Ponting

London: Embarrassed by the Ashes defeat last year, Australian captain Ricky Ponting has vowed to clinch back the famous urn from England when they meet in November later this year.

Ponting-led Australia lost the Ashes (1-2) for the first time in 18 years last summer and Ponting said his players would go all out to avenge their shameful defeat.

“It’s a huge series for the team ? to be the first one to hand over the Ashes in 18 years was something the players were embarrassed and ashamed about,” Ponting said.

“England will face a better Australian team than they did last time,” he was quoted as saying by a news channel on Monday.

“We’ve worked really hard on our games and performances ? everything is heading in the right direction and everything isn’t smooth sailing for England,” he said referring to the injury-ravaged English team.

“I’m confident we’ll play well, we’ve brought our games on a long way since the end of the Ashes.

Meanwhile, England spinner Ashley Giles has set his sights on the Ashes after undergoing a second bout of hip surgery.

The 33-year-old was forced to return home from the winter 2005 tour of Pakistan.

“We’ll find out more in a week’s time when I come off the crutches, but the early indications are that they’ve taken away the things that were causing the discomfort,” Giles told a newspaper.

“The Ashes are my goal, partly because they’re a target to keep me going and partly because I believe that I can get myself fit and bowling again before then.” (Agencies)