Ponting reminds cocky English of Ashes scars

Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, has warned England's cricketers not to get too carried away with their recent success, reminding them that the scars of repeated Ashes losses run deep. The English press and cricket supporters are following standard procedure when their team shows some form and are calling "Bring on the Aussies" after eight comprehensive wins and a draw in nine Tests against the West Indies and New Zealand.

But Ponting, in England playing a cameo role for Somerset, said Australia would be a very different proposition for Michael Vaughan's team in next year's Ashes series in England. "We've been recognised as the number one team in the world for the last few years. Until you've been tested against the best, you never know how good you are," Ponting said after making 117 for Somerset against Glamorgan at Taunton, his second century in as many games for the club.

"Sure, they've done a lot of things well and a lot of things right over the last 12 to 18 months but as history shows they just never play their best cricket against Australia and hopefully that'll be the case again next year.

"They've still got to play us. A lot of their players have got a lot of bad memories of cricket against Australia.

"If we can manage to play well early on in the first Test match, hopefully those psychological scars will come back."

With 15 wins out of its last 22 Tests, England has risen to second on the ICC Test championship rankings on 107 points, a distant 22 behind Australia. Only three points separate England, South Africa, Pakistan and India.

One English newspaper suggested that if Australia lost its series to India later this year and England beats South Africa, next year's Ashes would be a world championship showdown. Ponting has heard all the English optimism before only to lose the last eight Ashes series.

"That always happens. That's why it's a bit funny it's happening this far out. A lot of things are going to happen between now and the Ashes," Ponting said.

"The papers can write whatever they like, but it's up to the players to go out there and perform on the day and perform when it really matters and the Australian team has done that a lot over the last few years."

Ponting conceded next year's Ashes could be a tighter contest than recent series.

"They're playing some good cricket. I haven't been able to sit down and watch too much of it, but I've certainly seen the results and the results have been pretty good," he said. "It's shaping up as a pretty good series next year."