Ponting targets Ashes revenge

Ricky Ponting has fired another warning shot ahead of this November's Ashes rematch, by vowing to exact revenge for the "embarrassment" of the 2-1 defeat in England.

England's cricketers may be doing their best to postpone thoughts of the return series, as they struggle with injuries and the demands of a busy home season against Sri Lanka and Pakistan, but for the Aussies - who are in the midst of a five-month international break - the Ashes are looming large on the horizon.

"It's a huge series for the team," Ponting told the BBC. "To be the first one to hand over the Ashes in 18 years was something the players were embarrassed and ashamed about. England will face a better Australian team than they did last time."

Australia have since won 11 of their 12 Tests, but England, on the other hand, have won just two out of nine, and last week their Ashes prospects were severely dented when their captain, Michael Vaughan, was ruled out with his long-term knee injury.

"We've worked really hard on our games and performances," added Ponting. "Everything is heading in the right direction and everything isn't smooth sailing for England. I'm confident we'll play well, we've brought our games on a long way since the end of the Ashes."

But for all their eagerness to regain the Ashes, Ponting was not getting too far ahead of himself. "We know it will be a big challenge again and if they have a 90% fully-fit team they will be very competitive," he said. "But in our conditions, with our crowds, and with us being a better team now than we certainly were then, I'd like to think the result will be a bit different this time."