I've always admired Mike Atherton for his batting (except against Australia) and his writing. He has been involved in a few interesting incidents on the field too! Run out on 99 in a Lord's Ashes Test, declaring England's innings at Sydney with Graeme Hick on the verge of his first Ashes hundred and the 'dirt-in-the-pocket' affair where he was rubbing the ground on the ball.

In a recent column in 'The Telegraph', he argued for a one match ban whenever a beamer was bowled, regardless of whether it is accidental or deliberate. He is right that a beamer is a very dangerous delivery and has the potential to severely injure the batsman. Mike Selvey (of the 'I saved a hat-trick' fame) also argues in his column in 'The Guardian' on similar lines.

Sreesanth's beamer at Trent Bridge was heading for Pietersen's helmet. It probably slipped. Then again it may have been deliberate. I'm not going to argue for or against the merits of a ban on beamers. But anyone who's watched the England team for the last 2-3 years would have noticed that the bowlers & fielders hurl their throws to the wicket-keeper, on the full, regardless of whether the batsman is even attempting a run. Several times, the batsman has to swerve out of the way, with the ball whizzing past his body.

In the one-dayers against Australia in 2005, Simon Jones hit Matthew Hayden with a pickup-and-throw on his follow-through. It was totally unwarranted and done with the sole intention of conveying aggression. England's bowlers and fielders could potentially throw six beamers at the batsman every over. I'd argue for a one-match ban for such acts as well.

Simon Barnes in 'The Times' is spot on in his assessment of England's 'aggression'. He writes: "The England cricket team are suffering from confusion. The players believe to a man that behaving like an idiot makes you a better cricketer. The fact is that it doesn't. It only makes you an idiot."