Ponting guns for Ashes revenge

8220;We8217;ve worked really hard on our games and performances 8212; everything is heading in the right direction and everything isn8217;t smooth sailing for England,8221; he said referring to the injury-ravaged English team. 8220;I8217;m confident we8217;ll play well, we8217;ve brought our games on a long way since the end of the Ashes.

8220;We know it will be a big challenge again and if they have a 90 per cent fully-fit team they will be very competitive. 8220;But in our conditions, with our crowds, and with us being a better team now than we certainly were then, I8217;d like to think the result will be a bit different this time.8221;

Meanwhile, Giles gets ready

LONDON: England spinner Ashley Giles has set his sights on the Ashes later this year after undergoing a second bout of hip surgery. The 33-year-old is determined to reclaim his place in time to face the Australians later this year. 8220;The Ashes are my goal, partly because they8217;re a target to keep me going and I believe that I can get myself fit.8221;