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Ponting, Strauss ready for one last Ashes effort
Ricky Ponting is looking forward to the deciding fifth Test as a chance to avenge becoming the first Australia captain to lose an Ashes series in 18 years.
- Associated Press
- Updated: August 09, 2009 03:08 PM IST
Read Time:2 min
Leeds, England:
On Sunday, Australia won the fourth Test at Headingley by an innings and 80 runs inside three days to level the series at 1-1.
Although a draw at The Oval from Aug. 20 will allow Australia to retain the Ashes following its subsequent 5-0 sweep at home in 2007, Ponting still feels he has unfinished business in England as captain.
"It's the chance I have been waiting for this whole tour," Ponting said. "It's the chance the whole team has been waiting for since we lost at Lord's. We've been wanting to play well to win a game and get back to 1-1.
"I've said from the start how much it would mean to me to win here and it's the same for everyone in our squad. Now, we have got things back on track and are playing good cricket we are all very excited. It's going to be a special week for us next week.
"It's going to be one of the best moments of my career," Ponting added. "That's what cricket is all about for me _ 1-1 in an Ashes series going into the last Test match at a great venue like The Oval. All of our guys will be up and ready to play that game."
England captain Andrew Strauss was left to ponder his team's two batting failures in Leeds. England was dismissed for 102 and then 263 but only after an eighth-wicket stand of 108 between tailenders Stuart Broad (61) and Graeme Swann (62) on Sunday.
English batsmen at Nos. 3, 4 and 5 contributed just 16 runs in six innings in the match. Ravi Bopara has a top score of 35 in seven innings in the series, while Ian Bell's comeback since the third Test has not been successful.
Strauss said it was a time for "calm reflection" as opposed to panic but did acknowledge that The Oval would need a one-off game mentality, which may encourage bold selection with the Ashes on the line.
"It's like in any game situation, you always try to learn from what has gone before, and we have plans that have been there all through the series," Strauss said. "But when we arrive at The Oval, what has gone before will count for nothing. It is winner takes all.
"We'll need 11 guys to stand up and be desperate enough to win it."
Ricky Ponting is looking forward to the deciding fifth Test as a chance to avenge becoming the first Australia captain to lose an Ashes series in 18 years following the 2005 defeat in England.On Sunday, Australia won the fourth Test at Headingley by an innings and 80 runs inside three days to level the series at 1-1.
Although a draw at The Oval from Aug. 20 will allow Australia to retain the Ashes following its subsequent 5-0 sweep at home in 2007, Ponting still feels he has unfinished business in England as captain.
"It's the chance I have been waiting for this whole tour," Ponting said. "It's the chance the whole team has been waiting for since we lost at Lord's. We've been wanting to play well to win a game and get back to 1-1.
"I've said from the start how much it would mean to me to win here and it's the same for everyone in our squad. Now, we have got things back on track and are playing good cricket we are all very excited. It's going to be a special week for us next week.
"It's going to be one of the best moments of my career," Ponting added. "That's what cricket is all about for me _ 1-1 in an Ashes series going into the last Test match at a great venue like The Oval. All of our guys will be up and ready to play that game."
England captain Andrew Strauss was left to ponder his team's two batting failures in Leeds. England was dismissed for 102 and then 263 but only after an eighth-wicket stand of 108 between tailenders Stuart Broad (61) and Graeme Swann (62) on Sunday.
English batsmen at Nos. 3, 4 and 5 contributed just 16 runs in six innings in the match. Ravi Bopara has a top score of 35 in seven innings in the series, while Ian Bell's comeback since the third Test has not been successful.
Strauss said it was a time for "calm reflection" as opposed to panic but did acknowledge that The Oval would need a one-off game mentality, which may encourage bold selection with the Ashes on the line.
"It's like in any game situation, you always try to learn from what has gone before, and we have plans that have been there all through the series," Strauss said. "But when we arrive at The Oval, what has gone before will count for nothing. It is winner takes all.
"We'll need 11 guys to stand up and be desperate enough to win it."
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