We have to ask ourselves how serious we are about beating Australia, ... Everything in this English cricket series should centre on the main Test series. It doesn't.

I have played a lot of cricket over the last 12 months and I feel that a rest would be beneficial for me at this stage of my career. I have toured regularly with England over the past ten years and this decision will also give me an opportunity to spend more time with my children.

England's cricketers could hardly get any decent cricket before the Ashes. Do you seriously think the Australians would plan and prepare for a home series like that?

The Aussies have spent so much time basking in the glory of the last generation that they have forgotten to plan for this one. It's just like the West Indies again; once their great names from the 1970s and 80s retired, the whole thing fell apart.

The way things are going, the next Ashes series cannot come too quickly for England. What a shame that we have to wait until 2013 to play this lot again.

I played against him last week and he's bowling like he used to. I think he's ready to tour again.

We were really up for it, ... The Australians normally come at us hard from day one. To get one up on them was nice. It's 1-0 to England but it's a long summer.