What's On Ipswich: Shane Watson returns to home town of Ipswich to help lift locals' spirits

What's On Ipswich: Shane Watson returns to home town of Ipswich to help lift locals' spirits

Business Lessons from the Ashes

Over the past few months our cricketers have taken an absolute battering at the hands of the English Cricket team.

The batsmen aren't performing and nor are the bowlers.

Why?

Here's what I think:

I believe every action has an equal and opposite reaction.

So let's look at what's happened with Australian cricket over the past few years. We've lost

Adam Gilchrist
Matthew Hayden
Justin Langer
Damien Martyn
Glen McGrath
Shane Warne

... just to name a few.

Our team is almost entirely new.

And the way a team performs whether it's in business or sport all depends on who you have on the bus.

According to the classic book, Good to Great, where the most successful businesses were studied to find out what made them so successful...

One of the most important things to any company is having the right people.

It's no different with the Australian cricket team.

In my view, changing captains isn't going to do it... changing coaches isn't going to do it... certainly not in a hurry.

It's building (or replacing) the team we currently have which will turn things around.

That's how we'll get back to being world leaders again.

The lesson for us in business is to always be looking for the best people...

Whether that be someone you outsource work to such as an accountant... a web designer... a copywriter...a virtual assistant... or a graphic designer.

Or whether it be those you employ.

You must make it a number one priority to seek out the best people and get them on your bus.

Otherwise you could just end up falling from grace like the Australian cricket team.

(Source: article by Scott Bywater)

Ashes Cricket Special at Metro Apartments on Bank Place, Melbourne

Select one of the following Ashes Cricket Accommodation Special's at Metro Apartments on Bank Place:

$190.00* per night staying in a One Bedroom Apartment (3 night Stay)
$175.00* per night staying in a Studio Apartment (3 night Stay)
$165.00* per night staying in a Hotel Queen (3 night Stay)

All Ashes Cricket Accommodation Special's also includes a Bottle of Wine on Arrival

Book this Ashes Cricket Special at Metro Apartments on Bank Place

View Metro Apartments on Bank Place webpage

Terms and Conditions:

Must book a minimum of 3 nights
Offer valid 26th December to 30th December (inclusive)
Subject to Availability
Terms and conditions apply

www.MetroHotels.com.au

Ashes Cricket Special at Metro Hotel Tower Mill, Brisbane

Metro Hotel Tower Mill has the following Ashes Accommodation Specials: (24th-29 November 2010)

Stay in a Budget Room $240.00*
Stay in a Twin or Double Room $280.00*
Stay in a Park view Room $290.00*
Stay in a Family Room $400.00*

Ashes Super Special: book and prepay for 5 nights and get a 20% discount on all accommodation

Book this Ashes Cricket Special at Metro Hotel Tower Mill

View Metro Hotel Tower Mill

Terms and Conditions:

Offer valid for bookings from 24th-29th November (Inclusive)
Rates are for room only
Subject availability
If guest checks out under 5 days no refund

Australia's Ashes Plans Get Serious - Ashes 2010

Australia's Ashes planning started from the moment of Michael Hussey's dismissal at The Oval last August, but it will take a step up early this week when the team's senior figures meet in Melbourne. Even though Australia face India, the Test No.1, in October, the talks will be dominated by England's visit.

Not since 1986-87 have England lifted the urn in Australia and a central theme of the hosts' Ashes planning conference on Monday and Tuesday is not letting it happen again. Home advantage has been crucial in the past three series between the teams, but this time age could also be a determining factor in the campaign that begins at the Gabba on November 25.

If Peter Siddle, Brad Haddin and Nathan Hauritz all prove their fitness before then, which is the hope of the national selection panel, Australia could field an outfit that has only one change from the one that lost by 197 runs in south London. Stuart Clark played instead of Hauritz in that match and when the Gabba game starts three of the preferred top six - Ricky Ponting, Simon Katich and Michael Hussey - will be 35.

England have eased to a 2-0 lead in the current series against Pakistan, who drew with Australia last month, and are benefitting from an injection of young talent. Only four of their players are over 30 and they boast the impressive Steve Finn, a 21-year-old fast bowler. Overall, it makes England the most confident of a win in Australia since the last time, when they were beaten 5-0.

Michael Brown, Cricket Australia's general manager of cricket, said the Ashes planning conference would take in a range of items. "All of the Australian team management, including Ricky Ponting, are all coming down to talk about what is the ultimate preparation," he said.

Discussions will also focus on how to juggle workloads ahead of the World Cup, as well as making sure all squad members gain enough game-time in the 50-over genre. On Friday Cricket Australia revealed its split-innings format for domestic matches, meaning the only traditional one-day fixtures will occur at international level in the country in 2010-11.

The Ashes rivalry took another twist last week when John Buchanan joined the England camp to help them prepare. Justin Langer, one of Buchanan's success stories as Australia's coach, is not concerned by the appointment.

"John was one of the greatest coaches I ever worked with so it's a positive for England," Langer said in the Daily Telegraph. "But I also strongly believe that at the end of the day, when James Anderson or Stuart Broad run in to bowl the first ball in Brisbane to Simon Katich or Shane Watson, it won't matter what coaches England have got.

"It's going to be about who's got the biggest balls, who's going to stare down their opponent, who's going to win those battles. That's what it comes down to in Test cricket."

Still Chasing accomodation? Metro Hotels have Ideal options in nearby cricket ground locations

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Ashes 2010-2011 Cricket Series Tickets on Sale!

Ticket On Sale Dates for the 3 mobile Ashes Series 2010/11:

CRICKET AUSTRALIA TRAVEL OFFICE TRAVEL PACKAGES
ACF Priority Period - 12pm 24 February 2010 to 5pm 28 February 2010 AEDST
General Public - 12pm 1 March 2010 AEDST

TICKETS ONLY
Australian Cricket Family - Wednesday 14 July 2010.
General Public - Tuesday 20 July

Australian Cricket Family - Wednesday 14 July 2010.
General Public - Tuesday 20 July

The release date of tickets in the ACF priority period will be staggered over three days:
14 - 19 July - Matches in Queensland and South Australia
15 - 19 July - Matches in New South Wales and Tasmania
16 - 19 July - Matches in Western Australia and Victoria

Overseas-based ACF members will have access to tickets once they go on sale to the General Public on Tuesday 20 July.

Sign up for the ACF priority access offer by joining the Australian Cricket Family here.

See Cricket Australia Website

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Australia look to Ashes with contract list

Australia's selectors have outlined their plans for the Ashes and next year's World Cup after retaining faith in their recent influx of emerging talent. Andrew Hilditch's panel dropped a couple of senior bowlers in Stuart Clark and Nathan Bracken, but gave full-time contracts to the fresh quicks Ryan Harris and Clint McKay for 2010-11.

Steven Smith, the exciting allrounder from New South Wales, wins his first spot in the 25-man list while Tasmania's Tim Paine has replaced Graham Manou as the back-up keeper. Andrew McDonald seems fortunate to hold his place, although he will come into contention for the tour of England, and Callum Ferguson, the South Australia batsman, is retained despite not playing since a knee reconstruction in October. Shaun Tait remains in favour while David Hussey misses out, and Brad Hodge's first-class retirement officially ended his remote chances of another deal.

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