Ponting backs calls for the best

Ponting said he was less interested in neutral umpires. 8220;I8217;d just like to have the best umpires to umpire cricket around the world all the time,8221; Ponting told reporters today. 8220;Whether that means they are Australian, or two Pakistanis, or two Englishmen, it doesn8217;t matter to me as long as they are doing a good job in the middle.8221;

Strauss stays neutral

But Australia8217;s call for standing 8220;best umpires8221; irrespective of their origin in the forthcoming Ashes series has received a cool response from England captain Andrew Strauss who favoured the provision of having neutral umpires.

Strauss dismissed the idea of Australian and English umpires officiating. 8220;From my point of view, the regulations the ICC has in place are perfectly adequate and I don8217;t see any reason to change that,8221; Strauss was quoted as saying by The Daily Telegraph.