Ponting not worried about losing Ashes

Ricky Ponting is not losing any sleep over becoming the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes for 16 years. Ponting took over from Steve Waugh, who with his predecessors Mark Taylor and Allan Border made sure England have not held the trophy since 1989, and when he landed in England insisted he was not worried.

"I'm not looking at it as being the first to lose them," he said. "I'm looking at being another Australian captain to retain the Ashes. It comes back to us being here and preparing well."

Ponting said this series carried no more pressure because Australia had been the favourites for the past ten years. "It is not something we have thought about," he said. "We are here to play the best possible cricket."