LEEDS (Reuters)
Australia's Ricky Ponting has said he never lost faith in his ability during a nightmare period which ended with his sparkling century in the fourth Ashes Test. Yet he acknowledged he could easily have been dismissed by England without scoring a single run.

Ponting, averaging under eight in his last 10 Test innings, edged a chance off his third ball to Mark Ramprakash at third slip, only for the third umpire to give the batsman the benefit of the doubt. "It would have been a long day if the decision had gone the other way," he said. "I cashed in on a bit of good fortune."

Ponting, however, said he was convinced Ramprakash had grounded the catch. "It just didn't look right, it didn't look like it carried," he said, while adding that he did not blame the England fielder for claiming the dismissal, which would have left Australia on 42 for 3. "He obviously thought he caught it. It's hard for a fielder coming forward when you get a low one like that," Ponting said, whose reprieve cost England dearly as Ponting and Mark Waugh put on 221 for the third wicket.

Ponting added that he had taken a liking to Headingley, a ground where he also scored the first of his eight Test hundreds in 1997. "I have some good memories from here," he said. "I have felt due throughout the Test series. I have just kept on doing the same things. There was never any doubt in my mind about batting at number three. I'm a pretty confident person. If I could have three more good innings from here I could still have a good Ashes tour."

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd