FEDERER LEADS ALL-STAR BRISBANE LINE-UP

Four of the Top 20 men – including tennis superstar Roger Federer – will headline Brisbane International 2014 presented by Suncorp.

Seventeen-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer will lead a strong men’s field, which features Top 20 players Kei Nishikori, Gilles Simon and Kevin Anderson alongside a raft of rising talent.

Brisbane International 2013 runner-up Grigor Dimitrov returns to the Sunshine State looking to go one better in 2014, but will be forced to overcome a world class field including local hopes Lleyton Hewitt (SA), Marinko Matosevic (Vic) and 18-year-old wildcard Nick Kyrgios (ACT) in his pursuit of the title.

Brisbane International Tournament Director Cameron Pearson said the 2014 field was one of the strongest in the event’s history.

“The calibre of the field assembled for Brisbane International 2014 is one of the greatest on record, and we’re certainly looking forward to welcoming the world’s top players to Queensland Tennis Centre in December,” he said.

“To have Roger Federer and Serena Williams headline the event, and a line-up that features four of the world’s Top 20 men and six of the Top 10 women, is a remarkable result and testament to the high regard the players have for the tournament.

“It’s thanks to the incredible support the event receives from Queensland tennis fans that so many of the world’s leading players have chosen to start their 2014 campaigns here in Brisbane, and consider the tournament their ideal lead-in to the Australian Open.

“Tennis fans can certainly look forward to eight days of world class action from some of the biggest stars of the game in 2014.”

Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games Jann Stuckey said she looked forward to seeing the world’s top tennis players step onto Pat Rafter Arena in December for one of Queensland’s most highly anticipated sporting events.

“We look forward to welcoming some of the biggest names in world tennis to Brisbane International 2014, now in its sixth year, and wish all the players the very best,” Ms Stuckey said.

“I have no doubt this exceptional line-up of tennis talent will attract bumper crowds to Brisbane for the event.

“The Queensland Government is proud to support Brisbane International 2014 as part of its goal to double the annual overnight visitor expenditure from $15 billion to $30 billion by 2020.”

The official ATP field for Brisbane International 2014 is as follows:

Player – Emirates ATP Ranking
Roger Federer (SUI) – 6
Kei Nishikori (JPN) – 17
Gilles Simon (FRA) – 19
Kevin Anderson (RSA) – 20
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) – 23
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) – 27
Feliciano Lopez (ESP) – 28
Dmitry Tursunov (RUS) – 29
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) – 34
Julien Benneteau (FRA) – 35
Marin Cilic (CRO) – 37
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) – 39
Robin Haase (NED) – 43
Denis Istomin (UZB) – 45
Sam Querrey (USA) – 46
Nicolas Mahut (FRA) – 50
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) – 60
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) – 61
Marinko Matosevic (AUS) – 62
Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) – 67
Igor Sijsling (NED) – 69
Nick Kyrgios (AUS) – 186 [WC]
WC – wildcard

Source: http://www.atpworldtour.com/News/Tennis/2013/11/47/Federer-Headlines-In-Brisbane.aspx

Barmy Army: England Cricket Supporters Hit Brisbane, Head Straight to the Pub

The Barmy Army is here to support this lot. No wonder they need a drink. Getty Images Source: Getty Images

THEY'RE loud, they're proud and they threaten to drown out the Gabba crowd.

For the second time this year, Brisbane has gone barmy with the arrival of thousands of English cricket tragics ahead of tomorrow's first Ashes Test of the summer.

It follows the midyear rugby tour of the British and Irish Lions which injected millions of dollars in to the state's economy.

The Barmy Army have made Brisbane's Pig N Whistle their unofficial capital over the past two days as they warm up for another summer of chanting, sledging and drinking under the hot Aussie sun.

They were met there by former Aussie paceman Jeff Thomson, who knows a thing or two about terrorising English batsmen.

Barmy Army co-founder Paul Burnham said Queensland-raised Aussie paceman Mitchell Johnson was already in their crosshairs for some good-natured sledging in a bid to shake his confidence.

"Mitchell Johnson copped a lot of stick last time," he said.

"We think he is pretty fragile so we will target him with some of the chants we used last time and a few new ones as well.

"We'll probably give Michael Clarke a bit of a go as well, but mostly it will be about getting behind our team and being as loud and supportive as we can."

During the Lions tour, Aussie rugby fans were often drowned out by the cheers of the Brits, but Fanatics tour manager David McClatchey said Australian sports fans were slowly catching up.

"The singing and chanting is great for atmosphere, but it's always been a British or European thing that a lot of Aussie sports fans haven't really bought in to until pretty recently," he said.

A bunch of Barmy Army invaders met Jeff Thomson at the Pig and Whistle in the Brisbane CBD. Thousands of English cricket fabns have descended on brisbane for the first Ashes Test. Source: News Corp Australia

"But we're seeing in the A-League (soccer) there's plenty of singing now so the tide is turning."

Cricket Australia expects up to 50,000 British tourists during the series, with almost 10,000 packages booked through official tour channels.

Thousands more will travel independently.

Almost all of Brisbane's 10,000 hotel rooms are booked solid for the next six days, giving the city's tourism industry its biggest week in years.

Donna Rodios from leading travel agency wotif.com said bookings were up 22 per cent on Brisbane's last Ashes Test three years ago.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Daniel Gschwind said the Ashes clash would deliver huge benefit to the city.

"It's a multi-day event for a start and it stretches in to the weekend which is great when you want to fill hotels in the city," he said.

"And there is such keen interest in this contest throughout the cricket-playing world and when you think of Britain and India, they are two of our biggest markets."

Ashes 2013-14: Brisbane Ground Guide, History and Statistics

"The Harmison ball". Three words that still strike fear into any England supporter

Its official name is the Brisbane Cricket Ground, but the famous stadium on Vulture Street in the suburb of Woolloongabba is universally known as the Gabba. 

Handed Test status in 1931, the modern Gabba is not quite the "bear pit" of old, and is now capable of holding 42,000 fans in the vast stands encircling the arena in a manner not dissimilar to Melbourne's MCG.

Despite its redevelopment, the "Gabbatoir" remains an intimidating venue, where the Barmy Army trumpeter was ejected in 2006, and four years later even fans carrying bags with multiple zips  fell foul of the entry regulations.

England's poor record in the Queensland heat - only two wins in their last 17 Test visits, in 1978 and 1986 - has cemented Brisbane's place as the traditional first Test venue for each Ashes series.

Ashes Tests: 19 (Australia won 10, England won four, with five draws)

First Ashes Test: 10-16 February 1933 - a timeless Test, the fourth of the notorious "Bodyline" series. England's hero Eddie Paynter was suffering with tonsillitis when he rose from his hospital bed to make 83 in the first innings, before hitting a six to win the match and regain the Ashes in the second innings.

Highest Ashes total: 645 all out by Australia in November 1946, in the first Ashes Test after World War II. Don Bradman made 187, adding 276 with Lindsay Hassett (128).

Lowest Ashes total: 58 all out by Australia in December 1936. Needing 381 to win, they were skittled in 12.3 overs by England captain Gubby Allen (5-36) and Bill Voce (4-16).

Highest individual Ashes score: 235 not out by England's Alastair Cook on their last visit in November 2010. His match-saving innings lasted 625 minutes and 428 balls.

Most Ashes runs: 464 by ex-Australia skipper Ricky Ponting, who made two centuries and two fifties on four visits between 1998 and 2010, averaging 92.80.

Best Ashes bowling (innings): 8-71 by legendary Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne in November 1994, when he spun them to a 184-run victory and returned match figures of 11-110.

Most Ashes wickets: 22 by Aussie seamer Glenn McGrath, who collected six-wicket hauls in 1998 and 2006.

Ashes runs scored: 10,500, for the loss of 271 wickets at an average of 38.75 runs per wicket.

Ashes boundaries: 1,073 (1,041 fours, 32 sixes)

Venue: The Gabba, Brisbane

Date: 21-25 November

   

Start time: 00:00 GMT

Coverage: Ball-by-ball Test Match Special commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC Radio 4 Long Wave and via the BBC iPlayer Radio app, BBC Sport website & BBC Sport app; updates on BBC Radio 5 live; live text commentary on BBC Sport website, app & mobile devices