Ponting refuses to take the groundsman’s word

Four years ago, Ponting came under fire for bowling first without injured pace spearhead Glenn McGrath following concerns that heavy rain would make the Edgbaston pitch a minefield

Ponting refuses to take the groundsman's word

Four years ago, Ponting came under fire for bowling first without injured pace spearhead Glenn McGrath following concerns that heavy rain would make the Edgbaston pitch a minefield

In his syndicated newspaper column, captain Ricky Ponting wrote on Sunday: "While it was disappointing the way we started at Lord's (the second Test) I was very encouraged the way we finished.

England's Andrew Flintoff (right) consoles Australia's Brett Lee after England beat Australia by two runs on Day Four of the Second Ashes Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham, England on August 7, 2005. pic/Getty Images

"Coming only a week after our strong performance in Cardiff (first Test) I believe that if we can use this tour match against Northampton well, we will be in a good position to strike back at Edgbaston."

Be that as it may, the mood in the Aussie dressing-room is not what it should be, despite star England batsman Kevin Pietersen being hors de combat and Andy Flintoff a doubtful starter, given the Australian bowlers' undistinguished performances in the Test series which sees the visitors trailing the resurgent home side 0-1.

Johnson, upon whose broad shoulders the Australians had pinned a great deal of hope, gave another lacklustre performance, conceding six runs an over against Northampton, which has put his place in the team in serious jeopardy.

Johnson's inclusion
Australian coach Tim Nielsen reportedly "bristled" when reporters suggested Australia could not afford to include Johnson in the next Test team.

In a remark that was as evasive as it was replete with desperate hope, Nielsen said the inclusion of the champion left-arm pace bowler would depend on the conditions in Birmingham during the epic 2005 Ashes series when England hit back after Australia won the first Test at Lord's.

Meanwhile, Ponting claims he is not about to be fooled like the last Ashes tour after reports that pitch preparations for tomorrow's Test have been seriously affected by rain.

Four years ago, the Australian captain came under fire for bowling first without injured pace spearhead Glenn McGrath following concerns that heavy rain would make the Edgbaston pitch, prepared by groundsman Steve Rouse, a minefield.

A fortnight of heavy rain recently has again delayed preparation of the Test strip.

"It's a nightmare," Rouse told BBC. "Out of the last 10 days, there have been two actual dry days and the wicket is a bit like a jelly".

But Ponting is not convinced.

"That's what we were told last time and that's why we ended up bowling first in 2005. I've probably got a bit more experience with that this time around," he said.

"If you look back, it was one of the great Test matches a lot of us have played in.

"It was a great game and for us to get that close was petty remarkable because when we lost a couple of wickets late on the third night, I felt we had lost the opportunity to win.

"We only needed 282 to win. It wasn't a big total and the wicket was still good."

Australia finished the third day on 175 for eight in a seemingly hopeless position. But some incredible batting by the tail enders almost changed the course of history.

After Shane Warne pushed his overnight score of 20 to 42, Brett Lee and Michael Kasprowicz almost achieved the impossible in a last-wicket stand.

Umpire Billy Bowden adjudged last manu00a0 Kasprowicz caught down the leg side off Steve Harmison by 'keeper Geraint Jones for 20 off his arm, after the batsman and Lee had brought Australia to just two runs short of a sensational victory.

Trent Bridge victory
The decision enabled England to win the Test and level the series 1-1 and go on to win the fourth Test at Trent Bridge by three wickets to grab the Ashes (fifth Test was drawn), which sparked off national rejoicing, dancing in the streets and Queen's honours for the entire team and management.

The last wicket dismissal saw England's talismanic all-rounder Andy Flintoff, who had played a Herculean role in England's historic win, run up and put a consoling arm around the disconsolate Brett Lee (he remained unbeaten on 43) in an act that has become a defining moment in Ashes history.

It is moot whether tomorrow's return match at the fabled venue will produce similar high-voltage drama.

However, given the state of the series and the stakes in terms of pride (and prejudice!) of the two teams, another humdinger cannot be ruled out.

Ponting wrote on Sunday: "It's been an emotional roller-coaster for everyone over the past couple of weeks.

Good start
"We started the Test series really well in Cardiff but then started the second Test really poorly...
"I thought the last half of the second Test was quite good but we can't afford to give away starts like we did then try to work our way back into the Test from that far behind.

"It's hard to get a gauge exactly where we're at but when we play our best, or somewhere near our best, we've shown that is well and truly good enough to win if we put it together for long enough.

"We always talk about that around the team. In the first Test we put it together for extremely long periods of time and in the second Test we probably played half a game.

"Given how evenly matched the teams are on paper, it was always going to be the critical moments which would determine the series."

"Critical moments". Truly spoken.

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