australia. 8216;8216;We8217;ve learned to live without Darren in the last year,8217;8217; Hussain told BBC radio. 8216;8216;I8217;m not worried about Darren for the Ashes now, only that he gets back bowling fast for England.8217;8217; Gough, who has undergone three knee operations in the past year, has already been ruled out of the first Test starting in Brisbane on Thursday.
England can upset Aussies: Hussain
BRISBANE: Nasser Hussain believes his team is capable of pulling off an upset win in the first Ashes Test against Australia starting in two days. Despite failing to win any of their four lead-up matches and struggling with a mounting injury toll, Hussain said England could cause an upset. 8216;8216;Australia hasn8217;t seen the best of the England cricket team for a long while,8217;8217; Hussain told reporters. 8216;8216;If we had won every warm-up game it wouldn8217;t have meant anything going into Thursday.