Australia benefit from 'all-talk' approach

Stuart MacGill believes the confusing and complicated mindset of the England squad has played into Australia's hands. As the build-up to the second Test at Edgbaston increases, MacGill, the back-up spinner, said their Ashes opponents had spent too much time talking and not enough acting.

"The Englishmen have way too many things going on between their ears," MacGill said in The Australian. "There has been so much going on prior to this series, there have been way too many complications. The fact is, this is Test-playing nation No. 2 against the top gun. If I were to be going about it from second place, I would be spending a lot of time concentrating about what I was doing rather than telling people about what I was doing and how good I was doing it."

MacGill, who was hoping to show his Test credentials before rain hit the Worcestershire tour match, said England's squad had spent too much time "looking to provide a headline". "It is a long way down from the heights England have reached in the press over the last couple of months," he said. With rain hampering the pitch preparation at Birmingham and the warm-up game, MacGill is unlikely to be considered for the second Test which starts on Thursday.