The world of cricket was rocked this week by the news that South African wicket-keeper Mark Boucher had announced his retirement from international cricket following a freak injury sustained in a pre-tour warm up match versus Somerset.
In his weekly column, John Pryor reflects on the changing nature of injuries and how cricketers and teams deal with them.
Ravi Bopara and Alastair Cook both scored half-centuries as England inflicted a 4-0 One-Day International series defeat on Australia by winning the final match at Old Trafford by seven wickets.
Australia scored 145 for seven in 32 overs of a rain-shortened match and England eased to a revised target of 138 in 29 overs with 11 balls to spare.
Cricket Australia (CA) have confirmed that Brett Lee and Shane Watson have both suffered calf injuries and will fly home, missing the fifth and final One-Day International against England at Old Trafford.
Both men limped off the field during the eight-wicket defeat in Chester-le-Street and fast bowler Mitchell Starc, in the country playing for Yorkshire, was added to the squad as cover.
Since coming back from his international exile following his falling-out with the WICB, he has torn the New Zealand bowlers to shreds in all four matches played so far on their tour of Florida and the Caribbean. His comeback began with a 51-ball 53 in England last month, but really ignited with back-to-back half centuries against the hapless Kiwis at Lauderdale last weekend, before reaching a climax with his 20th ODI century in the second ODI on Saturday.
England cruised to their target of 201 with eight wickets and 13 balls to spare; in doing so winning the series against Australia by three matches to none with a game still to play at Old Trafford on Tuesday.
England off-spinner Graeme Swann has been rested for the final two One-Day Internationals against Australia after reporting discomfort in his right elbow.
Kent off-spinner James Tredwell has been added to the squad as his replacement while Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes is also included ahead of the final games of the series in Chester-le-Street and Manchester.
England's ambitions of topping the ICC One-Day International rankings were put on hold as persistent bad weather caused the third match against Australia to be abandoned at Edgbaston.
A 28 overs per side game was scheduled to get underway at 1800 local time before the rain returned again and with damp patches, particularly in the bowlers' delivery stride areas, still causing concern, the match officials were left with little option.
In no sport is the captain more important than cricket; he is the puppet master and the chess player moving his pieces into place, writes John Pryor.
It is the captain who takes the plaudits when the team wins and must answer questions when they lose. Not only is the captain involved in important decisions on the field, he is also part of the selection panel and the public face of the team.
England fast bowler Jade Dernbach has been ruled out of the remainder of the One-Day International series against Australia due to injury.
He picked up a side strain during the second One-Day International at the Kia Oval, which England won by six wickets.
Eoin Morgan is this week's deserving winner. The 25 year-old regained the form that appeared, at times, to have deserted him over the winter, by hitting 89 not out off just 63 balls in England's opening ODI against Australia at Lord's, and followed that up with an unbeaten 43 in the second match.
Former England international off-spinner Peter Such has been name as the England & Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) Lead Spin Bowling Coach.
He has been undertaking the role on a part-time basis for the last three years but will now be based permanently in Loughborough.
The arrival of Australia for this five-match One-Day International series has elicited plenty of talking points already such as the scheduling of the series itself and what, if any pointers, it can give us for next year's Ashes contest, writes John Pennington.
I don't feel it will tell us an awful lot about a Test series 12 months down the line. I doubt the winning captain will be talking about how this series was the launchpad for Ashes success when interviewed at The Oval next August.
Warwickshire all-rounder Chris Woakes has been called into England's One-Day International squad for the third match against Australia, which will be played at Edgbaston, his home ground.
He has been drafted in as Surrey quick bowlers Jade Dernbach and Stuart Meaker will be attending the funeral of former team-mate Tom Maynard on the same day.
England made a run chase of 252 look relatively simple as half-centuries from Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara helped them to a six-wicket victory over Australia in the second One-Day International at The Oval.
Bell made 75 and Bopara 82 after Australia had reached 251 for seven in their innings, Shane Watson (66) and George Bailey (65) registering half-centuries before England raced to a 2-0 series lead with three matches to play.
Australian fast-bowler Pat Cummins has been ruled out of the remainder of Australia's One-Day International series against England with a side strain.
It is understood that he picked up the injury during the first match at Lord's on Friday, where he took one for 53 from his 10 overs.
England showed admirable fighting qualities and no little skill to beat Australia by 15 runs in the first One-Day International at Lord's.
Their score of 272 for five proved to be enough when Australia, who had been making good progress, were restricted to 257 for nine.
A cricket betting video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket betting odds as John Pennington and Alastair Symondson look ahead to the England v Australia One-Day International series and the final of Euro 2012 in Kiev.
England meet Australia in the first of five One-Day Internationals at Lord's on Friday and both sides are equally favoured by the bookmakers, both for the first game and the series overall. Can the likes of Shane Watson, Michael Clarke and Patrick Cummins help their side beat England on home soil or will England repeat their success of two years ago?
Australia all-rounder and vice-captain Shane Watson believes that the West Indies will be among the teams to beat at the ICC World Twenty20 later this year.
The West Indies reached the semi-finals in 2009 and failed to progress from the second group stage when they hosted the competition in 2010 but Watson expects them to be in the reckoning in Sri Lanka.
A cricket video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket news as we discuss the upcoming One-Day International series between England and Australia.
The series gets underway on Friday at Lord's and Australia are already looking in ominous form, beating Leicestershire and Essex and only the rain spoiling their party in Ireland. David Warner, Michael Clarke, David Hussey and Matthew Wade have been excellent with the bat while Clint McKay, Brett Lee and Patrick Cummins have excelled with the ball.
The touring Australians appear to be in fine fettle heading into the One-Day International series with England, winning their final tour game against Essex by 179 runs.
The crushing win came on the back of half-centuries from Michael Clarke and David Hussey before young quick bowler Patrick Cummins returned figures of three for 26.
A cricket video for Cricket World TV about the latest cricket news from as we get the thoughts of former Essex and England spin bowler Peter Such on the upcoming England-Australia ODI series.
He anticipates a tough series of five One-Day Internationals for Alastair Cook's men and although Australia are going through a transitional period, Such believes they are still a good team.
England have named an unchanged 14-man squad ahead of the first One-Day International against Australia at Lord's on Friday (29th June).
The selectors have kept faith with the original squad that was named for the West Indies series, which England won 2-0 thanks to wins at the Ageas Bowl and the Kia Oval.
Cricket Australia (CA) has confirmed the 17 players who will receive central contracts for the 2012-13 season following a new five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) being reached between CA and the Australian Cricketers' Association (ACA).
The new MOU has brought about a change in the players' share of revenue model from a fixed 26% to a variable model where players receive 24.5% to 27% dependent on performance as well as an agreement to reduce the number of contracted players.
Australia comfortably prevailed in a rain-affected one-day warm-up match against Leicestershire at Grace Road, scoring a 102-run win on the Duckworth/Lewis method.
David Warner hit 74 to help Australia make 241 for eight in 41 overs during their interrupted innings before Leicestershire were bowled out for 136 having been set a target of 239 in 36 overs.
New South Wales batsman Peter Forrest has replaced Michael Hussey in Australia's limited overs squad for the tour of England and Ireland.
Hussey will remain in Australia to be with his family after his fourth child was born three months prematurely.
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