Australia captain Ricky Ponting continued the fractious buildup to this week's first test against South Africa by saying he sees nothing wrong with players engaging in banter. The International Cricket Council (ICC) warned players from both sides that they risked misconduct charges if they continued the sledging that has dominated the buildup to the series.The teams have been trading insults, with South Africa skipper Graeme Smith claiming Australia have lost their edge after the Ashes defeat and Shane Warne saying the tourists will need a psychologist after the series."Banter is part of our game and so far the buildup to this Test series looks like it is going to be pretty intense," Ponting told a news conference in Perth on Tuesday. "But it has just been some pretty light-hearted banter. I'm pretty comfortable with what's happened so far in the press."Ponting said the build-up had certainly added extra spice to the series but added that the players were aware of the limits before the ICC warning."Our on-field record speaks for itself over the last couple of years and we'll make sure when we go into the game on Friday that we're upholding the spirit of the game as best as we possibly can," Ponting said.
