Former Australian Test captain and cricketing legend Ricky Ponting has reaffirmed his stance on Jofra Archer “embarrassing himself” in the second Ashes Test last weekend, after his epic ‘champing’ of the England quick.

Archer was put back in his box by stand-in Ausssie skipper Steve Smith on Day 4 in Brisbane, after being told he “bowls fast (only) when there’s nothing going on, champion” after lighting the fuse with the all-time great.

Meanwhile at the non-striker’s end, England captain Ben Stokes and Australian opener Jake Weatherald exchanged barbs of their own as Archer returned to the top of his mark.

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“Spit it out if you’re going to say something … (you) finally rocked up.”” Weatherald appeared to also say to Archer.

It left Ponting himself with “hairs on the back of his neck” while commentating the moment live on-air, before he himself also ‘champed’ Archer for his

“When I ‘championed’ him, I could actually hear what Steve Smith said to him in the stump mic,” Ponting said to SEN when reflecting on his on-air commentary.

“Smithy said ‘champion’, and then that’s just what came out of my mouth … it got me going, and got the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

“There haven’t been many games that I’ve commentated that I wish I was back playing again, but I wish I was out there the other night as part of that, because that’s what you miss and what it’s all about.”

A media storm quickly erupted at Archer’s expense after the incident, with Smith hitting him for four and six in the two follow-up balls after contronting his rival.

While the tall quick had been England’s best with the ball in the first innings, he at times still looked to be lacking the pace and energy that all fans — English or otherwise — have come to love.

“For Jofra, he just embarrassed himself, and he embarrassed his team the other night, that’s what I make of that,” Ponting continued.

“To bowl his fastest spell ever in Test cricket, when Australia’s chasing 60… it (the ability to bowl that fast) has been there the whole time. It’s been up his sleeve, England have needed him to do it, and he hasn’t been willing to do it.

“Day 3, when they needed him to do it, he rocks up with his pillow under his arm, and that was always going to be a bad day for England from that moment. As soon as anyone saw that it was going to be ‘Okay, that’s their mindset for the day. They’re just going to rock up and Australia’s going to fall over and we’ll bowl them out’.

‘THINK THEY’LL PICK HIM’: GREAT’S PREDICTION ON KHAWAJA SELECTION

Usman Khawaja is likely to be selected for the third Test, even though Australia should stick with the swashbuckling Travis Head as an Ashes opener, former Australian captain Michael Clarke believes.

Khawaja was named in the squad for next week’s Adelaide match, after missing the second Test in Brisbane due to ongoing injury problems. He suffered debilitating back spasms during the first Test.

Head smashed an astonishing second-innings century in his absence atop the order in Perth, which saw him retained as an opener alongside Jake Weatherald at the Gabba. Clarke said he would be sticking with Head to open — but reckons Khawaja will be given a reprieve.

“I think the selectors will pick him,” Clarke told ESPN’s Around The Wicket.

“I think he’ll be back at the top of the order. I don’t know if I would make a change, to be honest.

“I think I’ve said before, normally with senior players like that and certainly when you get to that age, you’re selected for big tournaments, either a World Cup or an Ashes series, and at the end of those, your time is done.

“Australia are 2-0 up. We’ve got someone at the top of the order that scored an unbelievable hundred. I don’t know if they need to go back to that now. I know that might be hard on Uzzy because he’s had a wonderful career and been a big player.

“His spot wasn’t spoken about before a ball was bowled in this this series, but things have changed. Australia’s dominating, their style of play is working, so I don’t know if I would go back to that.”

Paine backs Khawaja to open in Adelaide | 01:15

Clarke’s call was seconded by former Australian opener Greg Blewett.

“I’m keeping the batting order the same,” Blewett said.

“I think that functioned really well up there for the second Test match so I’m not touching that, although if Usman Khawaja’s fit then they may bring him back, but I’m not touching it.”

Yet fellow great Mike Hussey said that Khawaja should be given an opportunity to reclaim his place.

“If you think about it, before the Ashes series started, Khawaja was at the top of the order,” Hussey told CODE Sports.

“Would that one innings change the whole mindset of the selectors? From him being locked in as the opener for the Ashes series, to one innings later suddenly he’s just out of the team. In my mind, no.

“Just thinking about [the Perth Test] pragmatically, it wouldn’t change my thinking that much.”

Yet Hussey said that he hoped Khawaja would not be given a recall based on sentiment, with the carrot of a fitting farewell at the SCG in the fifth Test.

“In his mind he might be thinking, ‘I still want to play for the next year or two’,” Hussey said.

“Who knows? I don’t like farewell Tests because it’s not about you.

“It’s about the Australian cricket team and what’s best for Australia. Not for you as an individual. You’re invited to play for Australia.

“I don’t think you should necessarily get to choose (your time to finish). It’s about the team. The team is the No.1 thing.”

Usman Khawaja in the nets. Picture: Liam KidstonSource: News Corp Australia

HEAD HINT ON BATTING LINE-UP

Travis Head has potentially given a hint as to Australia’s selection plans for the Adelaide Test as Usman Khawaja makes a last-ditch bid to return as opener.

After replacing the injured Khawaja for the second innings in Perth, then holding his place in Brisbane, Head is the incumbent opener alongside fellow South Australian representative Jake Weatherald heading into his home Test beginning Wednesday. He has suggested that he and Weatherald may be walking out together at Adelaide Oval.

If Khawaja is return to the XI from his back injury, it would surely be as opener alongside Weatherald, with Adelaide his second-most successful ground in that role (328 runs at 65.60).

However Australia coach Andrew McDonald argued earlier this week Khawaja has the “flexibility” to pay in the middle order as well.

He was spotted alone in the Allan Border Field nets on Wednesday evening after being named in Australia’s squad.

“He’ll be doing everything he needs to do to get right. He’s a class player, so even if he hasn’t hit for a while, he’ll still be ready to go,” his Brisbane Heat teammate Matt Renshaw said.

“We’re pretty similar people, he’ll deny that until the cows come home, but he’s been great for me. Speaking to him, he’ll do whatever he needs to do.”

McDonald made sure to keep the team’s options open when speaking earlier this week.

“It worked at this point in time,” he said of the Head-Weatherald combination.

“Pink-ball Test at the Gabba, we felt like that combination was right for those conditions and the opposition.

“We’ll always ask ourselves questions at the selection table, at our strategy meetings – what the best line-up is for that point in time?

“Each Test presents a new challenge. We’ve got the red ball in Adelaide – we haven’t done that too often recently. It’s great that Trav has put his hand up to do that in the past. We haven’t gone down that path a whole lot. We have in this instance, so will we continue to do that? We’ll have to wait and see.”

However a comment made by Head on the Willow Talk podcast may have revealed where Australia is leaning.

Asked about the reception he receives from his home fans in Adelaide, Head replied: “The only thing about opening the batting is I miss walking out by myself.

“Alex (Carey) gets to enjoy that because they are very supportive and it’s always a great moment that one, walking out to bat.

“If I am doing it this week again with Jake, we’ll claim him as a South Australian. He came in at an early age, so I think the crowd will be very pumped up to see both of us go out to bat and Kez will get the little carpet appearance at six.”

Australia’s Travis Head and Usman Khawaja.Source: AFP

POMS SNUB AFL PREMIERS

England have reportedly snubbed the back-to-back AFL premiership winning Brisbane Lions twice this summer, instead preferring to take some time away in Noosa.

As revealed by Code Sports, England’s cricket performance director Ed Barney reached out to the Lions back in October in the hopes of organising a meeting between the two teams while the touring side were going to be in Queensland from December 2 to December 12.

However, in two planned conference calls between Lions staff and England officials, no one from the visiting side joined the call in either instance, leaving the AFL club confused.

The Lions haven’t heard from England since.

Given England are set to head to Adelaide in the next couple of days, it appears any hope of the two teams linking up is off the table.

England have spent the last few days in Noosa, heading to the luxurious Sunshine Coast spot immediately following their second Test loss in Brisbane.

It’s a move that has copped plenty of criticism from media pundits and former players, but the visitors have staunchly defended.

“We’ve been here four weeks, and it’s been pretty full on from on-the-field stuff, off-the-field stuff,” captain Ben Stokes told reporters after the Gabba Test.

“As physical as this game is, huge part of it is also the mental side. I know that. I’ve experienced that… Trust me when I say it is so, so important for teams to be able to go away as a team and almost put the pressures aside for a couple of days.”

Ben Stokes on the beach, and the Brisbane Lions after another GF win.Source: FOX SPORTS

SHOCK ENGLAND SOS OPTION EMERGES

England should send an SOS to former England keeper Jonny Bairstow according to one UK scribe, who believes the 36-year-old is the best option available to bat at number three.

On the verge of a series defeat heading into the third Test at Adelaide, England need a spark, which has led to UK Cricinfo editor Andrew Miller offering up the left field selection of Bairstow, which would sure to add plenty of juice to the series.

Current first drop Ollie Pope has been dismissed cheaply on a few occasions across the first two Tests as has several others in the visitors’ top order.

According to Miller, not only has England’s batting been ordinary, but the team are also lacking passion as a potential 5-0 series whitewash looms.

Bairstow was at the centre of one of the most controversial and hostile Ashes moments of all time when he left his crease during the second Test at Lords and was stumped thanks to a heads up play by Australian keeper Alex Carey.

If Bairstow earns a shock call up for Adelaide, expect fireworks.

“The number three that we haven’t spoken about and the one that England need to throw in at Adelaide is Jonny Bairstow,” Miller said.

“England need passion, England need fight, England need someone who is going to be furious at the state of the world.

“He will tee off, but not recklessly. He has the street smarts to react to situations and has the inner fury that his team needs.”

Richardson to join Aussie’s in Adelaide | 00:25

It’s been 21 months since Bairstow played in his last Test match (v India in March 2024) but Miller says England desperately need “something from someone”.

“He’s the ideal lieutenant if it’s basically a leadership coup with Root and Stokes driving the agenda. Get Jonny Bairstow in there,” he continued.

“You can start banging on about moral victories and start ramping up all of the Carey crease-gate stuff. Who cares? It’s crisis mode now. England need something from somewhere and they need passion and they need proven ability to score runs in Australia which he has.

“Throw him in. Lay your cards on the table. I mean Jacob Bethell, Ollie Pope, Will Jacks or Jonny Bairstow at number three? It’s an absolute no-brainer.”

The third Test gets underway in Adelaide on December 18.

BISON CONFIRMS HUGE CAREER CALL

Star all rounder Mitch Marsh has confirmed that he’ll retire from all forms of red ball cricket at the end of the Ashes series.

It was revealed earlier in the week that Marsh had closed the book on his Sheffield Shield career following WA’s loss to Victoria but it wasn’t known whether the 34-year-old would continue his Test career.

Now, the ‘Bison’ has confirmed that he’ll step away from Tests and domestic red ball cricket as he prepares for a new BBL season with the Perth Scorchers.

That leaves the door open for an unlikely Test swansong in one of the final three Ashes matches.

“I was very keen for this to go under the radar… I didn’t really want this to get out or be a thing but obviously at the end of the summer, there will be no more red ball cricket for me,” Marsh said.

“For me it’s the end of the chapter and the game moves along. It might be something I reflect on more at the end of my career.

“I’ve got a game in three days time to worry about and I don’t want there to be any fuss over me so I’ll just get on with it and move on.”

If Marsh doesn’t get the chance to add to his Test match tally this summer, he’ll finish on 46 Tests played with a batting average of 28.5 and a bowling average of 40.4.

Marsh hit three Test hundreds with a high score of 181 (v England at Perth, 2017). He collected 51 wickets with a best of 5/46 against England in the 2019 Ashes.

Mitch Marsh in last year’s Boxing Day Test – his most recent appearance for Australia at Test level.Source: AFP