Ponting reveals Edgbaston quarrel

Ricky Ponting accepts his pantomime villain role in this summer's Ashes simply "goes with the territory" for a touring Australia captain.

On the eve of the fourth npower Test at Headingley, where an England victory would see the hosts regain the Ashes, Ponting confirmed he was involved in a heated exchange with a fan at Edgbaston last weekend.

Ponting, 34, has been the target of English supporters' boos most of the summer, and Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan has pledged to prevent spectators getting close to the players in Leeds.

Confirming last Sunday's incident in Birmingham, Ponting recalled: "There were some words exchanged.

"The spectator was actually leaning over the front of the grandstand and gave me a bit of a gob-full when I got out.

"As it turned out, he was later thrown out of the ground - so it would appear he was probably in the wrong."

Asked why he thinks he has become such a favoured target of home fans, including the self-styled 'Barmy Army' contingent, Ponting made it clear it is not an issue which is giving him sleepless nights as he contemplates the tougher task of trying to help Australia retain the Ashes from 1-0 down with two to play.

"I don't know because I haven't thought about it," Ponting said.

"It hasn't worried me right from the start. It might just come with the territory of being Australian captain.

"It's been pretty well-documented over the last few weeks that I've probably copped a little bit from the crowd. But it certainly wasn't a big deal at all, just a few words he directed at me.

"It's part and parcel of what we do. It happens everywhere around the world, and it's no bigger deal here in this series than what it has been in others I've played."

England captain Andrew Strauss agrees the issue should not be made out to be bigger than it is - but he has admitted too to feeling a little sorry for his opposite number.

"I do empathise with him a little bit," Strauss said.

"Booing him in those circumstances is probably a little over the mark, but our supporters are generally fantastic.

"There's a little bit of light-hearted ribbing there, and that is the way it should be. It's certainly what we will get in Australia when we go there."

England and Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke has, however, already made a public appeal for the booing to stop - and Strauss is clearly on message, to a degree.

"Our supporters should always be mindful of being respectful to players, and I am very confident the supporters here this week will get that balance pretty much spot on," Strauss predicted.

"They generally do - and if they do do that they will be as supportive as possible to our team, which is obviously what we want to see."

Strauss is content too that there is nothing especially mean-spirited in the crowd reaction to Ponting.

"I don't think it's malicious. It's the way it's construed more than anything," Strauss said.

"In a way it's probably a sign of respect for him.

"You just don't want to see things develop and get worse and worse and worse to the extent there is genuine abuse there of opposition players.

"No-one wants to see that - but some light-hearted ribbing is obviously both entertaining and quite helpful."

Strauss and Ponting are agreed that spectator participation is a crucial element in a good Test match atmosphere.

"I don't think anyone wants to see the crowd sit there in silence," the England captain added.

"They want to see them be as supportive as possible.