Cricket: Aggression done with a smile - Ponting

Skipper Ricky Ponting has rejected claims Australia lost the last Ashes cricket series because they were too friendly with the English players, and vowed to take a similar approach as he tried to regain the famous urn this southern summer.

Australia selector Merv Hughes recently made the "too matey" remark. Ponting said the 2005 series in England produced some controlled aggression. He said " you can still be aggressive with a smile on your face".