Bumble's Ashes view

By DAVID LLOYD Updated: 17:24 EST, 6 January 2011

Farewell Colly

What a great decision by Paul Collingwood - perfectly timed and typical of the bloke. He is a yeoman and a stalwart is Colly, and the sort of character the English public take to. He is a 100 per cent rock-solid performer and it's good to go from Test cricket with great memories rather than people saying that he should have gone ages since.

Team mates: Andrew Strauss, Paul Collingwood and Graeme Swann celebrate the dismissal of Michael Hussey

Freddie's Elvis

Apparently 7,000 Elvis Presley impersonators are heading to Sydney for the biggest convention of them that the world has seen. Send for Freddie Flintoff, that's what I say. He is one of the best Elvis impersonators I have ever seen. You have to hear Freddie' s rendition of Suspicious Minds. It is simply fantastic.

Reduce reviews

There is still controversy over the decision review system. Let us not forget that it is supposed to be there to eliminate the howler, but players are using it tactically, treating it as a roll of the dice - on the first review at least. Perhaps it would be better if there was only one review per team. They would have to use it wisely then.

Play it our way, Shane

Shane Warne has come up with a 10-point plan to revive Australia, but how about these suggestions from me - the Aussies should have 18 counties, 460 pros, loads of Kolpaks who will never play for their country, 160 Twenty20 games a season and travel the length of the country between games. That is clearly way to do it.

Ton up: Matt Prior

Prior sensation

What a sensational hundred from Matt Prior (right). We have been eulogising Ian Bell getting 115 in 232 balls batting at No 7 and then in comes Prior at No 8 to hit 118 off 130 balls! The wicketkeeper-batsman is a totally selfless player who plays for the team every time and at No 7 he never gets static with the tail.

Wisden's wisdom

Congratulations to fellow Sportsmail columnist the Top Spin, aka Lawrence Booth, who has been made editor of Wisden. I think he could have cut his teeth on Busted, Zoo or Nuts before he took on the big one but I've got every confidence in the lad, ever since I had to lend him my laptop in Brisbane.

All right, Jacques

What to do of an evening now the darts on Sky has finished? Watch South Africa play India in Cape Town and marvel at Jacques Kallis (right) racking up yet another hundred for his country. His 109 not out followed 161 in the first innings. The volatile seamer Sreesanth almost combusted as he abused Kallis, but Jacques was absolutely oblivious and looked straight through him. That's composure for you.now.