Ponting unfazed by crowd treatment

Ponting, who on the eve of the Headingley Test confirmed a spat with a spectator at Edgbaston last weekend, must set about the more important business of trying to keep Australia in the Ashes. If they lose in Leeds, Australia will have kissed goodbye to the urn again.

Ponting will not be deflected from the events he can control by others he cannot. On the subject of his ongoing dialogue with England's supporters, he said: "It's out of the players' hands; there's nothing we can do about it - and probably to a certain degree, there's not much the administrators can do about it. You can't have a security guard per spectator in the ground, making sure he doesn't do anything through the course of the day."

In any case, Ponting has enjoyed much of what has gone on.

"The participation of the spectators has been good fun," he reported.

"There's been a bit of banter, Australian supporters in the crowd as well, Barmy Army - going back and forward to each other. It probably adds a bit to the games.

"I've actually really enjoyed the spectator participation in the series. I've always said the Barmy Armies are the best group of sporting supporters around the world. They come to the cricket to enjoy themselves; sometimes, it's small minorities that make days a little bit disappointing."

Ponting was less amused by what happened in Birmingham, recalling: "There were some words exchanged.

"The spectator was actually leaning over the front of the grandstand and gave me a bit of a gob-full when I got out.

"As it turned out, he was later thrown out of the ground - so it would appear he was probably in the wrong."