Indeed, Don, get someone in with a bit of nouse and a lot of passion.

WB, Johnson has previous where the Saffers are concerned, he tore them apart the last series but one in SA. It was after that when the powers that be in Cricket Australia decided that his action need changing. All it did was stuff it up. It has taken since then for him to get back to what we see today. Nothing to do with drugs, if you can't bowl to start with, no amount of drugs will enable you to start bowling like he does. If you want to blame anything or anybody, blame Dennis Lillee and Craig McDermott for rehabilitating MJ.

Sam Burgess has signed with Bath from the finish of the NRL 2014 season. Bath have paid out the final two years of his contract with Souths, apparently just short of $1 mill.

interesting to see Sam Burgess going to Union. Must be big money in it. Good luck to him.

A few years back, Johnson was the bowler he is today. For some reason, the Aussie coaches wanted to change his action so that it would induce more swing. The evidence was for all to see in the tour of the English summer. He was soooo bad, and it continued until the past English summer, but he regained much of his original action (down to Lillee, maybe). We'll see if he can reduce the saffers the way he did those years back. I hope he can. Apropos KP, if there's no one better at the moment to replace him, why shaft him. He can be the game breaker, he's proved it many times before.

Done! and Neekoy, talk to me sometime, you might learn something, rather than make some bland uninformed comment.

Indeed, Neekoy. This is the mental disintegration that Steve Waugh wanted to achieve. Get the foot on the throat and don't let up. It's what any top team would do. It's the only way to maintain dominance.

I'd tend to agree with you TS, but I'm half tempted after the comments of mid 2013 from the northern hemisphere. Seriously, test cricket is the be all and end all for me. Some of the best games have ended in draws.

Finn to return home "early". WTF is going on?

or a guy that can see an opportunity in a country other than that of his birth. Not that was me, I started on an adventure, and liked what I saw, and the rest, they say, is history. however, it's 1-0 in the one dayers, but that's the way the lottery goes

Or an England fan spending thousands to come over here to live and still see that nonsense.

www.whitepages.com.au in the appropriate place type in Channel Nine and it will bring up various numbers you can call and see if they will give you the information required. Ever thought that his form was somehow tied in with his daughters illness, or is that too difficult? Sorry for being a bit blunt, but it does seem obvious. Finally, how many keepers are guilty of what you are accusing Haddin of? Just about every keeper in every test side that ever existed. He's not the first, he won't be the last. Sorry, Don, forgot one thing. It's late, I'm off to bed, goodnight.

And I'm telling you where to get it from, it's your call. As for respect, there's been little of that for the Australians over the last five or six years. I remember Ponting talking a hit in the face and copping a huge round of laughter at his unfortunate hit. I remember the great rounds of laughter at Johnson and his wayward bowling. No respect there, just a case of "when you've got em down, keep em there". So the shoe is on the other foot now. So what is the difference, Aussies today, Brits tomorrow. That'd be the bloke that welcomed him back as well after his daughter recovered enough, I'd suggest, so there's not much more I could say either, Don. edit: Don, that's a Fox link, which says it all. Coaches, batting, bowling, head coach, physios etc, apparently it's a tradition.

Who? Swann?

Don, you obviously listened to Channel 9's release of Clarke's "abuse", ask them when they'll release the "English" version. Why do I think that you'll not want to do it? I can only relay the comments made by the commentators. Since when was abuse levelled at an opposition player limited to veteran test players? Did Bailey threaten to smash Jimmy in the face?, Did he threaten him with physical violence? I'll repeat yet again: It is not one sided, both sides were involved in sledging. Look, you lost. You lost badly. Cook et al have got over it, though the backroom boys didn't show up for the presentation and show respect to the winners after the game. That was poor form. Any comments about that? That is the pits, his daughter was sick with some kind of leukemia, and he's supposed to be focusing on cricket. Don, tell me where your thoughts would be?

Don, what about the abuse from JA to Bailey? Care to comment? Jimmy telling Bailey he'd smash him in the face? That's why Clarke told him to expect a broken arm. I will say again, it is not one sided. If you can't take it, don't dish it out. edit: Today, I've seen written that England had "doctored" the pitches to suit their bowlers during the last tour earlier in 2013. Scource: Michael Vaughan. I also heard the same from Jonathon Agnew on the ABC 7.30 report tonight.

Bryan, I won't accuse you of being a sore loser, least of all on a monday morning when you don't want to be there. That's punishment enough, and your response is, as always, polite and to the point. I think that Warner said that after Trott left the touring party, if I'm not mistaken. I'm sure, though that he later apologised for his comments because he was unaware of Trott's condition. I think that you'll find that he will be a different man in the future. Don, did you see the summer edition of "Australian Story" on ABC yesterday, about Ricky Ponting. Very informative about the growing up of a kid that was totally devoted to playing the game. It went through his younger days and through the problems he had, where some guy gave him a black eye at some ungodly hour one day. He had to go on TV and apologise in the most humiliating way. It was something far worse than Warner was involved in, and he became one of the best batsman in the world. Again, I would ask what Haddin has done that many a wicket keeper before him hasn't done. He hasn't chucked jelly babies in front of batsmen, he hasn't been found with dirt in his pocket that might be used to work on the ball, he hasn't moved fielders around whilst the bowler has been running in. The only thing I can find about Haddin, is that he is a total team man, a total family man (that's why he returned from the WI) he lost his spot because of his daughters illness and regained it through determination and a will to succeed. So in that regard, I'd say that Haddin is a great role model, putting family before career. He deserves everything that comes his way.

Bryan, I'm not being mischievous or anything, but just how were the Aussies worse, particularly Haddin (Warner, I can see there is a thing about after chinning Root). But Haddin, he's just a competitive bloke, always has been. Both of them have been no different from many English players over the years. Is it because they topped the batting averages?

says it all Don.

A couple of observations: Ozz, there are two or three bowlers who, I believe, are better than Johnson. The problem was (for Australia) that they were young and prone to injury. They are being rehabilitated and will be unleashed (again) in the not too distant future. Had Swann not found it all too hard, then England, imho, would not have lost the fifth test. I couldn't believe that Cook won the toss and bowled. Having to bat last on the Sydney track was tantamount to saying to the Aussies, "here's the 5-0 you want". Had Swann been there then Cook would have batted, given the history of the track. Finally, I thought that England would win the series. To me it was a series too early for the Aussies. I expected them to come good or show improvement towards the end of 2015, but I'll take it 12 months early. So plaudits to a new (ish) coach, and to the emergence of a captain who was somewhat tentative to begin with, to one who has decided to be positive and agressive in the field. Just what cricket should be. "Under the Southern Cross I stand, sprig of wattle in my hand..........." An afterthought: This is the first time in an Ashes series that all 100 wickets (5 tests x 20 wickets) of the losing side have fallen.

Goodness, some of you guys seemed to have missed the point. Yes we have a problem, yes they have a problem, but, let's solve our own, before we worry about others. The gist is, keep the focus on the Rovers rather than other teams. They've got enough supporters to do their worrying. Tomphil, take the point of your first sentence, and I have noticed.

Why is everyone concerned about other football teams problems? Does it change our own teams situation? OK, it's a problem, but let's fight our own battles, win them, and then bother obout other teams.

Don, having been in Sri Lanka recently, they were and still are more concerned about Gilchrist's "half squash ball in the glove" incident. Do we need to talk about the flak Ponting got in England? Or Warne? They both copped it big time, from the crowds, the opposition and the scum press over there. As said before Don, swings and roundabouts. When it's one sided, I'll agree with you, but it's not. btw, Happy New Year (seriously)

Don, what on earth has Lehmann done to deserve your ire? He's been the Aussie coach for a whole nine? tests. He's brought a contest to the ashes, even in the 3-0 in England (where it was a lot closer than the 3-0 would suggest). Not the most brilliant of test cricketers, but one with a passion for the game, and so far, one that has united a fractured change room and got a team winning again. If he were the coach of any team that was down, be it England, India, SA, Sri Lanka, hell, even NZ, I'd be pleased for him and them, because it increases the level of competition and makes the whole spectacle better. He's a blokes bloke, if you get my meaning. You could meet him in a bar and have a chat over a beer and he'd make you feel like his mate; just like McGrath, or Gilchrist or Marsh or Botham or Dwight Yorke (I mention him, cause the wife's cousin met him in a Sydney bar and said he was a fantastic guy). Sport (in general) needs guys that the ordinary Joe Blow can relate and talk to.