Cricket: It's not life and death, so don't have a go at Alec and

LET'S get it straight, mate. Cricket is a great game - but it's not a matter of life or death.

So what's all the fuss about Alec Stewart and Darren Gough choosing to lock their bat and ball in the cupboard this winter and have fun with their families instead?

I have a lot of admiration for both Goughy and Stewie. They have been two of England's greatest sporting ambassadors for a long time now, and if you were to pick two guys to go into battle for you they would be top of the list.

So as far as I'm concerned they have every right to ask for a rest for the first time in years. With cricket boards around the world trying to cram in more and more tours when there are a few blank weeks on the calendar, it's only right that on occasions players should pick and choose whether to participate.

I've not been in that position myself because I'm still a relative new boy to the international scene and I don't have the family commitments. But Stewie and Goughy have given their reasons and they should be respected.

Naturally England will miss them in India. But it will give younger guys the chance to prove themselves. Furthermore, a break two winters back didn't do Graham Thorpe any harm.

India is a great place to start your Test career, especially for batsmen. If you're good enough and can play spin you can enjoy some runs. And if you're a young wicket keeper like Essex's James Foster, the pitches out there are good and true.

We found out just how tough India can be this year when they beat us 2-1. They outplayed us, and England will need to be on top of their game to do well.

But I firmly believe England can still beat India without Stewart, Gough and Mike Atherton (below).

I've been very impressed with Marcus Trescothick, Mark Butcher and Mark Ramprakash this summer. They gave us a hard time. Gough and Andy Caddick also bowled as well as I expected, but they were up against the best double act in Test cricket.

The likes of Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath only come along once in a blue moon. If one doesn't get you, the other will.

Shane is a phenomenal guy. He's the first Aussie to get 400 Test wickets, and who would bet against him getting to 500?

For any kid wishing to be a fast bowling hero there's no better role model than McGrath. I've got the utmost respect for the guy. He's someone I always look to for inspiration.

I was disappointed with my own performance overall. I started well but I didn't do the business in the final couple of Tests.

I set my heart on 20-plus wickets but fell one short. The next time I set eyes on English batsmen I'm determined to bowl far better. That will be in about 16 months - and I can't wait.

It's nice to go home having trounced the old enemy again, but we're a little disappointed. We wanted to be the first Aussie team to whitewash the English. Losing at Headingley hurt. Mind you, retaining the Ashes was our top priority.

It's clear we still have that vital mental edge over England. They have improved in recent years but they still have some way to go.

But it's not all doom and gloom for Nasser Hussain and his men. With a certain Aussie taking over the Academy the future is bright. Rodney Marsh knocked our own Academy into shape and it has produced a conveyor-belt of Test stars. There is no reason why he can't do the same in England.

I know it's not easy to take a 4-1 Ashes beating. But England fans should keep repeating to themselves the three little words that are etched firmly in the Australian sporting bible: "Be positive, mate!"

TOUR SQUADS

ZIMBABWE

September 26-October14

Hussain (Essex, capt), Collingwood (Durham), Flintoff (Lancs), Foster (Essex), Grayson (Essex), Hoggard (Yorks), B Hollioake (Surrey), Kirtley (Sussex), Knight (Warwicks), Ormond (Leicester), Ramprakash (Surrey), Shah (Middlesex), Sidebottom (Yorks), Snape (Gloucs), Trescothick (Somerset), White (Yorks).

INDIA and NEW ZEALAND

November 14-April 4

Hussain (Essex, capt), Trescothick (Somerset), Butcher (Surrey), Thorpe (Surrey), Ramprakash (Surrey), Afzaal (Notts), Vaughan (Yorks), Hegg (Lancs, wkt), Foster (Essex), White (Yorks), Giles (Warwicks), Croft (Glamorgan), Dawson (Yorks), Caddick (Somerset), Ormond (Leics), Hoggard (Yorks).

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