Ponting seeking improvement

Australia captain wants more consistency in second Test

Last updated: 23rd November 2008

Ponting seeking improvement

Ponting: Batting must improve

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Ricky Ponting believes Australia need to show plenty of improvement before he can say they are back to their best.

The Baggy Greens claimed a 149-run victory over New Zealand in the first Test in Brisbane, just days after returning from a disappointing tour of India, where they lost the Test series 2-0.

But although the Aussie skipper was delighted with the win, he admits he would like to see a more consistent display from his players.

"I think we were a fair way off playing our best cricket, both teams struggled with the bat on that wicket," he said.

"(But) after halfway through the second day, it probably wasn't a bad surface to bat on at all.

"I thought we bowled very well, we fielded well, but our batting wasn't great."

Ponting was confident his side would improve ahead of the second and final Test against the Black Caps in Adelaide on Friday.

"We've done what we needed to do, we had a number of outstanding individual performances in the game, but at the moment we're just lacking that real consistency through the group that we need to play our best cricket," he said.

"We head to Adelaide, probably on a better batting surface, hopefully the guys who got starts here can go on and get bigger scores."

Ponting paid tribute to left-arm seamer Mitchell Johnson, who took nine wickets in the match including his five-wicket innings as he helped skittle the Kiwis for 177in their second innings.

"The thing I like about him is that he's continually working on things," Ponting added.

"He's done as well as any of our bowlers over the last 12 or 18 months, but he's the first one to go and have a look at video footage and work on things. He's always trying to find ways to improve.

"He's doing everything right at the moment, we've always known he is a very attacking type of bowler that at different times can probably go for a few boundaries, but a lot of the time probably looks most like getting wickets."