Ahead of Ashes,no worries for Ponting

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has used his teams first-round exit from the World T20 for some intensive practice...

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has used his teams first-round exit from the World T20 for some intensive practice with his rebuilt side before the Ashes starting next month.

Ponting has lost Shane Warne,Glenn McGrath,Matthew Hayden,and Adam Gilchrist from the 2005 team that defeated England 5-0. Australia have endured mixed fortunes subsequently but showed their calibre by beating South Africa away this year after losing the home series.

To take that group of players over there and win as well as we did was very satisfying and I tried to take as much as I could out of that result, Ponting said.

Story continues below this ad

It was a good feeling for me and thats why Ive got a really good feeling around this group of players. When youre putting new openers in and new fast bowling combinations in your side I guess it is almost a total rebuilding. Everything is heading in the right direction.

The last series in South Africa was a good one with some young guys who learned a lot about international cricket and a fair bit about themselves, said Ponting. Ive said for a while Ive been very happy and very excited about where our Test cricket is heading. Its an opportunity for players on this tour to really forge an identity for themselves.

Vaughan axe no surprise

Meanwhile,Ponting has said it was no shock to him that Michael Vaughan had been left out of Englands 16-man Ashes training squad.

I know Vaughan and Harmison arent in it (the squad). Im not surprised those two guys arent around with the way their current group have been performing of late. I think it pretty much picked itself to tell the truth, Ponting said ahead of their four-day tour match against Sussex. At his best we all know how good Harmison can be. At one stage there,he was probably the best fast bowler in Test cricket, he added.