Keep sending us in - Ponting

Ricky Ponting is happy for rival teams to keep up their tactic of sending Australia in as batting first is his preferred method to win games. After Australia's two slips in New Zealand, where they failed to defend 300-plus totals, opposition captains have decided to bowl on winning the toss, but the move has already backfired for South Africa and West Indies in the past two matches.

Australia, who lead the Super Eights, set targets of 378 for South Africa and 323 for West Indies, who both struggled to maintain the required tempo and suffered heavy defeats. "It's probably well known that Australia's favourite way of playing is to bat first," Ponting said in The Australian. "I certainly don't worry about batting first.

"There are a lot of other teams out there who are favouring bowling first, particularly in day games because they probably feel that if there is going to be something in the wicket, it's there in the morning."

However, Ponting warned his future opponents of the dangers of overcoming large totals. "In a run chase like that, if you lose one wicket or two in a quick period, then the game changes completely," Ponting said. "That's the pressure that they are putting themselves under by bowling first."