Ponting looking forward to Ashes next year

Sydney: Having called time on his successful One-Day international career, Ricky Ponting has made it clear that the Ashes tour to England next year was his goal. He gave every indication he would go on in Test cricket for as long as possible, and Ashes is a priority. “It’d be great to get back to the Ashes,” Ponting said. “If I’m a good enough player to do that then it’d be great to go back there one more time and hopefully have a few better memories of England than what I’ve had the last couple of tours,” he added. [caption id=“attachment_221591” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Having called time on his successful One-Day international career, Ricky Ponting has made it clear that the Ashes tour to England next year was his goal. Getty Images”]  [/caption] Australia were humiliated at home by the visiting English side in the last Ashes series. “Everybody is (after redemption) as far as Ashes cricket is concerned,” Ponting said. Before being dumped from the ODI side, Ponting dominated the Indian attack in the four-match Test series, which saw him score a double century and a century. “I think I proved to myself and everyone else that I’m still capable of dominating Test cricket as I did in the last series against India,” he said. Meanwhile, Cricket Tasmania has revealed Ponting is “available to play” against South Australia in Saturday’s Ryobi Cup one-day final in Adelaide. The decision was arrived at following consultation with Tigers skipper George Bailey, who is not part of Australia’s tri-series squad. “I have had a bit of thinking to do and some communication to do with the Tasmanian coaches and players,” Ponting said. PTI