Centurions Katich, Ponting inspired by painful memories of Ashes 2005

September 22nd, 2009 SYDNEY - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has said he enjoyed the England tour despite it being a tough one. Ponting described the tour as one of the most enjoyable visit for him despite suffering a shocking defeat in the Ashes.

August 30th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australia needs a street fighter like Simon Katich to trigger a revival, after calls for sacking of Ricky Ponting in the wake of the Ashes loss under the Tasmanian's captaincy for the second time in four years Australian cricket has lost the ruthless cutting edge cultivated by Steve Waugh that made them one of the most feared teams, according to former players. Former Test wicketkeeper Steve Rixon said Ponting is a magnificent batsman, but he will never be regarded as a great captain, and added that Australia have lost their killer instinct under him.

July 12th, 2009 CARDIFF - By closing his side's first innings with a lead of 239, Australian captain Ricky Ponting has set his England counterpart Andrew Strauss a task that will test his leadership as well as his batting ability, feels former player and noted commentator Richie Benaud. "I was disappointed in England's bowling attack because I've been singing its praises of late.Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Andrew Flintoff were in the form of their lives and I rate Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar highly," Benaud says in his article for News of The World.

July 10th, 2009 CARDIFF - All-rounder Andrew Flintoff has called on his teammates to recall the Ashes spirit of 2005 and lift themselves to combat the Australians more aggressively in the ongoing first Test here. Flintoff's call came as the Australians came up with a score of 249 for the loss of Phillip Hughes's wicket in reply to England's 436 all out.

July 8th, 2009 LONDON - Australian captain Ricky Ponting has asked his inexperienced squad to create its own Ashes legend following the upheaval of several retirements and injuries to senior men, including Brett Lee. Ponting's Australians have been preparing for the Ashes series for the last six months, during which they have rebuilt their team after seasoned players -Mathew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Damien Martin and Glenn McGrath- retired from international cricket.

July 8th, 2009 CARDIFF - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has urged Welsh fans to support his team as the Ashes series starts in Cardiff today. Ponting believes that old hostilities between the Welsh and the English could cause Cardiff locals to support Australia.

July 7th, 2009 LONDON - In the absence of an injured Brett Lee, Australian captain Ricky Ponting has asked his inexperienced fast bowlers to become Ashes heroes. Australia's Ashes defence campaign suffered a major blow as Lee, making a comeback from an ankle injury, was ruled out of the first Test at Cardiff starting Wednesday after he pulled an abdominal muscle.

July 7th, 2009 CARDIFF - For Australian opener Simon Katich, participating in an Ashes tour is all about fighting back. Revealing that captain Ricky Ponting and coach Tim Nielsen have introduced a ritual within the Australian team, in which each player is asked to tell his teammates why the Ashes is special, Katich recalls that he has been telling his mates of a past that has left deep scars, but one that has helped him to become a more resilient character.

July 4th, 2009 SYDNEY - With the Ashes series scheduled to begin in less than a week's time, former Australian spin legend Shane Warne has rated each player of the Australian squad. Warne has indicated that captain Ricky Ponting is the mainstay of the batting line-up, who would be full of motivation on his fourth Ashes tour.

July 3rd, 2009 LONDON - Ricky Ponting might be disappointed with John Buchanan's new job as an advisor in the English board, but the former Australian coach will be backing Ponting to win the Ashes. Buchanan said that Ponting can lead the team to a win in the series and atone for their loss in 2005.

July 3rd, 2009 LONDON - With just five days left for the Ashes, Australian captain Ricky Ponting again made it clear that he is not happy with John Buchanan's decision to join the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) as an adviser. "I just hope I don't see him with an England jumper on.

June 12th, 2009 SYDNEY - After helping Simon Katich sharpen his batting skills for the last Ashes tour, former Australian captain and coach Bob Simpson can again be seen helping the left-handed batsmen improve his leg spin for this year's series starting next month. Katich, Marcus North and vice-captain Michael Clarke have all been told to work on their part-time spin for the Ashes.

June 10th, 2009 LONDON - Australian cricket skipper Ricky Ponting believes he can use this year's Ashes to lift the spirits of the team. Australia's four-month stay in the UK has started on the worst possible note, and Ponting said it was up to him and the coaching staff to move on from the embarrassments and stop the tour from unravelling.

May 30th, 2009 LONDON - The war for Ashes 2009 has begun with Australian captain Ricky Ponting firing the first salvo, questioning whether England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff will be any good this summer. Flintoff underwent knee surgery in April and has not yet started running properly.

May 30th, 2009 LONDON - Australia captain Ricky Ponting is excited about the Twenty20 World Cup as his side has a double incentive to win it. Having been the holders of the World Cup and the Champions Trophy, a victory in the shortest form of the game would give them a clean sweep of all the major one-day trophies.