Ponting admits to form slump

Ricky Ponting has conceded he is struggling for form less than a fortnight from the start of the Ashes. Ponting was out for 10 in Tasmania's Ford Ranger Cup loss to Victoria on Sunday, following on from his below-average performances in the Champions Trophy.

Since September Ponting has played nine one-day internationals at the DLF Cup and the Champions Trophy, averaging only 22.33 with three half-centuries and five single-figure scores. After he was caught behind down the legside on Sunday, Ponting said he was keen to spend time at the crease in Tasmania's Pura Cup match with Victoria starting on Tuesday.

"I'm not great, I'm probably not setting the world alight at the moment," he told AAP. "It would have been nice to spend a bit longer out there today and get a few runs under my belt, have something to do with the result of the game. The last few months haven't been my best batting. Hopefully some time in the middle will come for me and hopefully that's in the next game."

Ponting said Australia's Test players would need to adjust quickly to the conditions in Australia after spending nearly a month in India. "I worked really hard on my game through India and I felt I played a couple of decent innings over there," he said. "But back in Australia, the conditions are slightly different to what we had over there, so I think it's important for all of us looking forward to the Test match to make what we can from this next game. Probably we're all looking forward to a good, solid hitout.

"But we'll worry about that when we need to - I'm looking forward now to be able to change things around for Tasmania. If that means me spending some time in the middle and getting some runs, getting some valuable time in the middle looking ahead, then that would be great. But we've got a state game to win now."