BBC SPORT | THE ASHES | Ponting helps himself

England only have themselves to blame after letting Australia take control of the fourth Ashes Test at Headingley.

That is the view of Ricky Ponting, whose century helped the tourists rack up 288 for four from 66.3 overs on a rain-shortened first day.

Ponting, who was eventually dismissed for 144, was helped by some wayward bowling on the way to his second Headingley century in as many innings.

We were in a very good position until those two late wickets - but we are getting towards a good total

Ricky Ponting

"There was just enough in it for the bowlers all day. But the English bowlers just bowled a few too many bad balls and they got punished for it," said Ponting.

The Tasmanian batsman, out of form all summer, made England pay in a third-wicket stand of 221 with Mark Waugh (72).

He did not rate the innings as one of his best but said Australia are moving towards a position from which they can dictate the match.

"We were in a very good position until those two late wickets - but we are getting towards a good total," he said.

Ricky Ponting punished England's wayward bowlers
England's most successful bowler Andrew Caddick (three for 97) did not disagree with Ponting's assessment of the match so far.

But he held out hope that England could have a good morning tomorrow - particularly if they can get rid of Adam Gilchrist.

Caddick did take issue, though, with Ponting's suggestion that too many bad balls were bowled by the England attack.

"Ricky Ponting might as well turn round and say he played some good shots - because he did," said Caddick.

"Yes, we bowled a couple of bad balls. But if we had kept getting the swing we were getting to start with, those balls would not have been produced, I can promise you."

Caddick and Ponting were in closer agreement over the turning point of the first day, which came when the Aussie centurion edged a ball from the Somerset pace bowler to Mark Ramprakash at third slip.

It would have been a long day and a long Test match for me if it had gone the other way

Ricky Ponting

Ramprakash felt he had taken a clean catch - Ponting was equally sure he had not, and when the third umpire Neil Mallender made his judgment he gave the batsman the benefit of the doubt.

"Obviously the third umpire makes that decision and hopefully he gets it correct - but after that the ball stopped swinging for some reason," said Caddick.

Ponting said: "It just did not seem right to me right from the outset. It did not look like it had carried.

"It was nice to see when the umpire's decision came up on the screen.

"It would have been a long day and a long Test match for me if it had gone the other way."


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