Date:23/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/23/stories/2008092351091700.htm

Sport

Aussies arrive

Mumbai: The Ricky Ponting-led Australian cricket team arrived here on Monday afternoon at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport for the eagerly awaited Test series against host India and then proceeded straightaway to Jaipur.

The squad, which advanced its arrival by a week following the cancellation of the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, is to commence the official part of the tour on September 29 once it reaches Hyderabad, according to the Cricket Board.

The squad did not come out of the international terminal on arrival via Dubai and went to the domestic terminal to board the flight to Jaipur.

The team is scheduled to play a few practice games in Jaipur against the Rajasthan Cricket Academy team before reaching Hyderabad to start the official part of the tour with a four-day warm-up game. The four-Test series commences at Bangalore on October 9.

The second to fourth Test matches are to be held at Mohali (Oct 17-21), Delhi (Oct 29-Nov 2) and Nagpur (Nov 6-10).

The squad: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Clarke (vice-captain) Doug Bollinger, Stuart Clark, Brad Haddin (wk), Mathew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques, Mitchell Johnswon, Simon Katich, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Bryce McGain, Peter Siddle and Shane Watson. — PTI