Cricket: Ponting says Bowden to blame for Ashes loss

SYDNEY - England's alleged use of mint sweets to help swing the Ashes series their way no longer leaves a bitter taste in Australian mouths.

Pace bowler Nathan Bracken created a stir last week when he suggested the use of mint sweets helped English bowlers create deadly reverse swing - though he swiftly backed down, saying his comments were "tongue in cheek".

Now another culprit has been unearthed to explain the world champion's surrender of cricket's famous urn - New Zealand umpire Billy Bowden.

Captain Ricky Ponting has blamed Bowden's turning down of a leg-before-wicket appeal in the second test at Edgbaston for Australia's two-run defeat, which levelled the series 1-1.

Writing in his Ashes Diary 2005, Ponting said the result could have been different had Bowden adjudged Simon Jones out lbw to speedster Brett Lee in the English second innings. "It was as plumb as could be, yet Bowden said not out," Ponting recalled in the Sun-Herald newspaper.

At that stage England's last batting pair had added 49 for the 10th wicket - they added just two more before the innings ended.

"I was pretty agitated when Bowden said the ball was going down leg," said Ponting, who admitted that he initially had the same opinion.

"My impression was it was going down leg but it swung at the last second," he said.

With the series squared, Australia clung on for a draw in the third test at Old Trafford before losing by three wickets at Trent Bridge. The fifth test was drawn, handing England the Ashes for the first time since 1987.

- NZPA