The Ashes / Andy Morris / 16 December 2010 / Leave a comment Bet Now View Market

Just two matches into the Ashes series, Australian captain Ricky Ponting is about to face the biggest 'test' of his life. Andy Morris dissects the dire situation.

Ponting knows that losing the third Test match at Perth will not only signal the loss of another Ashes, but could raise serious question marks over his role as captain.

However, speaking to the media a day before the third Test match, Ponting had no qualms in accepting that his side deserved all the criticism that had come their way in the last few days, saying it was justified because "we haven't put results on the board."

After an exciting first day of the series, where Peter Siddle took a six-wicket haul including a hat-trick, the Australian performance has gone southward, and Ponting acknowledged that the side hadn't played good enough cricket for the media to write positive things about them.

Ponting will know that if the side wants to make a comeback into the series, let alone win the Ashes, they needed their bowlers to fire. The last two innings saw England score more than 1100 runs for the loss of six wickets only, so it is unsurprising that the Australian side saw major changes to its bowling department after the first Test and some ordinary bowling in the second. The Aussies will go in with at least three new faces at the WACA.

Ponting said, "Changes have been made and that generally happens when you're not playing well."

Ponting also said that if the side was winning, an allowance could be made for those not exhibiting any form. However, in the current situation, this could not be allowed. Ponting is the first Australian in almost a century to lost the Ashes twice

Another loss would put him in a surely untenable position.

England go into the WACA encounter as marginal favourites to win the game with odds of 2.74 on their victory as compared to Australia's 2.76. The odds of a drawn game are at 3.55.