Romeo
22 Oct 2006, 12:47
Ashes setbacks for Hayden, MacGill
MATTHEW Hayden has been attacked by a dog and Stuart MacGill suspended for misconduct in bizarre setbacks to Australia's Ashes preparations.
Hayden was attacked while out jogging on Friday during a visit to his parents' property at Kingaroy and was taken by a neighbour to hospital with a gashed ankle. Test leg-spinner MacGill was suspended from the NSW team until November 2 after a run-in with an umpire in club cricket.
Hayden said his dog bite wound, about 5cm long, would remain open for several days to minimise the risk of infection before it was stitched.
"It was a vicious attack," Hayden said last night after being cleared of tendon or ligament damage.
"I was just out for a leisurely run. You are always a bit shocked by that sort of thing, but I was more disappointed than anything.
"It just hasn't been my week."
Hayden was already out of cricket for two weeks after breaking a finger taking a catch in last week's Pura Cup match against Tasmania.
Hayden said there was no doubt surrounding his fitness for the first Test against England at the Gabba starting on November 23.
MacGill's suspension leaves him sidelined for Wednesday's one-day match against Queensland at the Gabba and the Pura Cup game against the Bulls that starts on Friday.
The fiery leg-spinner pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly and improper conduct, but has appealed against the severity of the sentence.
A Cricket NSW spokesman said last night the appeal was expected to be heard tomorrow. The Blues players leave for Brisbane on Tuesday and MacGill could join the team on the flight if the appeal is upheld.
He is desperate to press his claims for an Ashes call-up, believing the Australians erred by not playing two spinners against England in several Tests on last year's tour.
Cricket NSW has not officially announced MacGill's suspension and his manager, Leo Karis, said he was unaware of the situation.
MacGill allegedly swore at an umpire while playing for Sydney University against Campbelltown-Camden last Saturday.
His team was forced to bat a man short yesterday in their chase for 340 -- a target they reached for the loss of seven wickets.
The flare-up occurred as MacGill was taking six wickets on the first day of the match.
Umpires Terry Keel and Bill Hendricks would not comment on the MacGill incident after yesterday's play.
MacGill looms as a key player in this summer's Ashes campaign, with the possibility he could join forces with Shane Warne in a dual leg-spin attack.
He took a career-best 8-108 against Bangladesh in the first Test in April. He took his total of Test wickets to 198 on that tour and is poised to become only the 13th Australian to pass the 200-wicket milestone.
MacGill has played only 40 Tests in achieving his total and would trail only Australian legends Clarrie Grimmett (36) and Dennis Lillee (38), and Pakistan's Waqar Younis (38) in reaching the mark in fewer Tests.
MATTHEW Hayden has been attacked by a dog and Stuart MacGill suspended for misconduct in bizarre setbacks to Australia's Ashes preparations.
Hayden was attacked while out jogging on Friday during a visit to his parents' property at Kingaroy and was taken by a neighbour to hospital with a gashed ankle. Test leg-spinner MacGill was suspended from the NSW team until November 2 after a run-in with an umpire in club cricket.
Hayden said his dog bite wound, about 5cm long, would remain open for several days to minimise the risk of infection before it was stitched.
"It was a vicious attack," Hayden said last night after being cleared of tendon or ligament damage.
"I was just out for a leisurely run. You are always a bit shocked by that sort of thing, but I was more disappointed than anything.
"It just hasn't been my week."
Hayden was already out of cricket for two weeks after breaking a finger taking a catch in last week's Pura Cup match against Tasmania.
Hayden said there was no doubt surrounding his fitness for the first Test against England at the Gabba starting on November 23.
MacGill's suspension leaves him sidelined for Wednesday's one-day match against Queensland at the Gabba and the Pura Cup game against the Bulls that starts on Friday.
The fiery leg-spinner pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly and improper conduct, but has appealed against the severity of the sentence.
A Cricket NSW spokesman said last night the appeal was expected to be heard tomorrow. The Blues players leave for Brisbane on Tuesday and MacGill could join the team on the flight if the appeal is upheld.
He is desperate to press his claims for an Ashes call-up, believing the Australians erred by not playing two spinners against England in several Tests on last year's tour.
Cricket NSW has not officially announced MacGill's suspension and his manager, Leo Karis, said he was unaware of the situation.
MacGill allegedly swore at an umpire while playing for Sydney University against Campbelltown-Camden last Saturday.
His team was forced to bat a man short yesterday in their chase for 340 -- a target they reached for the loss of seven wickets.
The flare-up occurred as MacGill was taking six wickets on the first day of the match.
Umpires Terry Keel and Bill Hendricks would not comment on the MacGill incident after yesterday's play.
MacGill looms as a key player in this summer's Ashes campaign, with the possibility he could join forces with Shane Warne in a dual leg-spin attack.
He took a career-best 8-108 against Bangladesh in the first Test in April. He took his total of Test wickets to 198 on that tour and is poised to become only the 13th Australian to pass the 200-wicket milestone.
MacGill has played only 40 Tests in achieving his total and would trail only Australian legends Clarrie Grimmett (36) and Dennis Lillee (38), and Pakistan's Waqar Younis (38) in reaching the mark in fewer Tests.