Brett Lee Backing Ponting & Co

Speed Is The Key

Legendary Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has thrown his full support behind Ricky Ponting and his team as they head into the third test match against England in Perth.

Australia who drew the first test in Brisbane and lost the second test in Adelaide will be looking to bounce back knowing a loss will give England the series win, retaining the Ashes in Australia for the first time since 1986 when Mike Gatting captained the team.

Brett Lee insists all the pressure is all on England and this could help Australia when play starts on Thursday.

"I think the good thing Australia has got now is that the only way for us is up," said the fast bowler.

"The way that England have been playing, I think the pressure is now on them.

"I know they are 1-0 up in the series after two games but we hope that the Australian team can go out there and find some form."

Australia has been recalled to the team by the selectors and he feels the seamer could be the key to breaking through England’s batsmen.

"I caught up with Mitch in Adelaide and he was in a great frame of mind," he added.

"It's almost like when you know you're on the verge of being dropped that when you're actually dropped there's a sigh of relief almost because you can go away and try and work on your game and work out how you can get back in [the team].

"I'm sure he gets his opportunity in Perth - and we hope it's going to be a nice bouncy wicket for the quicks - so fingers crossed he can go there and get a bag of wickets."

Ricky Ponting: I Won't Quit

Ponting Up For The Test

Ricky Ponting has insisted he still has fight left in him and has not contemplated quitting as captain of his nation's team. Nevertheless, he may be just one test defeat away from becoming the first Australian captain in 120 years to lose three Ashes

Ponting turns 36 on December 19.  He is the first to admit that he has not been at the top of his game with the bat lately and his team are struggling, trailing England 1-0 in the five-match series with three tests remaining. An England victory in the next test could see England retain the Ashes in Australia.

"My absolute focus is on all the things within my control, preparing the team and myself to perform at our very best in Perth, Melbourne and then Sydney over the next three tests," Ponting wrote in the Australian newspaper Saturday.

"I have not stopped for one moment to consider retirement. The question of my future as captain is ultimately a decision for Cricket Australia and categorically the future of Australian cricket must come first.

"I have every confidence in my ability to score runs and be the experienced batsman and leader that my teammates can rely on."

"As captain, I am accountable for the performance of my team and I accept that our most recent results mean that I am being assessed more critically than at other times in my career as captain.

"The team is my priority, not my own ego or the status that comes with being the captain of the Australian cricket team."

Ponting on his preparation and batting, added, "We've been ordinary, we've played poorly. I haven't played the way I would like to have played, especially in Adelaide, but I don't think I'm that far away.

"I've got to keep trusting the way I prepare and play and keep working hard. If anything I might have worked a bit too hard on my batting over the last couple of weeks."

England Close In On Victory

Can England bowl Australia out

England will be hoping for six quick wickets tomorrow when the final session gets underway, England had earlier declared on 620-5 after adding 69 in nine overs, with Pietersen out for a Test-best of 227, Ian Bell reached 68 and Matt Prior 27.

England left themselves nearly two days to bowl out their hosts at the Adelaide Oval. In reply Australia notched up 238 runs, with Pietersen taking the key wicket of the session,

Australia started there second innings with Shane Watson hitting 57 and Simon Kaitch who was struggling with an Achilles injury registered 43 runs, the Aussie’s started to fight back with an opening stand of 84 before Watson was bowled by Finn and caught by Strauss.

Graeme Swann took two early-afternoon wickets seeing off Simon Kaitch and Captain Ricky Ponting who only managed 9 runs after being caught low down to his left by Paul Collingwood at slip...

Michael Clarke then went on to hit 80 runs and Mike Hussey 44 not out, they were a constant thorn in England's side, having frustrated the visitors. The tourists had done well to reduce 134-3, with Graeme Swann (2-72) striking twice and Steven Finn claiming his eighth wicket of the series.

With the last ball of the day Kevin Pietersen bowled Michael Clarke, who refused to walk but after an official review the decision was made that Clarke was given out.

Graeme Swann has said that if England is able repeat the level of performance they reached today then they can secure the win.

He added; "We need a bit to go our way in that first session and we need to bowl as well as we did today,"

"I think that if we can do that we can win this game.

"Is will be a case of sticking to our guns and seeing what happens."

Speaking on Kevin Pietersen’s last ball, who earlier had a record-breaking test score of 227, the spinner added; "We toiled hard in the last session and a half with very little luck so some time you need a bit of inspiration," said Swann.

"Who else but KP to come on and give you it?

"He went straight in and said 'I'm an all-rounder, I'm an all-rounder' and I still think he is in there shouting it now."

Can England do it or will Australia bat out the whole day with only seven wickets remaining?

Shane Warne backs Nathan Hauritz

Shane Warne on Nathan Hauritz

Legendary spin bowler Shane Warne has said that he expects Nathan Hauritz to be the number one spinner for Australia in the Ashes, although there is stiff competition from Xavier Doherty who has been selected in the squad alongside Steve Smith. The pair will come up against each other in the Sheffield Shield clash between New South Wales and Tasmania in a battle of the spinners.

Warne revealed that he spoke to Hauritz on the Boxing Day Test last year about keeping positive and he feels the Australian will be key providing he doesn't suffer a dip in form, but in case he doesn't perform well, he has Doherty and Smith breathing down his neck for a place in the squad to face England.

Warne added, "I think Nathan Hauritz is our number one spinner, he has a very good record in Australia and I'm sure he'll get first chance,"

"I had a chat with him just before the Boxing Day Test last year and talked about being positive.

"I said 'mate, you're bowling well, get some right fields, work with Ricky (Ponting) to get the right fields and bowl to get someone out. Ask yourself how am I getting them out and if you ask how am I getting them out that naturally gives you a positive mindset'. And if he does that he'll be fine.

"If he (Hauritz) doesn't do well, a bloke like Doherty is pushing and Steven Smith is pushing, so there are options and that's a good sign for Australian cricket.

"But I think Nathan Hauritz will get first chance, and he deserves it.

"He looks good (Doherty), I've worked with him a bit, not in a while, but whenever I worked with him he looks very good.

"He's definitely not a big spinner of the ball and that's something he's trying to work on, to spin it more, and this summer he looks like he's spinning it more, and that's great. I'm sure he'd do a very good job if picked."

While praising the Austrialian spinners, Warne has insisted that England have the best spinner and most improved cricketer  in Graeme Swann,

He added, "Graeme Swann is the number one spinner in the world and the most improved cricketer in the world, so everyone is expecting him to do really well,"

"Expectation is on him for the first time which is different, and he's coming in as leading wicket taker for England. He said.

"So it's a different feeling for him but I think he'll do really well and I'm impressed with what he did this summer in England while I was commentating over there. He was fantastic."

Warne: Ponting is the right man

Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting is the right man to lead the side against England in the Ashes, according to former leg-spinner Shane Warne.

Ponting has come under some fierce criticism from former players after their 2-0 series loss to India, which saw the Aussies slump to fifth in the test rankings, with suggestions that he should relinquish his test captaincy position

Warne had questioned Ponting's tactics on Twitter during Australia's second test in Bangalore with tweeting:

"How the hell can Hauritz bowl to this field?"

"Feeling for Hauritz, terrible!! What are these tactics? Sorry Ricky, but what are you doing?"

Warne attempted to defuse his comments, saying they were not a criticism but an observation as he watched the match unfold.

"My tweet about Ricky's fields for Nathan Hauritz for (two) overs has been portrayed as a rift between myself and the Australian captain and journos have tried to start a slanging match between us; what rubbish," Warne wrote on his personal website www.shanewarne.com

"Commentators on the match, cricket journalists and even the Indian captain, MS Dhoni, have agreed with my tweet. It was an observation, not an attack!

"I have and always will support the Australian cricket team but, as a cricket commentator, I have to be honest, forthright and express my opinion. If people don't like it so be it."

"Ricky, to me, is the right man to lead Australia for the Ashes," Warne wrote of the series that begins on November 25 at the Gabba in Brisbane. "It's a great opportunity for him to show his leadership and captaincy skills.

"He also looks in super touch with the bat. I am sure he's going to fill his boots this summer.

"This Ashes series is going to be the biggest of his and the Australian team's career.

"I think Ricky is at his best when he shows his Tassie devil side which is, aggressive with a dash of flair."