Martyn's Test days are not over - Ponting

Damien Martyn's graceful Test career is not finished despite being dropped from the Super Series squad, according to the captain Ricky Ponting. Ponting said Martyn's omission was the "biggest shock" during the squad announcement that also included the dropping of Michael Kasprowicz and Jason Gillespie.

"Damien is 33 but as far as I'm concerned he's been a champion player for a long time and there is no doubt he can bounce back," Ponting told the Daily Telegraph. "I know he'll be missed because he's a terrific guy and a good mate of mine."

Ponting, who launched Atari's Ricky Ponting computer game at the SCG yesterday, told Channel Nine the Australians needed to recover their winning "habits" for the Super Series after the Ashes "hiccup". "It's important to get those back again and I am sure if we do you will see us win lots of Test matches," he said.

Ponting said being beaten by England was a new experience and it would "toughen me up as captain". "Things had been going along well for a long period and this has been a hiccup and something we have got to get over pretty quickly," he said. "None of this squad has been involved in a losing Ashes series before and some of the players have never been part of a losing Test series before."

The Super Series begins with the one-day matches on October 5, 7 and 9 in Melbourne and the Super Test starting in Sydney on October 14.