Ashes newspaper comment from Australia

All the latest newspaper comments from Australia following England's eight-wicket victory in the third Test at Edgbaston.

HERALD SUN

Shane Warne was critical of skipper Michael Clarke’s decision to open the bowling with Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood in England’s second innings.  Warne felt Mitchell Johnson should have been given the shiny red ball, saying: “When you’re defending 121 runs and the way Johnson has a spell on a few of the English batsmen!” 

THE AGE

Greg Baum writes: “The problems begin with Clarke. He is out of form, at an age when that begins to look less like a lull and more a terminal condition. Clarke missed two tricks. He did not call on Mitchell Johnson until the ninth over, when England already was 1/47 and dropped a sitter at second slip from Bell. Both contingencies spoke of a cluttered mind."

THE AUSTRALIAN TELEGRAPH

Shaun Marsh will come in for Adam Voges for the fourth Test but the newspaper also warned: “At 32 years of age Marsh is not the future, and with a first-class record as inconsistent as his, he may be powerless to stop the rot this series.”
 
The Telegraph also reported on a blog written by Holly Wainwright on the website www.mamamia.com.au. She complained about the treatment dished out to veteran wicketkeeper Brad Haddin who was dropped for taking time out to be with his seriously ill daughter Mia.

Wainwright wrote: “A man who chose family over cricket when they needed him, and is now seemingly being punished for making the most human of decisions.”

And she took issue with one of the selectors, saying: “Rod Marsh is perhaps selling the Australian public short. There aren’t many Australians who would think that dropping a father who took time off to be with his sick child is the best thing for the country.”

CRICKET AUSTRALIA

Damien Fleming and Glenn Mcgrath have suggested Peter Siddle and Pat Cummins could be considered for selection after a below par display from Australia's quicks with Starc particularly wayward at times, although he did remove Alastair Cook with a sensational ball to open the second innings. "(Siddle) doesn't always have the tricks of swing and extra pace of the other three guys but he does bring a steadiness to the attack," said Fleming.