Australia single out Flintoff

Ricky Ponting has said his team will be targetting Andrew Flintoff during the Ashes. Ponting said Australia believed containing Flintoff could spark a collapse among other English players. "He's such a vital part of their side, if you happen to keep him down for a few Test matches in a row or a few performances here and there, it might drag a couple of their other players down with him," Ponting said.

It has become a ritual for the Australian sides to target the visiting team's captain, in order to leave the rest of the side vulnerable and bring them down mentally. In this case, the captain happens to be the most mercurial player of the side, too, and one who was largely been responsible for England winning the Ashes last year.

Not only is Flintoff leading this team, he is also recovering from an ankle surgery. All this gives Ponting hope that he can be restricted. "It is important that we do that with him, more so for his playing abilities than his leadership," he said. "We all saw last time around that he can be dynamic with the bat and the ball.

"I think their team really do run off him a little bit," Ponting said. "If we can restrict him and put him under pressure right through the series, then hopefully a few of their other players might start feeling the pressure as well. If we can start taking more than one player down, it gives us a great chance of winning."

Glenn McGrath is yet to announce his target for the series, a mental strategy that has become his trademark over the years.

England start their tour with a two-day game against a Prime Minister's XI in Canberra on Friday.