Ricky Ponting believes that England have helped Australia’s preparations for the Ashes by naming Stephen Harmison in a strong Lions team for the final warm-up game at Worcester due to begin a week tomorrow.

A scar remains visible on the cheek of the captain where he was struck by Harmison on the opening day of the 2005 series, but still Ponting would rather face that calibre of opposition before the first npower Test match.

Ponting described yesterday as the real start of the tour as the squad of 16 assembled for an open forum with the media after the England selectors announced a party without Michael Vaughan and Harmison for the extended get-together at the weekend.

“I am not surprised that those two guys were left out,” Ponting said. “The squad pretty much picked itself. but it is good that Harmison will play against us before the Test. I think that side will shape up well. You want to be facing the best opposition you can — the better they are, the better the preparation for us.” Australia face Sussex in a 12-a-side contest starting at Hove tomorrow.

Brett Lee has made a strong impression having had surgery on his foot and ankle in January. Geoff Lawson, the former Australia bowler, was among those who considered Lee fortunate to make the squad, but Ponting said: “He has trained harder over the past two weeks than I have seen him before. He is jumping out of his skin to play.”

The bowler himself is committed to regaining full pace. “I am here to be up around 150kmh [about 93mph],” Lee said. “That style around 135kmh is not for me. My game is all about bowling fast.” He revealed that the bowlers have been working on reverse swing with Troy Cooley, the highly regarded England bowling coach in 2005.

That also gives batsmen the chance to practise against the balls that proved their undoing four years ago. Michael Clarke, the vice-captain, said: “We’ve faced guys like Zaheer Khan and Dale Steyn recently who are two of the best in the business at swing and reverse, but Andrew Flintoff is as good as any of them.”