Ponting receives perfect birthday gift

After being routed by an innings and 71-runs in the second Test in Adelaide, Ponting's team thrashed England by 267 runs early on the fourth day to level the five-Test series 1-1 and swing the momentum firmly back to the hosts.

“We got a nice old hiding in Adelaide last week and to be able to bounce back as dramatically and drastically here says a lot about us and where were at right at this moment in the series. It's really pleasing,” Ponting told reporters.

“There's some great lessons for us to learn out of this game, the way that we've played our cricket.

“I think now England might just start to have a bit of a look at one -- their team make-up for Melbourne and two -- the sort of cricket they play to have to beat us.”

Having been spanked in Adelaide after losing their first three wickets for two runs, Australia appeared set for another calamitous defeat when their batsman slumped to 36 for four on day one.

Cue Mitchell Johnson, who scored a 62 in a rearguard fightback then helped Australia crash through England's batting lineup for 187 with a searing six-wicket spell to set up the victory.
“Mitchell's spell was unbelievable, probably one of the odds-on great Ashes spells,” Ponting said of the mercurial pace bowler who was dropped after a wayward, wicketless spell in the drawn first Test in Brisbane.