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| England upbeat for Ashes finale | England upbeat for Ashes finale |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| England head into the final Test against Australia desperate to avoid the ignominy of a whitewash. | England head into the final Test against Australia desperate to avoid the ignominy of a whitewash. |
| An Ashes clean sweep has happened only once before, in 1920-21, and England say they are determined to stop history repeating itself. | An Ashes clean sweep has happened only once before, in 1920-21, and England say they are determined to stop history repeating itself. |
| "We're taking this Test in isolation," said captain Andrew Flintoff. | "We're taking this Test in isolation," said captain Andrew Flintoff. |
| "I don't want to be the captain that loses 5-0 and the team don't want to be the team that gets beaten 5-0, so there is still a lot to play for." | "I don't want to be the captain that loses 5-0 and the team don't want to be the team that gets beaten 5-0, so there is still a lot to play for." |
| Interview: England captain Andrew Flintoff Interview: Australia's Justin Langer | Interview: England captain Andrew Flintoff Interview: Australia's Justin Langer |
| Despite continued media speculation, Flintoff denied there was a rift in the England camp and said the mood was upbeat ahead of the Sydney match. | Despite continued media speculation, Flintoff denied there was a rift in the England camp and said the mood was upbeat ahead of the Sydney match. |
| "The side are up for this last Test. We feel we have a point to prove," he added. | "The side are up for this last Test. We feel we have a point to prove," he added. |
| Sydney traditionally favours spin and England are considering a twin-spin attack with off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple joining Monty Panesar with fast bowler Sajid Mahmood possibly making way. | Sydney traditionally favours spin and England are considering a twin-spin attack with off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple joining Monty Panesar with fast bowler Sajid Mahmood possibly making way. |
| It will be Langer, Warne and McGrath's final Test for Australia | It will be Langer, Warne and McGrath's final Test for Australia |
| But Australia are confident in their solitary spin wizard Shane Warne, who after 144 Tests and 706 wickets is calling it a day. | But Australia are confident in their solitary spin wizard Shane Warne, who after 144 Tests and 706 wickets is calling it a day. |
| It will be his last Test hurrah, along with veteran seam bowler Glenn McGrath and opening batsman Justin Langer as the golden generation retires. | It will be his last Test hurrah, along with veteran seam bowler Glenn McGrath and opening batsman Justin Langer as the golden generation retires. |
| And it will also be the last Test match in charge for Australia coach John Buchanan, who will quit after the World Cup, after eight years at the helm. | And it will also be the last Test match in charge for Australia coach John Buchanan, who will quit after the World Cup, after eight years at the helm. |
| Australia are set to name an unchanged side as Ricky Ponting aims to become the first captain since Warwick Armstrong 86 years ago to beat England 5-0. | Australia are set to name an unchanged side as Ricky Ponting aims to become the first captain since Warwick Armstrong 86 years ago to beat England 5-0. |
| Warne said: "We're all enjoying it as much as we can - it's not about Warne and McGrath, it's about the side - a whitewash is what we want." | Warne said: "We're all enjoying it as much as we can - it's not about Warne and McGrath, it's about the side - a whitewash is what we want." |
| Ponting said Australia need to remain focused if they want to achieve the rare feat of a clean-sweep. | Ponting said Australia need to remain focused if they want to achieve the rare feat of a clean-sweep. |
| "As long as we all keep our emotions in check, then hopefully the performances that we've been putting on the board can continue," he said. | "As long as we all keep our emotions in check, then hopefully the performances that we've been putting on the board can continue," he said. |
| 606: DEBATE Does this present Ashes tour by England represent the lowest point for English cricket in living memory? Bert 606: Have your say | |
| He also praised Buchanan for helping to main Australia's number one position in Test and one-day cricket. | He also praised Buchanan for helping to main Australia's number one position in Test and one-day cricket. |
| "He's been coaching a very talented team. What you've seen some of the players do has been a lot of the time pretty extraordinary, so he's got to take a lot of the credit for that," Ponting added. | "He's been coaching a very talented team. What you've seen some of the players do has been a lot of the time pretty extraordinary, so he's got to take a lot of the credit for that," Ponting added. |
| SCG head curator Tom Parker said the Test wicket had a good covering of grass and moisture. | SCG head curator Tom Parker said the Test wicket had a good covering of grass and moisture. |
| "I've been monitoring the moisture in this pitch, just keeping it topped up to keep the seal in the pitch," Parker said Monday. | "I've been monitoring the moisture in this pitch, just keeping it topped up to keep the seal in the pitch," Parker said Monday. |
| On day three you'll start to see the turn come into the game SCG head curator Tom Parker | |
| "I think it will be fine. There will be no more moisture than you would normally see in the pitch. | "I think it will be fine. There will be no more moisture than you would normally see in the pitch. |
| "The ball will probably move around for the first session and a half, especially if we get the cloudy conditions here at the SCG. | "The ball will probably move around for the first session and a half, especially if we get the cloudy conditions here at the SCG. |
| "You've seen that when it's cloudy, the ball seems to swing through the air a bit and then it should settle down and by day two it'll be a good batting pitch and then on day three you'll start to see the turn come into the game." | "You've seen that when it's cloudy, the ball seems to swing through the air a bit and then it should settle down and by day two it'll be a good batting pitch and then on day three you'll start to see the turn come into the game." |
| The start of the match could be held up as showers are forecast in Sydney but there is set to be fine weather for the rest of the Test. | The start of the match could be held up as showers are forecast in Sydney but there is set to be fine weather for the rest of the Test. |
| Teams: Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (captain), Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Johnson. | Teams: Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (captain), Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath, Mitchell Johnson. |
| England (from): Andrew Flintoff (captain), Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Chris Read, Jamie Dalrymple, Sajid Mahmood, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Monty Panesar. | England (from): Andrew Flintoff (captain), Andrew Strauss, Alastair Cook, Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Chris Read, Jamie Dalrymple, Sajid Mahmood, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Monty Panesar. |