Well for all the English ex-pats living in Australia taking a interest in the current Ashes series our jubilation was short-lived following England's dismal batting and bowling performance during the fourth test.

Peter Gladwell

Well for all the English ex-pats living in Australia taking a interest in the current Ashes series our jubilation was short-lived following England's dismal batting and bowling performance during the fourth test.

I think what most can't understand is why the team should be so undeniably affected by Freddie Flintoff being out of the game owing to injury when the man has announced his retirement from first class cricket immediately following this series.

Does this mean we are going to see another lacklustre performance from the England team until they can find another hero to replace Mr Flintoff?

Has anyone noticed any changes in the Australian team when one or more of their key players are out either through injury or retirement? Did the Aussies collapse when Hayden, Warne or Gilchrist left for retirement and instead chose to play in the Indian Premier league? No, they were soon replaced by quality players like Michael Clarke and others who showed what they are capable of during the last Test match at Headingley.

To me it seems quite a number of English sports stars including in particular those highly-paid football prima donnas, rugby players, cricketers and tennis players lack firepower and aggression to fight back, taking the game back to the opposition. The last Test match was an excellent example of that comment as was England's rugby team winning the World Cup in Sydney.

The Federal Government in Canberra decided to introduce a scheme in 2008 to help in the shortage of skilled workers needed in the fruit picking industry. The program was put to the test last season when Pacific Islanders were invited and recruited to address key labour shortages in Australian agricultural sectors.

An orchard owner in Swan Hill northern Victoria, close to the New South Wales border, says more training is needed for workers coming from backgrounds quite different from their rural experience in Australia.

The one thing that came apparent very, very quickly last season was that these workers had no idea what a fruit tree was or a grape and how to pick the fruit without damaging the crop, tree or vine.

At first the National Farmers Federation were excited when the scheme was introduced after many producers had seen their crops going to rot on trees and vines through lack of qualified pickers but since have requested more attention be given to allowing training pickers or priority to allowing qualified pickers to be brought in from elsewhere.

Rugby league has hit the headlines for the wrong reasons once again after Melbourne Storm, Queensland State and Australian International player Greg Inglis was charged by the Victoria police with alleged assault on his girlfriend over the weekend. The Melbourne Storm has announced that Greg has been suspended from playing for the club until further notice. This has come at a bad time for the National Rugby League's public image, sponsorships and the press as well as hot on the heels of five other cases this year involving star rugby league players reported for assault charges on women