CRICKET-LOVERS' recapture of the Sheffield Shield can only be claimed a success when those ugly big black numbers are removed from the backs of the players' starch white shirts. The numbers serve no purpose, are totally out of place and greatly detract from the "cricket whites". Sport's simplest, most historic and non-discriminatory uniform should not be desecrated so.

Bernie Bourke, Ourimbah Wallabies well beaten As a Welshman married to an Aussie with a Cambro-Australian daughter, I was disappointed by Greg Growden's view of the Welsh victory in last weekend's rugby Test. Although objective enough to recognise the best side won on the day, he couldn't stop himself blaming the loss on "baffling" or "confusing" refereeing by Alan Lewis. Having been at the game, I can tell you there was nothing baffling nor confusing about his decisions. The Aussies were punished rightly for refusing to bind lawfully at scrums, for diving to the floor rather than holding them up and for jumping off their feet at rucks, and otherwise acting unlawfully at the breakdown. Lewis's judgments were broadly correct.

It would be sad if a very fine Australian team and indeed a proud sporting nation itself preferred the alibi of blaming the ref over the fact of the matter, which is this: you were beaten by a better team and deserved to lose.

Here's hoping the wife doesn't divorce me.

Dr Tim Williams, London Greed isn't good Yes, Peter Roebuck, we all agree that cricket in general is in turmoil. There is just too much of it. The new Twenty20 is about to cannibalise the "traditional" 50-over game. And how did we ever get into this playing of 11, 12 or 13 Tests a year? Insert an extra tournament every couple of months and what you have is oversell. Change must take place, but I fear - like you, Peter - that the greed factor is too great. Maybe this Mumbai disaster will slow things down a bit?