Richards: Australians remind me of Windies

LONDON - Viv Richards reckons the current crop of Australian cricketers have adopted a similar approach to the game which made the West Indies such a force towards the end of the last century.

"They have shown in three Test matches that they are a great team, a team which has basically set the standards," the Windies batting great told BBC Radio 5 Live.

"They are highly professional and when you play teams like this you have to be on the same par and the same mental toughness.

"If you do not have all the factors and be able to play as well, you are going to struggle because they are such a great team."

Richards, 50, who was an integral part of the all-conquering Windies side of the late 1970s and early 1980s, believes Australia has every right to revel in its Ashes glory and status as the best Test side in the world.

Steve Waugh's men barely broke sweat as they romped to an unassailable 3-0 series lead to retain the Ashes.

"People (are) writing articles saying how arrogant this Australia side have become, well if they are arrogant we have seen why - they have been just totally professional on the field," Richards said.

"When you have people talking like that, saying how arrogant you are, you get out on the field and try to prove that.

"It is no use talking the talk without having the walk."

Richards, so often the tormentor of England during his time at the crease, led by example during his 17-year Test match career which saw him average more than 50 runs.

England has not won an Ashes series for 15 years and there have been calls for the famous urn, which dates from 1883, to be taken back Down Under.

Former England skipper Graham Gooch believes it is time the trophy returned to Australia, but admits the logistics of transporting such a delicate artefact could be a stumbling block.

"You can't argue with the fact the winner should hold the Ashes," said Gooch.

"But you don`t know all the facts about the state and condition of the urn.

"It is very old and is probably very fragile, whether it can be taken backwards and forwards between England and Australia is a different thing, but at the moment it would only be staying in one place - and it would not be in this country."

Gooch, who captained England's Ashes campaigns in 1990 and 1993, also felt coach Duncan Fletcher and skipper Nasser Hussain were not helped by crippling injury problems to their original squad.

"I don`t think there will be any doubt the England management will be asking some serious questions about the medical advice they were given on such players," he said.