Sports minister confident of Australian cricket’s recovery
By IANSFriday, January 7, 2011
MELBOURNE - Australian sports minister Mark Arbib is disappointed by baggy greens’ 1-3 loss in the Ashes series but is confident they will recover from the humiliating defeat.
Arbib suggested the government has already provided enough funding to preserve the sport into the future, stressing that Cricket Australia (CA) has “received the highest level of participation funding of any sport”.
“As an Australian, I share the disappointment of all Australians at the loss of the Ashes series,” Arbib was quoted as saying in The Australian.
“But while we all are saddened by the result, we should never forget Australian cricket has led the way globally for almost two decades and will recover.”
Australia has been comprehensively outplayed by England this summer, winning only one Test in five-match series.
It is the first time Australia has lost the Ashes at home in 24 years and Australian captain Ricky Ponting has become the first since Billy Murdoch in the late 19th century to lose three series to England.
