LORD Stevens must now be at a loose end.

We don't want the great inquirer twiddling his thumbs, so perhaps he could lavish vast quantities of time and money on producing two more enormously useful reports on the state of English rugby and cricket.

Speaking about football, he observed on Wednesday: "To pay such scant regard to the rules and regulations of this great game is unacceptable. I repeat unacceptable."

The pointless repetition seemed to sum up his work in both the inquiries he has recently completed. Has he told us anything that we hadn't known for years? Perhaps his report into football's bung culture will encourage the game's authorities to police transfers and clamp down on agents, but I could have told them to do that in three seconds.

As for rugby and cricket, we are simply paying the price for champagne-sodden triumphs, open-top bus rides, visits to Downing Street. The triumphant ones found themselves elevated on to the same sort of pedestal as the undeserving footballers, and by basking in the adulation and signing up to new endorsements and newspaper columns they took their eye off the ball.

Despite what seems like a tame surrender of the Ashes, the cricketers have not sunk as far as the rugby team. Considering that South Africa were dismissed for 84 by India this week, and New Zealand for 130 by Sri Lanka, Flintoff's flops may not be such no-hopers after all.

They were simply left at the starting blocks in terms of preparation by a squad who went to the extreme lengths of suffering every kind of deprivation at a boot camp in the outback. Shane Warne didn't approve, but if he were in danger of getting carried away by his own celebrity he was swiftly reminded of his commitment to the team ethic.

One of his greatest contributions to this series was his stubborn batting as he made sure the first innings deficit at Adelaide was small enough for his bowling to turn the match around.

Contrast that with the brainless batting of Geraint Jones, who in what should prove his final Test innings at Perth tried to sweep Warne to get off the mark. That he should even attempt the shot was even more imbecilic than leaving his back foot short of the crease.

Given the obvious plight of a man whose stock has fallen even further than Steve Harmison's since the Ashes triumph, it was cruel of Ricky Ponting to expose him to further ridicule by running him out. But it would be asking the impossible to expect the Australian captain to show any sympathy, especially with the series-clinching moment so tantalisingly close.

Jones represents Duncan Fletcher's biggest misjudgement, and with other mistakes creeping in - especially the lack of preparation - the coach ought to consider standing down while he's still in credit. He probably feels, however, that once he has Michael Vaughan back as captain of a relatively young side he can overhaul the ageing Aussies at the top of the rankings.

THERE is a lot to be said for getting out at the top, so it is no surprise that Warne is quitting at the end of the series, with his 700th Test wicket in the bag. Sadly, he will not stay on top of the pile for long because Muttiah Muchichuckalot took his 19th ten-wicket match haul this week to take his total to 674.

Glenn McGrath is next on 555, but as he's also likely to retire the time cannot be far away when the top three will all be spinners as Anil Kumble is fourth on 538.

It's strange that no left-armers feature anywhere near the top, but if Monty Panesar has the lengthy Test career which currently looks possible and maintains his strike rate he could easily reach the top ten.

The sumptuous on-drive he played in his first innings at Perth also showed he has far more potential with the bat than he has been given credit for, which is just as well with a tail starting at seven. Given the lack of wickets from the fourth seamer, it would make more sense to play an extra batsman and give Paul Collingwood a few overs. His bowling has been totally overlooked, but he could surely do the job Andrew Symonds was summoned to perform for Australia.

ROB Andrew has bought himself some time in his planning for the future of English rugby with the installation of Brian Ashton as head coach. He's the safe choice because, at 60, he doesn't need a long contract and if things haven't improved he can be replaced after the World Cup by whoever Andrew sees as the long-term solution.

Ashton is no old stick-in-the-mud. He prefers the innovative, adventurous approach, and he has worked with the National Academy. So if he can't have Jonny Wilkinson as his fly half, don't be surprised if he plumps for the other Kingston Park No 10, Toby Flood.

Don't expect anything too radical from the RFU suits, however. Chairman Martyn Thomas observed: "Things have to change. Everything is on the table and nothing is sacred."

He should form a double act with Lord Stevens.