On Tuesday, Ms Gillard announced that Indian cricket star Sachin Tendulkar will be awarded the Order of Australia, one of the country's highest honours.

BBC: Australia PM Julia Gillard holds talks with India PM Singh

With Matt Prior failing to impress at the top of the order in Australia, England picked Pietersen to partner Strauss in the warm-up against Canada.

BBC: Cricket World Cup: Kevin Pietersen confirms opener role

Anderson, who steered Saints to the treble in 2006, will end his reign at the end of the season in order to return home to Australia.

BBC: Potter to quit Dragons for Saints

For the second Test in a row Strauss's bowlers tore through Australia's top order in the first hour of the match, retained their composure through a middle-order rally, and bowled them out for less than 300 inside the first day.

BBC: Ashes: Chris Tremlett puts England in command

Amla dismissed suggestions that South Africa could bat again, instead of enforcing the follow-on, in order to give the middle-order more playing time ahead of next month's tour of Australia.

BBC: South Africa make Bangladesh toil

This remark was meant for Kofi Annan, the United Nations secretary-general, who visited Canberra at the height of the row, mainly to acknowledge Australia's work in restoring order in East Timor.

ECONOMIST: Australia

It was then the turn of England's bowlers to work out a way past the Australia A upper order.

BBC: Ashes: Ian Bell and Tim Bresnan shine for England

Australia captain Ricky Ponting and his deputy Michael Clarke have already pulled out of the competition in order to focus on international cricket commitments.

BBC: Flintoff expects to play in IPL