AUSTRALIAN selectors yesterday opted for bowling cover ahead of Friday’s second Ashes cricket Test, amid doubts over Glenn McGrath’s ability to get through back-to-back Test matches with a heel problem.

ENGLAND finished their miserable Ashes tour on a victorious note with a 225-run thrashing of Australia to prevent a historic 5-0 series whitewash in the final test yesterday.

ALTHOUGH Michael Vaughan was understandably delighted to finish the year on a high with his sixth century to help England record their highest total of the series of 387, once again his efforts were not enough to influence the result against a powerful Australian side.

ENGLAND’S Barmy Army have been branded a disgrace after playing an unwitting role in inspiring Brett Lee’s most hostile spell of the series and plunging the tourists further into trouble in the fourth Test.

Brett Lee delivered another sustained spell of hostile fast bowling to halt England’s counter-attack and ensure Australia remain dominant in the fourth Test at the MCG today.