Sunday's Ashes gossip column

Strauss became England captain for the second time in January 2009 following Kevin Pietersen's resignation

Shane Warne says captain Andrew Strauss must stop "missing a lot tactically" if England are to achieve their goal of becoming the world's best Test side.

The Australian legend, a former Hampshire captain, also urges English officials to seize the opportunity created by England's Ashes success to cut the number of county teams from 18 to 10, insisting "English cricket must not rest on its laurels". Full story: Daily Telegraph

Andrew Flintoff says England should drop out-of-form Paul Collingwood and bring Eoin Morgan into their batting line-up for the final Ashes Test in Sydney in order to give Morgan a chance to shine and show there is no room for sentiment in the England camp.
Full story: News of the World (subscription required)

Meanwhile, Collingwood has admitted the Ashes climax could be his final Test for England. The the 34-year-old, who has struggled for form in Australia, said: "The bottom line is that, at my age, if you're not scoring runs yourself you don't deserve a place in the side."
Full story: The Mail on Sunday

England's cricketers are in line to share an unprecedented £1m bonus if they complete an outright Ashes series win.
Full story: The Mail on Sunday

Andrew Strauss, England's victorious Ashes captain, is planning to remain in his job for at least three more years, which - because the next series in Australia has been moved forward by 12 months - will give the 33-year-old chance to become the first man to lead England through four Ashes successes.
Full story: Sunday Times (subscription required)

Meanwhile, Strauss says England can follow up their Ashes success by winning the 50-over World Cup, which will be held in Asia throughout February and March.
Full story: The Sunday Telegraph

Glenn McGrath has backed Ricky Ponting to continue as Australia captian after the Ashes, saying: "I'd play under him any day of the week. I still have total faith in him. I always felt Ricky would be top run scorer in the history of the game. Sachin Tendulkar's put that a little out of reach. But we'll see about that."
Full story: Daily Mail

Former opening batsman Michael Slater believes Australia's chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch should be sacked in response to the side's failings throughout the Ashes series.
Full story: The Australian

Stand-in Australia captain Michael Clarke has opted not to present debutants Usman Khawaja and Michael Beer with their maiden baggy green caps before the start of the fifth Ashes Test against England. Instead, the honour will rest with a pair of former players as Clarke seeks to replicate the feeling he enjoyed when Shane Warne presented his first cap to him at Bangalore in 2004.
Full story: The Herald Sun

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This story is updated throughout the day.