The stains on Australia's summer

Steve Waugh in the Daily Telegraph gives his take on Matthew Hayden’s “obnoxious weed” comment about Harbhajan Singh.

Often, as a player, radio interviews - and in particular the more relaxed FM networks - are where the cliches and sportspeak are abandoned as you inadvertently drift off into the spirit of the interview and blurt out something that you wouldn't normally say in a more controlled environment which often leads to a headline and harsh consequences.

Writing in the Age, Peter Roebuck is pleased Hayden and Harbhajan put the niggle behind them and both performed well at the SCG on Sunday.

Peter Lalor, in the Australian, looks at how the eventful series has affected Ricky Ponting.

From the moment the one-day series started in India last September he has battled nonsense and scandal at every turn. Players have clashed on the field and nations have clashed off it. His team and his board are at loggerheads for the first time in years. Controversy has stuck to the Australians like dog excrement sticks to the shoes. It has left a stain across the carpet of the summer and will take some removing.