Ponting backs Symonds to shine

Andrew Symonds: may get the chance to bat up the order in the Twenty20 international © Getty Images

Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen may have been hogging the Ashes headlines in England but Australia captain Ricky Ponting has said Andrew Symonds can star when the teams meet for the first time this season in Monday's Twenty20 international at the Rose Bowl.

Flintoff and Pietersen are undeniably two of the most dynamic batsmen on the international stage. And Pietersen, 24, enhanced his growing reputation by smashing an 80-ball 77 in England's crushing 153 run warm-up 50-over win against his Hampshire team-mates at Southampton on Saturday.

However Symonds, 30, who could have played for England after being born in Birmingham, is no slouch. Last season, playing for English county Kent, Symonds scored 112 off 43 balls in a Twenty20 match against Middlesex - and his hundred was up in 34 deliveries. And Symonds re-affirmed his liking for pulverising county attacks on Saturday with an unbeaten 92 off 59 balls in Australia's 95-run win against Leicestershire.

Now Ponting, in front of what is expected to be a 15,000 sell-out Rose Bowl crowd, is set to give Symonds every chance to shine once more. "This sort of game lends itself to the way Andrew plays. He's been very successful at this game at county level as well, every chance he'll find himself up the order," Ponting told reporters at a news conference at the squad's hotel today.

Australia have won the last eight Ashes series and while Monday's game will not end the hype - the first Test doesn't start until July 21 and the teams are set to meet eight times before then, with both sides also playing Bangladesh - it will at least provide a few pointers as to how the season might pan out.

Ponting, since arriving in England, has repeatedly stressed the importance of the one-dayers in the build-up to the Ashes. But England captain Michael Vaughan, perhaps conscious of the dangers of talking the games up too much only to suffer defeat later on, has tried to downplay their impact on the Tests.

Not that either man was setting too much store by Monday's match, which will be the first Twenty20 international to be played in England. In February, Australia beat New Zealand by 44 runs in Auckland in the first Twenty 20 international, with the Kiwis emphasising the 'fun' aspect of a game yet to acquire the standing associated with one-dayers and Tests by wearing afro wigs and fake sideburns.

"We certainly won't be wearing wigs, we'll play it seriously," said Vaughan, speaking alongside Fletcher. "How much effect the one-day series will have on the Ashes only time will tell. I'm not sure if it will have a big effect."

Meanwhile Vaughan said he was looking forward to having Flintoff and Pietersen in the same one-day side. "They are similiar in that they both hit it hard but they are two totally different batsmen. Freddie is a bit more orthodox and KP can hit it in strange areas. They are two great players to have in your team."