It's batty to choose flat wickets Ben

PONTING PITCHES IN

- DEAN WILSON

RICKY PONTING thinks ‘Bazball’ was designed to floor the Aussies in this summer’s Ashes. 

Ponting (above left) can’t wait for the fivematch contest to get underway at Edgbaston on Friday and says England’s new approach to Test cricket is “refreshing”.

But the former Aussie skipper thinks Ben Stokes’ demand for flat and fast pitches to suit his batters could backfire on his bowlers in the long run.

“I think the reason that they’ve played this way for the last couple of years is with this series in mind,” said Ponting.