MELBOURNE: Ricky Ponting said Thursday his chances of leading Australia in Sunday's fourth Ashes Test against England were “very high” after completing training without mishap. Ponting fractured the little finger on his left hand while attempting a slip catch during the third Test win in Perth last weekend. The Australian skipper told the Network Ten television station he rated his chances of playing in Melbourne as “very high” and said his injury had shown even greater improvement than he had expected. Ponting's determination to play in Sunday's crucial Ashes Test despite a broken finger will provide great inspiration to the Australia team, wicketkeeper Brad Haddin said. Uncapped New South Wales batsman Usman Khawaja has been put on standby for Ponting but the skipper is giving every indication he will be fit to lead Australia in the Boxing Day Test. The series is tied at one Test each with two matches remaining and England will retain the urn if it wins either in Melbourne or the New Year Test in Sydney. But Haddin said Ponting played a key role in rallying the side for a confidence-boosting win in Perth last week which got the Australians back into the series. “He's our leader and we get a lot of inspiration from him,” Haddin told a press conference Thursday. “He's been a great leader for Australia for a long time and especially with this group of players. You just have to see the turnaround we had from Adelaide to Perth to see the effect he has on the cricket team. It's very important that he plays.” Ponting is Test cricket's second-leading runscorer with 39 hundreds, but is averaging only 16.60 in the current Ashes series. After breaking his finger attempting a catch in the slips in Perth, Ponting appears likely to move himself to a new fielding position for the fourth Test. ‘Play a spinner' Australia needs to play a spinner in Melbourne and should consider utilizing all-rounder Shane Watson's ability with the ball to bolster the pace attack, according to former spin-bowling great Shane Warne. “I am sure the Australian selectors will want to stick with the same winning team. Historically, Melbourne Test match has always needed a spinner, as you don't always pick a team for the first innings,” Warne wrote in a blog on the Daily Telegraph website. “It's hard to change a winning team but I think a spinner will play.” No conspiracy: Groundsman Allegations of pitch doctoring to favor Australia's attack for the fourth Ashes Test against England have been “funny to read”, the Melbourne Cricket Ground's head groundsman said Thursday. British media alleged local cricket authorities had conspired to switch to a grassier drop-in wicket to aid Australia after their pacemen fired the hosts to a 267-run victory in Perth that leveled the five
