Greg Baum, writing in The Age, argues that leaving aside the political situation, Australia’s players will enjoy the extra rest they will receive now the Zimbabwe tour has been called off.

In fact, from September this year, the Australian team will have only three weeks' break until March 2009. Soon afterwards, it will begin another 12 months of continuous cricket. It will be the clockwork team, playing in perpetuity.

Few think that this more is better. It means Australia will have to rush preparations for some series, for which it paid a price in England in 2005, as England paid here last summer. Captain Ricky Ponting said then it was the modern professional's lot to have to acclimatise quickly, but it is easy for him to say. To a mortal batsman, Taunton in May is not Brisbane in January, and no number of endorsements can make it so.

In the same paper, Baum speaks to John Buchanan about some of the tactics he used in his time as Australia’s coach.