Ricky Ponting: I fear weather more than the England team

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10 April 2012

Ricky Ponting fears Australia's quest to retain the Ashes will be beaten by the weather after heavy rain left huge puddles on the Edgbaston outfield with only hours until the Third Test begins.

With England leading the series 1-0, a rain-affected draw in Birmingham would leave the Aussies needing a win and a draw from the remaining two Tests to hold on to the urn.

There is a 30 per cent chance of rain tomorrow, Friday and Sunday, with 60 per cent for Saturday and Monday, although the sodden outfield means the chances of play starting on time tomorrow look bleak.

Australia captain Ponting said: "We are more worried about the weather than anything else. It's been pretty ordinary so far, and hindered our preparation and training, but we will be ready to go if it is fine tomorrow."

Five super-soppers - vehicles used to mop up standing water - cruised around the outfield all afternoon and groundsman Steve Rouse and his staff are expecting to work through the night to try to ensure the ground is fit for cricket.

Rouse said the water table - the level of water below the surface of the outfield - is so high that "it could not take a big storm".

Bad weather would disrupt the momentum England created with their victory at Lord's, although captain Andrew Strauss believes beating Australia is not as daunting a prospect as it has been in the past.

Strauss claimed today the tourists had lost the "aura" that made them such formidable opponents in the past and insisted England had nothing to fear - unlike the days when the mere sight of Shane Warne running in could precipitate a middle-order collapse.

The England skipper said: "You can only develop an aura like that with a consistent level of performance over a long period. Australia had that, but it doesn't feel as though that's where they are now.

"For example, if guys are having words with you in the middle, it doesn't carry as much weight if they have played only four or five Tests."

Ponting hit back at Strauss's claims, though, and said the England captain may well change his views if the tourists win at Edgbaston.

He said: "I'm not sure he was saying that after Cardiff, where we were well and truly on top of most of their batsmen.

"An aura is something that builds up over a period of time. I don't see how you can create it without winning everything, and England's current Test rating (fifth, Australia are first) would probably indicate they didn't have one."

Strauss is "very optimistic" that Andrew Flintoff's troublesome knee will allow him to play.

The skipper is also confident England's two other injury concerns, Ian Bell and Graham Onions, will be fit to take their places in the XI, while left-arm spinner Monty Panesar has been released from the squad.

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