IT'S SIMPLY not cricket!

The game's purists have been choking on their strawberry tea and scones after this week's NatWest series group match between England and the Aussies.

The game was dominated by an angry confrontation between Simon Jones and Matthew Hayden.

Jones, throwing at the stumps, hit the Aussie on the chest instead. Hayden refused the bowler's apology and gave him the stares. A comment by Paul Collingwood outraged the batsman even further and he squared up to the Durham player.

Ricky Ponting, the Aussie skipper, joined in, and Collingwood and Hayden brushed shoulders as they eye-balled each other. Umpires David Shepherd and Billy Bowden had to step in to separate the players.

Swearing, staring, sledging and sneering at a cricket match? Magic.

Forget all this sportsmanship lark against the Aussies, the most vile and cocky of breeds in the sporting arena.

We need to stuff their antagonistic tactics back down their throats. We need to shove our foreheads against theirs and roar. We need to beat them at their own game.

And that's why it was great to see our England team show so much passion at Edgbaston.

And it was heartening to hear Michael Vaughan declare: "The incident was a bit untoward but it is good to see the England team all together like that, as we have been now for 18 months. I'm sure more words will be exchanged."

Get in there, skipper!

The profile of cricket has never been higher.

The Ashes series has been sold out for months.

Here, more than 50,000 people have watched Lancashire in the Twenty20 Cup at Old Trafford in the past week.

The passion has never been greater off the pitch. And that's why the passion and fire has to be reflected on the pitch.

England have to win the Ashes to wipe the smile off those smug, arrogant Aussie faces.

If that means getting stuck in, then so be it. If that means being overly-aggressive, then so be it. If that means hitting Shane Warne where it hurts, then so be it.

The gloves are off. Let's get it on!