CRICKET: Steve Waugh has stoked the traditional Australia-England rivalry for the second Test, which begins today at the Adelaide Oval, by claiming the tourists only have themselves to blame for the catalogue of injuries which have hit their Ashes preparations.

The Australian captain usually stays away from commenting about the opposition's problems, preferring to concentrate on his own side and their pursuit of increasingly high standards of performance.

But after left-arm spinner Ashley Giles became the latest England player to fly home after fracturing his left wrist batting in the nets yesterday, Waugh claimed some of the tourists' problems were of their own making.

"They've picked some guys that weren't fit so I guess in some ways they've made their own bed there," he said.

"It's unfortunate if a guy breaks his wrist during training, that's just one of those things, but if you pick players that aren't fit at the start of the tour then you're taking a gamble."

Waugh's comments are bound to hit home to an England squad who have already indicated their displeasure at some of the medical advice they were given prior to their departure, which persuaded them to include fast bowler Darren Gough and all-rounder Andrew Flintoff in their tour squad.

Despite optimistic predictions, Gough failed to play a single match before admitting defeat in his battle against long-standing knee trouble, while Flintoff is still to recover full fitness after a summer hernia operation.

England are also to give key batsman John Crawley extra time to recover his fitness for the Test and have decided against naming their team as planned this morning.

Crawley was revealed as doubtful for the match, after he struggled through practice yesterday with a bruised hip.

The tourists were instead expected to name Kent batsman Robert Key as Crawley's replacement.

As if those injuries were not enough of a disruption, England have also lost emerging fast bowler Simon Jones for at least six months after he sustained cruciate ligament damage in his right knee during the first Test.

England's problems are in stark contrast to Australia, whose only problem has been the calf injury troubling Jason Gillespie, which still did not prevent him contributing to the 384-run first Test victory in Brisbane.

"Players have got to be very close to 100 per cent in our team or they don't play," explained Waugh. "Guys have been pulled out of matches even for minor niggles to make sure they are right long term.

"It's been a bit of a change in policy because in the past it was more up to the player whether he wanted to play or not, but now our physio has more of a say in what's going on."

Giles, who is expected to be out for up to six weeks, set off home yesterday admitting he would have found it difficult to continue his recovery with the squad without a growing feeling of frustration at being unable to be more involved.

"It's hard to take the fact I won't be playing in the Test but I think it would be even harder if I stayed out in Australia because I wouldn't be part of the action," he explained.

"I can stand around and watch the lads net, I can run or I can ride a bike in the gym but that's about it. I can do all those things at home."