Captaincy hasn't hurt my batting - Ponting

Ricky Ponting does not believe the Test captaincy has affected his batting, but he intends to finish a "stop-start" year on a high against Pakistan, starting in the first Test at the WACA tomorrow. Entering the match with 505 runs at 36.07 for 2004, Ponting has fallen well short of his career average and his Australian-record haul of 1503 runs at 100.2 last year.

Ponting said he understood that he hadn't set the world on fire since taking over from Steve Waugh, and is still searching for his first century as captain. "I certainly haven't felt any added pressure there," he said. "I really don't let things cloud me at all and I'm not one that thinks too much about cricket when I'm not at training or around the team."

Disruptions with a broken thumb and the death of his aunt forced him to miss four Tests this year and he said it affected his form. "It's been a frustrating sort of Test year for me just because it's been so stop-start," Ponting said. "I've missed a few games in a few series and obviously missed the first part of an unbelievably satisfying tour to India as well."

Ponting said he had no problem getting starts, but hadn't gone on to make the big scores like he did in 2003, when he hit three double-centuries against India and West Indies. In the two-Test series against New Zealand he was in a hurry to three figures in the first-innings, settling for 51 and 68, and was an unbeaten 26 before his second Adelaide declaration.

"Probably on a few occasions this year I've let what could've been a big score slip," he said. "So hopefully that changes around here tomorrow and Boxing Day and I can finish off the year on a good note."