Cricket: Aussies defend Ponting

SYDNEY - Australia's vanquished Ashes cricketers have launched a spirited defence of captain Ricky Ponting.

The first group of players not required for the Twenty20 and one-day internationals of the tour arrived back from England this morning.

Ponting, who is scheduled to return tonight, has come under scrutiny after becoming the first captain to lose the Ashes twice in England following this week's 2-1 series loss and the defeat in 2005.

The main criticism of his on-field captaincy has been his decision to use part-time spinner Marcus North rather than an established paceman as England's last wicket pair hung on for an unlikely draw in the First test in Cardiff.

There have also been questions over the decision not to play specialist spinner Nathan Hauritz in the deciding fifth test loss at the Oval, where the pitch took considerable turn.

But the skipper has received strong support from Cricket Australia and the selectors and his returning teammates followed suit.

"Ricky Ponting has got my full support and I think he's the best man to be captain," said paceman Stuart Clark at Sydney Airport.

"I think it's ludicrous that anyone say any other."

Opening batsman Simon Katich, who played in all five tests, stressed every player had to take responsibility for the series loss.

"There was 11 of us out there that had an opportunity to win the Ashes - you can't just blame it on one person," said Katich, who scored 341 runs at an average of 42.

"We had our chances throughout the whole five tests, unfortunately when those chances came around, whether it was Cardiff, Lords, The Oval, we didn't grab them, so everyone put their hands up for that."

Asked about criticism of the Australian selectors, Katich, again turned the focus back on the collective responsibility of the players.

"The guys that got given the opportunity to play in the tests, we didn't make the most of those opportunities to win us the Ashes, so we're the ones that have a direct outcome on the result," Katich said.

The dogged left-hander also refused to use queries about the team's preparation for the five-test series as an excuse.

"I think our preparation was fine. You can always look for plenty of excuses, but the bottom line is when we're out there when the pressure was on, we didn't take our chances," Katich said.

Clark played a straight bat to a question about the controversial Oval pitch produced for the last test.

"I haven't really thought about it, we lost the series that was it, we're done and dusted," Clark said.

Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin expected to get his broken finger checked by a specialist later today.

A decision will then be made on whether he can return to England for the last part of the tour and also regarding his availability for next month's Champions Trophy limited overs tournament in South Africa.

"I'll know more this evening, I've got to go and see the specialist today, and I'll see what happens after that, so fingers crossed," Haddin said.

The finger fracture forced him out of the third test, but he played in the last two with the aid of pain-killing injections.

"It was uncomfortable but obviously it's the Ashes campaign, so you've got to," Haddin said.

- AAP