The Surfer

Forest Green boss Gary Owers told BBC Radio Gloucestershire: "Jack has got an interest in the goalkeeping side.

Periods of the England captaincy brought on mouth ulcers and sore throats for me. Does Vaughan suffer any physical symptoms of stress? "Throughout the Oval Test I had a lump in my stomach. It was more than just the knotty feeling you get when you're nervous, and it just sat there and wouldn't go away. I didn't enjoy that match at all. I felt physically sick for most of it. I knew we hadn't got enough runs in the first innings and that it was going down to the wire."

At the start of the year the plan was just to help South Australia develop a team that's going to be pretty good for the future. I think we've done that. We're ahead of the game really, and we're playing a lot better this year than we thought we were going to. I've been lucky to get some big runs – 300 not out doesn't hurt your average.

Now he's one of our best allrounders. A cricketer capable of breathtaking efforts. Whether it was the rhythmical press of his bowling arm, an effortless skimming return from a distant boundary or a primitive onslaught with a bat he claimed attention. His journey hasn't been all plain sailing. Despite his athletic grace his list of injuries is like a lecture on anatomy. He missed almost half the tests he could have played.

Ponting might do well to make a frank assessment of his core cricketing and sporting beliefs. He might then pin his faith, and the fortunes and reputation of his team, in those, and be judged as captain on that basis.

To all the doomsayers out there, I have absolutely no doubt I'll be playing in next year's World Cup. The reason I say this is because I feel as good as I've ever felt.

Dennis Lillee aside, McGrath is the greatest fast bowler this country has produced. He will be an important part of the Ashes campaign next summer but beyond that is hard to predict.