England clinch win after a nail-biting finish

NOTTINGHAM, England, Monday (AFP) - Ricky Ponting admitted that his misfiring Australian team have work to do if they are to hang on to the Ashes after suffering a three-wicket defeat in another epic Test match on Sunday.

England clinched victory with a day to spare after a nail-biting finish to the fourth Test at Trent Bridge which saw them scrape home despite chasing a meagre 129 to win.

Master spinner Shane Warne took four wickets with quick Brett Lee grabbing three victims. England now have a 2-1 lead in the series and if they avoid defeat in the final Test at The Oval next month, then England will win the Ashes for the first time in 18 years.

"The last three matches have been incredible," said Ponting.

"England played a very good Test and we have a lot of work to do before the next match. We must improve our batting because all we are doing is just staying in the game at the moment. "We have to rectify that next time."

England were indebted to tailenders Ashley Giles and Matthew Hoggard for seeing them home in another nailbiting match in a series which has gripped a country normally obsessed by football.

After Australia comfortably won the first Test, England took the second by two runs before Australia mounted a terrific rearguard action to draw the third Test. "We had our backs to the wall here," added Ponting.

"England had the right approach and we just couldn't get the wickets we needed. "But Warne loves this sort of occasion and Brett bowled his heart out. We were a couple of wickets short but I am proud of the way we stuck at it.

"It's hard to lose a Test match but we cannot afford to give them a head start and that is what we have done in the last two matches."