1131 GMT: Injured England pace bowler Stuart Broad will join the BBC Test Match Special commentary team for the third Test in Perth - and has already offered to make the tea for Jonathan Agnew and Michael Vaughan.
Full story: BBC Sport

Hauritz has not played in the current Ashes series

Nathan Hauritz appears to have called time on his Australia Test career after handing out his old cricket jumpers at a garage sale outside his flat. The spinner, who a few weeks ago was lining up with his team-mates at the Ashes squad announcement, reportedly said: "I don't play for them any more."
Full story: Daily Telegraph (Sydney)

Rookie spinner Michael Beer should not worry too much if he has a poor debut as he will not be the first Australian to struggle in their first Test match. Sir Don Bradman, who would go on to average 99.94, scored 18 and one in his first two innings. And what of Shane Warne? He was smacked all round the Sydney Cricket Ground by India as he recorded figures of 1-150.
Full story: Daily Telegraph (Sydney)

Meanwhile, former captain Steve Waugh, who made his debut in 1985, had one score above 13 in his first 11 Test innings and took 27 Tests to score his first century. He went on to score 32 hundreds and average 51.06.
Full story: The Australian

Left-arm spinner Beer, 26, has met many of his Australian team-mates for the first time as he prepares to make his international debut in the third Ashes Test at the Waca in Perth.
Full story: Daily Telegraph (Sydney)

Former Australian pace bowler and selector Merv Hughes admitted he was "blown away" by Beer's selection. Hughes said Beer's name had not been discussed at the selection table before his departure from the panel in late October.
Full story: Sydney Morning Herald

Beer has been warned to expect a torrid time from England's batsmen by his predecessor Xavier Doherty, who took 3-306 in the first two Tests of the series.
Read more: Sydney Morning Herald

Ever-confident spinner Graeme Swann predicted that England would have wrapped up the Ashes before Christmas at a pre-tour function at Lord's.
Read more: Daily Telegraph (Sydney)

There are 10 reasons why Australia can launch 'Operation Fightback' at the Waca in the third Ashes Test, starting with the fact that England have won just one of 11 Tests in Perth - and that was in 1978/79 when Australia were fielding a weakened side because of defections to Kerry Packer's World Series Cricket.
Read more: Courier Mail

Australia bowler Ryan Harris says it was "good to see them struggling" after England's batsmen had to fight to draw their warm-up game against Victoria.
Full story: Fox Sports

Australia will not get any better until captain Ricky Ponting goes, according to one writer - and the selectors may have sealed his fate with the team they sent him this week.
Read more: The Australian

England bowlers Graeme Swann and Steven Finn continue to trade light-hearted quips over Twitter. Spinner Swann appears to have the upper hand at present. "I think @finnysteve is missing a cold English Xmas. He's just asked me to dress up as Santa so he can sit on my knee. He needs help."
Read more: Graeme Swann's Twitter feed

England's 'Barmy Army' are to unveil a new song about Australia's Ricky Ponting at the third Ashes Test in Perth this week. The song is a re-working of the Oasis classic Don't Look Back in Anger. Here's the first line: "Slip inside Ricky Ponting's mind, he's trying to find, some new players to play."
Full story: Herald Sun

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