Ponting wants quicks to rise to challenge

Australia captain Ricky Ponting wants his inexperienced pace attack to make their mark in Ashes history after fast bowler Brett Lee was ruled out of the first Test against England.

Lee was forced to withdraw less than 48 hours before Wednesday' series opener with England here at Sophia Gardens after damaging an abdominal muscle in his left side.

Now the 32-year-old, who has taken 310 wickets in 76 Tests, could be out until at least the third match of the series at Edgbaston.

His absence means Australia will go into Wednesday's match with an attack where no-one has yet bowled a ball in Test cricket in Britain. However, Australia know about life without Lee. Foot and ankle surgery after the 2008 Boxing Day Test loss to South Africa in Melbourne ruled him out of this year's return series in South Africa.

But the likes of left-arm quick Mitchell Johnson helped inspire Australia to a 2-1 away series win and now Ponting is looking for more of the same.

"Reputations and legend are generally made out of these bigger series and there is no bigger series than an Ashes series to do that," Ponting told reporters here Monday.

"One good initiative we have had since we have been here is during every game day or training day, one or two guys have been telling us what an Ashes series means to them, and what it means to be a part of it.

"Hearing them say some of the things they have said makes me think they really want to forge their own identities and make an impact in this series."

England (from): Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Matt Prior (wkt), Andrew Flintoff, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Monty Panesar, Ian Bell, Graham Onions

Australia (from): Phillip Hughes, Simon Katich, Ricky Ponting (capt), Michael Clarke, Michael Hussey, Marcus North, Brad Haddin (wkt), Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Hauritz, Peter Siddle, Stuart Clark, Ben Hilfenhaus

CARDIFF, Tuesday (AFP)