Australia to use Ashes series to prove their best: Ponting

MELBOURNE - Skipper Ricky Ponting insists that Australia will use the Ashes series to show it is still the most intimidating force in world cricket.

The Australian captain is adamant Phillip Hughes, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus showed during the recent Test series victory in South Africa that they can cope with the pressure of tough opposition in a hostile environment.

“If any sporting team around the world lose some of the all-time greats of the game out of their side, you can definitely understand why people would think it would be easier to beat us,” The Age quoted Ponting, as saying.

“But it would be interesting to see if the England players are saying the same thing as what media and fans might be saying about the current Australian side.

“There was a lot being made of Andrew Symonds not being picked in our squad and how that squad seems to be a little bit less intimidating than it was.

“But I think I am intimidated by good players, the better players you see in any team the more intimidated I become, not necessarily just names so that’s how I would be looking at it,” he said.

“As I said, our last series was beating a very, very good South African team in their conditions so that’s all I can judge anything I say on,” Ponting added.

Ponting is on his fourth Ashes tour and knows how determined England will be to emulate its epic 2005 victory.

Ponting can’t wait for battle to start. “I really enjoy the opportunity of captaining Australia and playing as much cricket as I can so I am re-invigorated,” he said.

“I am excited for what lies ahead, not only in this series either but for the next few years of my playing career so challenges, different things pop up all the time,” he added. (ANI)