Ponting Still has Tiger in Tank

Australia's  former captain Ricky Ponting insists he has no concerns over his form ahead of the third and final Test against the West Indies.

Ponting has posted scores of four, 14, seven and 41 during Australia's tour, leading his critics to again question the 37-year-old's value to the Test team.

But after scoring 544 runs in four Tests against India during the Australian summer, at an average of 108.80, captain Michael Clarke and coach Mickey Arthur both feel Ponting is still contributing.

The Tasmanian needs a big score in the third Test in Dominica, which starts on Monday, to silence the doubters, but is pleased with his cricket at the moment.

"I feel very comfortable with the way that I'm playing," Ponting said as he prepared for the deciding match in an exciting series his side lead 1-0.

"I finished the (Sheffield) Shield season really strongly and I have felt in really good shape the whole time that I have been here. I'm a bit oblivious to how much has been spoken about me (in the media) as well, because I haven't been reading too much.

"I think the start of my innings in the second innings last week was as good as I've played in a while. Although the numbers or the runs didn't come in those first few innings, it was nice to get a few last week. Hopefully a big score is around the corner."

Conditions are likely to be in Ponting's favour at Windsor Park, with a more batsman-friendly wicket expected.

That might also mean left-armer Mitchell Starc is recalled into the side for the fourth Test, with Clarke not likely to select two front-line spinners for the second Test in a row.

"There's a little bit of grass on the wicket which we haven't seen for the tour so far," Ponting said.

"By all accounts it's normally a pretty good surface this one, hopefully a few more runs are scored in this game.

"Mitch (Starc) has been in the wings the whole tour, so with a bit more grass on the surface there's probably a chance we will go in with three quicks this game compared to the make up from last week."

Despite having retained Frank Worrell Trophy and not being able to lose the series, Ponting says the tourists will be taking nothing for granted.

"Every match we play is a chance for us to win a Test match and that's the way we're looking at it," he said.

"Nothing will change going into this Test match than it was going into the first Test in Barbados. We want to continue to improve our Test cricket and keep winning games of Test cricket, and if we do that then the confidence around the group lifts."

Confident

West Indies spinner Shane Shillingford is looking forward to making history as the first Dominican player to play for the West Indies at the Caribbean's newest Test venue.

"I'm looking forward to get a chance to play at home, being the first one to play a Test from Dominica [at home]," Shillingford told cricinfo.com.

"I'm pretty much looking forward to that. I know the Dominican people will be coming out in big numbers to support.

"I'm definitely confident coming on from the game in Trinidad, even more so knowing my family, my fans are coming out to support, so I really want to do well and we come out with a victory to level the series."

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