NOTTINGHAM, England - Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting said his team would head into uncharted territory against England at The Oval next month, needing a win to draw a series.
Ponting, speaking after England won the fourth test at Trent Bridge by three wickets to go 2-1 up with one
match to play, also said he was not sure whether his leading fast bowler Glenn McGrath would be fit for the final test.
"We've probably never been in this situation before," he said.
"I can't remember that for a long time. But it might not be a bad thing for us right now, to tell the truth, just to go out there and play instinctively and play the brand of cricket we've played for a long time.
"It's almost like a little bit of the pressure is off. We can just go out there and play and if all the individuals just lift a little bit and play the way I know that they can, then I am sure and I know the result will be different."
Australia have won the last eight Ashes series dating back to 1989.
They have been dominated for most of the last three test matches but managed to turn them all into cliff-hangers.
England won by two runs at Edgbaston, were held to a draw at Old Trafford needing one wicket for victory, and edged home at Trent Bridge when only needing 129 in their second innings.
"As I have seen over the last two days of this game, a lot of that fight is there but just not for long enough," Ponting said.
"If we want to win test matches, it has to be over four days."
Ponting is unsure about McGrath's fitness. "We still have to look at how Glenn is going to come up," he said. "I am not sure how he is right now or if he's going to be fit."
McGrath was the man of the match in the first test, passing 500 test wickets on the way, but missed the second with damaged ankle ligaments.
He was patched up for the third test, then missed Trent Bridge with a swollen right elbow.
England also have injury concerns over fast bowler Simon Jones. He missed most of Australia's second innings after hurting his right ankle.
An England statement said he would have further treatment right up to the fifth test starting on September 8.
England chief medical officer Peter Gregory said Jones had suffered "inflammation in those soft tissues" in his ankle and had been advised to rest.
- REUTERS
Cricket: Aussies head into unknown
NOTTINGHAM, England - Australia cricket captain Ricky Ponting said his team would head into uncharted territory against England at The Oval next month, needing a win to draw a series.
Ponting, speaking after England won the fourth test at Trent Bridge by three wickets to go 2-1 up with one
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