Jonathan Trott heads home

Jonathan Trott

This Ashes tour is brutal with Australians deliberately using every dirty trick in the book.  England batsman Jonathan Trott has withdrawn from the series after England lost the first Test in Brisbane.  Knowing that his departure would cause huge controversy, he made the brave decision to put his health first and go home. Nobody knew he had a "stress-related illness" and he copped his fair share of on-field abuse.

David Warner

David Warner admits the Aussies went too far.  "I made those comments for a reason" he said at Brisbane airport.  "Look, yesterday, the bounce and pace got to them again, it's Ashes cricket..... probably went a little bit too far with the comments but it's cricket, and now it's in the back of their mind."

English TV commentator David Lloyd said Warner's sledging was "nasty, horrible stuff." Although we didn't get to hear everything that was said on field, we can guess.  In a press conference after day 3, Warner said Trott was "weak" and had "scared eyes."

Michael Vaughan (left)

Former English captain Michael Vaughan's comments didn't help. He didn't like Trott's technique against quick-arm bowler Mitchell Johnson and in his Telegraph column on Saturday he said "Jonathan Trott's second innings at the Gabba was among the worst I have seen from an England No 3."  And then "You do not play shots like the ones he did on Saturday without something being seriously wrong in your mind."

Vaughan later tweeted "I do feel guilty for criticising Trott this week....I wasn't to know what he was going through, I can only comment on what I see.

The English Cricket Board said that Trott 32, would take an indefinite break from cricket and would not be returning to the five-Test tour.

Beyond Blue Chairman Jeff Kennett criticized coverage in some Australian newspapers following Trott's decision to leave.  "If Jonathan Trott had broken his arm, nobody would have criticized him or inferred (as the papers are doing) that he's taken his bat and ball and gone home" he told Sydney radio.  "But because it's an illness you can't see, people like to take cheap shots."

South African cricketer Gulam Bodi tweeted "Trott to go home from Ashes due to stress illness!  Bloody man up and take the heat! Stop running for cover."  The tweet has since been deleted.