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by Elmo Rodrigopulle

That the touring England team in Australia is in a crisis there is no doubt. If this is not so how can one explain the frantic efforts made by the management there to call for reinforcements.

The call for reinforcements is because the England cricketing army is suffering injuries and there is the possibility at the rate players are breaking down that they might field a makeshift team for the first Test beginning at the Gabba on November 7.

One is at a loss to understand how injured players or ones recovering from injury could have been slated into the squad, considering that the series is going to be a tough one with five Tests to be contested for.

However brilliant or indispensable a player may be, he is of little value if he is not 100 per cent physically fit. And to give of one's best, one has to be fully fit.

The England selectors have sent players such as Daren Gough, Michael Vaughn, Andrew Flintoff and a couple of others who are recovering. When a player suffers an injury, he is unable to do his physically jerks or practice hard like the other players do.

Once a player has recovered from injury he needs time to get physical fit. Once he is physically there, then he must also regain match fitness. To slot a player lacking these requirements is asking for trouble as there is the possibility of him breaking down during the game.

In picking players who are not fully fit, the England selectors have proved that their cricketing cupboard is bare. It is a pity when one considers the brilliant cricketers they produced in the past.

What is comic is that players whom the selectors thought unworthy of a place in the original squad are now being asked to join the tour party. Players who have been sounded are Alex Tudor and Craig White who are playing around Australia.

While the injury scare will persist in the England camp, world champions Australia are in cracking form after thrashing the cricket out of the Pakistan team in Sharjah.

All their players are in top form and if they play true to form and unless the unforseen happens they should thrash the Englishmen and chalk up their eighth series victory in a row.

Selectors in any sport are known to work in mysterious ways. And it has not been any different with the Australian cricket selectors.

The Australian selectors headed by Trevor Horns, have dropped Mark Waugh from the squad to face England, thus bringing to an end an era that was exciting while it lasted.

Mark, twin brother of Steve, gave immense joy to the game and the spectators when he was in action.

Former Test cricketers and knowledgeable critics spoke up for the Waugh twins and wanted them against the Englishmen. But while Steve remains, Mark has been axed.

It certainly would have been heartbreaking for Mark to announce his retirement.

High scoring left-hander Darren Lehmann comes into the frame with the dropping of Mark.

In 1987 when I was in Australia covering the Sri Lanka tour for the ANCL Group, Lehmann made a century for South Australia against us and the late Neil Hawke told me that I was watching the second coming of Neil Harvey. Lehmann certainly had the makings of another Harvey.

But Lehmann changed Shield sides, and surprisingly did not make big runs, failed to make the expected progress and the national team.

It is hoped he will deliver now.

The axe for Steve too would have been out, but thankfully a fighting century and superb captaincy silenced his critics.

Steve Waugh's hit man Glen McGrath has this time targetted England opener Michael Vaughn for early removal. McGrath who reached 400 wickets recently loves to target a batsman and see him off early.

Vaughn has been the unfortunate one this time and his stay at the wicket is not going to be a comfortable one when the fast bowler keeps pounding him with a wide array of vicious deliveries.

Australia have a surfeit of cricketers to choose from and the latest to strike form is former opener Michael Slater who used to slaughter opposing attacks until domestic problems caused him to lose concentration and also his place in the team.

Now that he is striking, openers Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer will have to keep scoring to maintain their places.

Last week I wrote that the Ashes series between Australia and England is the ultimate in cricket. This is how the Ashes came into being - The Ashes trophy awarded in the England v Australia cricket matches, has its origin in 1882, when Australia defeated England. A mock obituary of English cricket was published in the 'Sporting Times'. It concluded with 'the body will be cremated and the Ashes taken to Australia'.

The Aussie selectors would not have been faulted had they given Mark a couple of more Tests, watched his form and then dumped him. But that was not to be.

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