Cricket: Wright gets help from Ashes mastermind

Rest of the World cricket coach John Wright will next month have the services of an Englishman who helped plot Australia's downfall in the recent Ashes series.

Tim Boon, England's video analyst-cum-coach, will help former New Zealand captain Wright with the latest information on Australia's players, while England's physiotherapist is also attached to the World squad.

"Tim should be able to give us a line on what they did and then it's up to our side to perform," said Wright who watched plenty of the riveting Ashes series himself.

Wright, who leaves today for Melbourne to start planning and preparation for the three-match one-day series and one-off six-day test, said Australia will not lack for motivation after the 1-2 Ashes series defeat.

"They have so much to play for and won't want to give their selectors the opportunity to make any more changes to the side.

"Before their home crowds we expect nothing less than a real fight on our hands."

Wright was a little concerned that some of the World squad had been playing minimal competitive cricket lately, including the South Africans, and star West Indies batsman Brian Lara.

Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar, recovering from elbow surgery, yesterday pulled out of the series.

"Some of those guys will probably want a decent workout while some of the others, like the England boys, won't need much."

Wright said the series gives World players the chance to inflict some of the pain Australia has poured on others as the long-standing world No 1.

"I'm sure they will be keen to ram home what England achieved."

Wright, the former coach of India, did not see himself doing any fine-tuning to players' techniques given the quality of players under his control.

"I'll be just making sure the practices are organised and they can do as much or as little as they need."

Wright said the last world series was some 30 years ago, but people still talked about an innings of 254 played by Sir Garfield Sobers.

Wright was reluctant to comment on the changes made by Australia to their team for the series, saying he usually concentrated largely on his own charges.

Damien Martyn, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz were dropped from Australian test side while opener Matthew Hayden was axed from the one-day team this week.

The World squad are due to assemble in Melbourne on September 28.

New Zealand's only player, spinner Daniel Vettori, will miss the beginning of the Black Caps' one-day tour to South Africa if he plays in the test that runs from October 14-19 in Sydney.

- nzpa