Ponting Content With Ashes Build-Up

Australia captain Ricky Ponting is content with the way his side have built up for the opening Ashes Test in Cardiff starting on Wednesday.

He felt the tourists achieved plenty of positives from their drawn four-day game with England Lions at Worcester.

The likes of Brett Lee, Marcus North and Mike Hussey all rediscovered their form with either bat or ball ahead of the first game in the five-match series against Andrew Strauss' side.

Ponting said: "We got a lot out of this game - almost everyone except me - and it was really good preparation for us going into the Cardiff game.

"This wicket will be similar to the one we have to confront down there, so we couldn't have asked for much more as far as our preparation goes.

"Brett Lee really stood up for us in the first innings. Once the ball started to swing, we know he is as good as anyone in the world in terms of exploiting those conditions.

"Marcus North batted well in the second innings, and Mike Hussey looks terrific in both knocks, while Michael Clarke got some quality time in the middle yesterday.

"We have topped things up really well. I've been really happy with the way things have gone for the past month.

"We went out of the World Twenty20 really early and have had a long run-in to the first Test. It seems like an eternity, but our training has been spot-on.

"We can travel down to Cardiff happy with what we have done and the intensity automatically steps up when you play Test cricket."

Ponting, however, is aware that opener Phillip Hughes will have to come to terms with the short delivery after twice falling to Steve Harmison.

He said: "He will now have a good idea what to expect for the remainder of the tour.

"Phillip got out in a similar way in both innings, so he will have some work to do."

Lions captain Ian Bell believes Harmison will be close to earning a recall to the Test squad at Cardiff.

The Durham paceman bowled with plenty of aggression in both innings and finished with match figures of six for 135.

Bell said: "The England selectors would have had a tough meeting today certainly with the way Steve has bowled in this game, and he must be close to being selected.

"He and Graham Onions have bowled excellently in this match. I'm sure there will be some tough decisions to be made.

"Both have shown they would justify a place in the team. They were fantastic with the new ball.

"It was a very good workout for our young players, and the opening batsmen (Stephen Moore and Joe Denly) played fantastically well considering the amount of experience Australia have got.

"I thought we did ourselves justice and gave Australia a run for their money at times over the last four days."