South African Arthur was fired just 16 days before the start of the Ashes in England earlier this year after a shambolic Test series in India that Australia lost 4-0. Darren Lehmann was drafted in as his replacement and while Australia lost the series on English soil 3-0, he has turned around their fortunes, with the home side retrieving the Ashes in Perth.

Sutherland defended the scheduling of Australia's recent one-day tour to India, and said the quick change to the five-day game would have minimal effect on players in next week's first Test in Brisbane.

Cricket Australia says the WACA ground has the smallest capacity of the five mainland Test venues and has historically attracted lower attendances.

Pakistan-born Ahmed, who became an Australian citizen in July after his application was fast-tracked, did not have the logo of the beer company - the sponsor - on his shirt during his international debut in last week's T20 matches against England.

Brearley said he was honoured to be asked to present the Oration, especially given that it falls between two Ashes series.

"It is fast proving to be the worst cricket team of that name to visit these shores," Melbourne Age's Greg Baum wrote of Australia.

The 1st Test reached an incredible 9.35 million combined viewers across GEM and Fox Sports. The first session on day two averaged 720,000 viewers nationally on GEM making it the highest audience on a secondary digital platform ever.

On his return to Australia, Arthur has hired a team of lawyers to explore concerns about the manner of his exit. A report in the Australian media stated that Arthur received no notice of termination or any suggestion that he was in breach of contract.

Australia's Ashes campaign lurched into further crisis earlier on Monday when coach Mickey Arthur was sacked with Darren Lehmann expected to be announced as his replacement.

Channel Nine managing director Jeff Browne told a business lunch on Wednesday that the network needed the best players on the field all the time to maintain ratings, making clear it had concerns over CA's rotation policy last summer.