Ashes defeat will see Australia drop to No. 4

Australia must win against England at both Headingley and the Oval to retain their No. 1 Test ranking, as an Ashes series defeat would precipitate a stunning fall from grace which would relegate Ricky Ponting's side to fourth place on the ICC Test ladder behind South Africa, Sri Lanka and India.

A drawn series will place them second after Graeme Smith's men. Either rain or England could seal Australia's demise in the coming weeks.

The tourists require victory at both Headingley and the Oval to retain their No. 1 Test ranking, but a bleak weather forecast for Yorkshire could greatly reduce their chances of forcing a result in the fourth Test.

Australia have won just five of their past 14 Tests, three of which were against the South Africans, and their inability to register a victory in the first three Tests of the Ashes series has drawn Smith's side to within two points of the top ranking.
Mickey Arthur, who so very nearly engineered Australia's overthrow earlier this year, was adamant his side was worthy of recognition as the world's premier Test side, even if rain proves the deciding factor.

"I have been following the rankings a little bit, and I don't think we would be out of place at all (with the No. 1 ranking) if that was to happen," the Dawn quoted Arthur as saying.

"We have played some very solid cricket over the past 18 months. We defeated England, Australia and Pakistan away, and we are certainly proud of that. But whatever happens, I think what is clear is that there is very little now between us, Australia, India and even England. That's healthy for the game."

Arthur has been under whelmed by Australia's performances over the course of the Ashes, having previously predicted them to comfortably account for England.

Like Andrew Strauss, Arthur feels the Australians have lost their aura, but warned England against underestimating them in the final two Tests of the Ashes series.

Kevin Pietersen's absence will add more pressure on Flintoff: Ponting

Australian skipper Ricky Ponting feels England's star batsman Kevin Pietersen's absence will add more pressure on the Lord's Test hero Andrew Flintoff.

Ponting believes his team had Pietersen's measure during the first two Tests of the ongoing Ashes series but wonders how England will cope without their batting star now he has been ruled out of the series following Achilles tendon surgery.

'If you look at the way we've bowled to him and the way he's played, he's been one of the England batsmen we've been able to put the most pressure on,' Ponting was quoted as saying in Daily Telegraph. 'Ben Hilfenhaus, in particular, has bowled beautifully to him.'

'But he is a massive loss. He's such an X-factor in their side, the way he can score quickly and the ability he has to put the bowlers on the backfoot by putting extra pressure on them.

'I think Pietersen does leave a pretty big hole in their batting. For us, it will be a real positive. It probably puts a bit more pressure back on Flintoff to perform. He has to stand up big time now,' he said.

Ponting also wonders how the inconsistent Ian Bell will feel trying to fill Pietersen's enormous shoes.

'Now England have a much more sound, technically correct, but scratchy player like Bell, if we happen to get him in at the right time he's a pretty nervous sort of bloke as well,' Ponting said.