On Monday Michael Beer is expected to be handed a baggy green three weeks after he was the latest slow bowler to be parachuted into Australia's Test squad

Australia are looking for a new bowling coach with Troy Cooley leaving to head their Centre of Excellence, but Glenn McGrath won't be applying

Graeme Swann insists there will be no hangover from England's Ashes-retaining heroics in Melbourne as they eye a first series win in Australia in 24 years

Basic skill issues have not being identified and fixed by the Australia's bulging batch of professional support staff

Brad Haddin spent his first full day as Australia's vice-captain insisting Michael Clarke, his new master, is the right man for the top job

Michael Clarke is prepared for even more criticism in his latest role, but he knows captaining Australia is about achieving good results rather than winning the popular vote

From hanging around the gates of the SCG to catch a glimpse of his heroes as a young boy, Usman Khawaja is now at the cusp of making his Test debut in Sydney on Monday

When thinking and grumbling about Ricky Ponting in his current state, don't forget that he has been Australia's best batsman since Bradman

Michael Clarke is Australia's 43rd Test captain after succeeding the injured Ricky Ponting for Monday's fifth Ashes Test in Sydney

Ricky Ponting knows his case to hold on to the captaincy is not strong, but he is desperate to retain the job and lift Australia from their lowest period since the mid-1980s

Ricky Ponting was asked before the Ashes series started to consider moving from No.3, but only in the past fortnight has he considered shifting from his home of nine years

Shane Watson says it will be "shattering" and "horrendous" to be part of the first Australian side in 24 years to finish a home Ashes series without the urn

His team needed a huge score, but Australia's captain managed just 20 as the end of a career looms larger

Plays of the day from the MCG as the fourth Ashes Test continues

Ryan Harris is expected to undergo surgery for a stress fracture on his left ankle after suffering an injury that threatens to curtail his promising Test career

Peter Siddle was Australia's everywhere man, including a brief stint as a self-appointed on-field spokesman, as the hosts tried but failed to stay in touch with England at the MCG

Plays of the day from the second day between Australia and England at the MCG

Ricky Ponting finally cracked under the strain of impending Ashes defeat when he picked a series of arguments with the umpires and Kevin Pietersen after the batsman correctly survived a caught-behind referral

"What can you do?" Michael Clarke and the Australians are almost out of answers on how to fix Australia's regular batting collapses

Plays of the day as the Boxing Day Test gets underway at the MCG