Ponting targets whitewash

Skipper looking for side to maintain dominant form

Ponting: pleased with form

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting is looking for his side to make a ruthless statement when they take on New Zealand in the second and final Test in Hamilton.

The Baggy Greens are looking to complete a series whitewash after a thumping 10-wicket triumph in the opener in Wellington earlier in the week.

With his side having only lost two matches in any format of the game during the course of a hugely positive Australian summer, Ponting is determined to see that momentum maintained with the Ashes now on the horizon.

"Every Test match we play, I think it's important that we make statements every game," he stated. "Inconsistency was something that plagued us 18 months ago.

"I think with the Australian summer and certainly with this tour here we've played some very consistent cricket and that's a good sign for us.

"We all know how quickly that can change though if you just take your eye off things that you need to be concentrating on every day then the game can turn on you really quickly.

"We're always looking at ways to improve and for individuals to find ways to improve themselves, if that happens the results usually look after themselves."

Bowlers impress

Australia arrived in Wellington with a relatively settled batting line-up which went on to dominate the home bowling attack, but it was the form of their new-look new-ball pairing that provided encouragement.

Doug Bollinger and Ryan Harris combined to great effect with the former claiming a five-wicket haul in the first innings and Harris battling through atrocious playing conditions on day four to help seal victory.

Both have impressed Ponting, who added: "I thought last week, being confronted with some of the conditions we faced was a good thing for us as well.

"For the bowlers doing what they had to do on that fourth day will hold them in good stead. Test cricket is supposed to be hard, it's not supposed to be easy.

"We experienced that last week and that'll hold us in good stead for the Ashes."

The second Test is at Seddon Park in Hamilton and, with the pitch still very green, Ponting is yet to decide what the make-up of his side will be.

"We trained yesterday (Thursday) morning and it had a lot of grass on it and it was a bit tacky," he continued.

"I can see from looking at it today that it's vastly different already so once I get a closer look at it we can pick what will be the right team for the conditions.

"I think the beauty of the balance we've got at the moment is that we've got guys like (Michael) Clarke, (Marcus) North and (Simon) Katich who can all bowl some reasonable spin."