MELBOURNE FIVE-FER: DAY THREE

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Warne bids farewell to the MCG.

By Dave Tickner

1. Brett Lee
A bowler who rarely seems to get the rewards he deserves against England, today was a good day for the Aussie quick. He hardly bowled a bad ball on his way to four for 47 and, while the script seemed to demand Shane Warne should take the final wicket, Lee deserved the honour for his efforts in this series. It was a fantastic display of fast, accurate swing bowling. It was the lengths he bowled that were particularly impressive, always looking to bring the batsman forward and targetting the stumps.

2. Stuart Clark
Undoubtedly the most consistent performer with the ball in this series, he always seems to pick up wickets and go for no runs. A captain's dream. Australia were always reluctant to pick Clark because he was a Glenn McGrath clone. This series has shown the benefits of having two Glenn McGraths. Whether the new model will be as effective when the original hangs up his spikes will be a key factor in New Australia's development.

3. Kevin Pietersen
Finally put up the order to number four, KP responded with a loose shot to a Clark delivery that demanded respect, before storming off the field in high dudgeon. It could be the natural reaction of a btasman irked at being dismissed cheaply, but there is a nagging feeling that Pietersen is close to losing his composure with the current England team, with rumours persisting that he is unhappy with his team-mates' contributions. He isn't the only one, but team spirit appears desperately low in the England set-up at the moment, with no prospect of a change in mood or form in Sydney.

4. Chris Read
He may have only made 26 not out, but it could be an important innings for England's sometime keeper. His glovework in this match has been as faultless as we've come to expect, but he still needs that telling batting contribution to really establish himself as a Test wicketkeeper. His technique seemed pretty solid here, and he played Shane Warne with increasing surety as his innings progressed. Read deserves to be backed and given an extended run in the side, especially as the absolute lack of alternatives has seen a 36-year-old Paul Nixon called into the one-day squad.

5. Shane Warne
Seven wickets, 40 runs and a catch led to his inevitable crowning as man of the match. Warne had a nother great day in Melbourne, and his swashbuckling batting even briefly raised hopes he might get the Test century that would fulfil his one remaining ambition at this level. But he ran out of partners and had to content himself with two wickets in England's meek capitulation. It was still undoubtedly his Test match though, and the way he ran through his armoury of sliders, flippers and googlies once again led people to question his decision to bow out after this series. Surely you've got one more Ashes series in you, Shane?