Ponting and Clarke a worry

James Lawton, writing in the Independent, says Mitchell Johnson's exploits to put England on the back foot were offset by the poor performances of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke in Perth.

Johnson and Ryan Harris did conspicuously well in creating a first-innings lead but the wellbeing created by their performances was quickly enough diminished by fresh evidence that the Australian captain Ricky Ponting and his number two Michael Clarke are currently operating as though they have lost all confidence in what they are doing.

Conditions in Perth, which aided swing, made Johnson twice the bowler he normally is, writes Nasser Hussain in the Daily Mail.

In the Daily Telegraph, Steve James makes a case for Ian Bell to be batting further up the order than No.6.

In a much lighter vein, Alan Tyers, also in the Daily Telegraph, wonders what fired up Johnson during his spell.