Problems aplenty for England

England’s shortcomings in basic one-day skills are nothing new. Poor fielding and running between the wickets may have been due to mental fatigue in the series against Australia, but they have been recurring themes over the years. A worried John Westerby has more in the Times.

The most glaring deficiency exposed by Australia has been England’s brittle middle order. In seven games, the middle order contributed only two fifties, one each from Paul Collingwood and Eoin Morgan, an unacceptable return.

After finishing a gruelling series against Australia, it will be a little more than 72 hours after touching down in South Africa that England take on Sri Lanka in their opening game of the Champions Trophy. Simon Wilde, writing in the same paper, believes the team are in dire need of rest.

Excellence not consistency is what Simon Barnes advocates as he compares England's hectic schedule from here on, with the two TV comedies, Friends and Fawlty Towers.

All sporting administrators must be forced to watch one of those American “comedy” programmes that lasted for several thousand episodes. Let them watch all 236 episodes of Friends, or maybe all 273 of Cheers. And after that, they must see all 12 of Fawlty Towers. The difference between quantity and quality may then become apparent.

England against Australia is special but counting the recently-concluded series, the two sides will play 24 ODIs in England up to 2013 - with Australia touring every year between now and then, except in 2011 when England go there. Jonathan Agnew has more on the overkill in his column on the BBC Sport website.

The England and Wales Cricket Board says this is a means of taking cricket around the country, but in fact it is flogging international cricket to what is now approaching an irresponsible degree.

Stephen Brenkley in the Independent, takes a look at England's heroes and zeroes during their disastrous ODI campaign against Australia.