The Surfer

If the Australian newspapers are to be believed, Andrew Flintoff’s men may as well pack their bags and head for home, says Simon Wilde : The mockery of the headlines was as predictable as it was scathing

Pommie-bashers revert to type and write off tourists

England’s tour rolled into Sydney for the first day of the game against New South Wales and the tourists had plenty of support

Barmy Army on alert to upset Ponting

It's Adam Gilchrist's fault

Adam's new eve

Seven first-timers make India’s tour party to South Africa relatively inexperienced

Bye, take care

Notwithstanding the somewhat surprising level of support that is being lent to the Pakistan Cricket Board, over its decision to ban Mohammad Asif for a year, it is a monumentally foolish act, one that reflects an alarming level of ineptitude, writes

A debatable punishment

Has Kevin Pietersen finally settled for the quiet life despite his love of the big stage and at his tender age

The quiet life for KP?

25-Feb-2013•ESPNcricinfo staff

Lefties' success is a right-handed compliment

Everyone has been batting the wrong way around, writes Peter Roebuck in the Sydney Morning Herald , and coaches have been barking up the wrong tree.

Post Champions Trophy, Mark Richardson counters suggestions that Brendon McCullum be moved up the order to counter New Zealand's top-order woes, citing the team's strengths

The McCullum advantage

25-Feb-2013•Kanishkaa Balachandran

Hayden prepared and ready to go

Matthew Hayden writes in the Daily Telegraph about his bonding experiences at boot camp, and also he describes how his preparations these Ashes have differed from previous campaigns

25-Feb-2013•ESPNcricinfo staff

Panesar not worried by Aussie crowds

Iain Payten writes in the Daily Telegraph about how Monty Panesar is going to deal with the local crowds during the Ashes.

Ben Dorries and Robert Craddock, writing in The Courier-Mail , report Malcolm Speed wanted to save Darrell Hair from the axe .

Speed wanted to keep Hair

25-Feb-2013•Martin Williamson

Flintoff's choices for Ashes success

The role of Andrew Flintoff is a popular topic in the Sydney Morning Herald

England will spend the next three weeks playing warm-up matches

Warming to the task not always easy for England

"Cricketer, mate, Samaritan and the most popular touring captain ever … but Australia can't show any mercy to Andrew Flintoff," writes Chloe Saltau in The Sydney Morning Herald .

Love is all-round

It is his combustible qualities that have propelled Dan Cullen to national selection at just 22, well before most offies are considered mature enough to have their patience and courage tried at international level, writes Trevor Marshallsea in The

The 'Fiery' offspinner

"Chris Gayle has been the cricketer of this tournament ," says Peter Roebuck in The Sydney Morning Herald

Gayle comes to the party

Bracewell must bite bullet

Courtney Walsh – not the former West Indies fast bowler, but a journalist for The Australian - writes about the WACA groundsman’s search for soil that he hopes will give the pitch back its speed .

Will the WACA regain its pace?