Ponting looking to future

Australia captain Ricky Ponting concedes that even a fourth consecutive World Cup triumph would not heal his Ashes wounds.

England triumphed 3-1 for their first series victory Down Under in 24 years, Ponting struggling with the bat before missing the final Test with a broken finger.

He has since undergone surgery on the damaged digit - the little finger of his left hand - but is expected to have recovered in time to lead Australia's challenge at the World Cup, which takes place on the subcontinent from February 19 to April 2.

"I'm not sure if anything would erase what's just happened... Payback's going to be hard to get I guess after losing the Ashes,"said Ponting.

"Whatever's happened has happened and you've just got to look forward and make sure you're as well prepared as you can be for the next series or tournament that you play."

Refocus

Ponting, 36, is keen to move on quickly from the Ashes loss."I guess through my career, luckily, there hasn't been too many major disappointments,"he said.

"The Ashes, the last couple of series have been big disappointments for me but you look ahead now to World Cup cricket.

"We've just got to keep looking forward as a group and as a cricket nation really and try to find ways that we can make ourselves better.

"It's no good looking back and thinking about the things that have happened in the past."

On his finger injury, he added:"My finger's coming along OK I guess. I haven't been able to do anything for the last couple of weeks post surgery, but I've got a bit more movement now than I had in the first week after surgery anyway.

"I'll be doing everything I can to get a bat back in my hands as soon as possible and start working it along and all going to plan I should be right for the start of the tournament."

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