THE GOSSIP: YOUR DAILY ROUND-UP OF THE CRICKETING WORLD

Ponting consoles Renshaw, Ganguly praises Kohli and Prior slates Sussex

Every weekday The Cricketer gathers the latest news, views and stories from across the web. Here's today's handy bundle...

Cameron Bancroft impressed when he came up against a Test bowling attack in a domestic four-day game earlier in the season while wicketkeeper Tim Paine will bring a great presence to the Australia Test team, according to captain Steve Smith. (Cricket365)

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting shares some personal advice with sacked opener Matt Renshaw. (cricket.com.au)

Channel 9 is being criticised for its promotional picture of its Ashes commentary team. (Huffington Post)

Former India skipper Sourav Ganguly hailed the way current captain Virat Kohli has come out in support of an under-fire MS Dhoni in the twilight of his career. (India Today)

Sussex legend Matt Prior has accused his former county of going soft. The ex-England wicketkeeper says some people have been made scapegoats for the club’s declining fortunes. (The Argus)

Pakistan off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez has decided to skip the Bangladesh Premier League and work on his faulty bowling action after the ICC suspended him from bowling with immediate effect. (DNA India)

Shaun Marsh's return to Australia's line-up for the first Ashes Test at the Gabba has caused a stir among cricket fans. (ABC)

Former Pakistan head coach, Waqar Younis believes cricket boards need to increase their monitoring of franchise based T20 leagues and educate the players to keep the sport clean of corruption. (PTI)

Tom Blundell averaged 55 in first-class cricket last summer and after back-to-back unbeaten innings at the Basin Reserve he's timing his run nicely for a potential New Zealand Test debut. (stuff.co.nz)

Sydney Thunder boss Lee Germon is disappointed with the timing of Canberra's Big Bash bid, but backs an ACT team and feels the best way to get that is to sell out January 24. (WA Today)

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