Anderson feared Cook would quit as England captain

Former Australia captain Ian Chappell called for a complete rethink of Australia’s domestic cricket system after the team’s crushing defeat in the ongoing Ashes series in England.

Clarke will play his final Test for Australia in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval next week after agreeing with selectors the time is right to retire from Test cricket.

“I think captaincy really is about going with your gut and being as pro-active as you can”, she said.

“I don’t think Michael would have wanted to tour Bangladesh prior to the 2015-16 Australian summer, which would have made for some hard decisions…”

Lehmann, who has been assured his own position is safe, acknowledged that Clarke might be one of several ageing Australian stars to be playing in their last Ashes.

Of Smith’s likely promotion, he said: “We have someone in waiting who has had experience as a captain”.

The Test will also serve as Blackwell’s 200th game for Australia as she becomes the first to achieve that feat.

Australian coach Darren Lehmann has brushed off a devastating Ashes series loss with an outing to Britannia Stadium to watch Stoke City against Liverpool in the English Premier League.

A News Limited report on Monday had suggested problems between the players’ partners and said Clarke refused to travel on the team bus and socialise with team-mates.

Anderson continues to work with the medical staff to be fit for the finale after missing the innings victory at Trent Bridge due to a side-strain.

But home hopes are still high at Canterbury, and Edwards said: “We’re looking forward to trying to get back into this series, and four points would be fantastic right now if we can get them”.

“That needs to be looked at in the future… for us to come back here next time and have some success”.

First, Ryan Harris was forced into retirement by a knee injury – before the Ashes even began – and then veteran wicketkeeper Brad Haddin had to miss the Lord’s Test victory for personal reasons.

Losing the coveted urn to arch-rivals England is depressing enough in cricket-mad Australia.

“We’ve got to go and do that for an extended period of time and that’s what we’ve been telling the players”.

“If Cooky believed the stress he was under was affecting the team, he’d have stood down but he believed he should absorb the pressure himself and deflect it away from the players”.

“I think Smithy is ready”, Clarke said of the 26-year-old.