Ricky Ponting Sri Lanka won by six wickets. The defeat consequently eliminated Australia from the tournament. In Australia's two drawn warm-up matches ahead of the 2009 Ashes, Ponting struggled to adjust to the English conditions, somewhat, with a highest score of 71. Nevertheless, he started the Ashes series strongly, scoring 150 in the First Test in Cardiff. In his 38th hundred and eighth in an Ashes series, the Australian number three batsman became just the fourth man to score 11,000 runs in Test cricket. The match ended in a draw and Ponting drew criticism for failing to bowl fast-bowler Ben Hilfenhaus while
Ricky Ponting before running himself out, as Australia batted first on a pitch at the Kensington Oval described as the slowest Waugh had played on. Waugh's men proceeded to take a 3–0 series, with a comfortable nine-wicket victory. Ponting missed the final Test, as Australia conceded the Test record run chase of 418; nevertheless, Ponting was still awarded the man-of-the-series award, after ending the series with 523 runs at 130.75. Ponting then scored 10 and 59 as Australia recorded comfortable innings victories in their inaugural series against Bangladesh, played in Darwin and Cairns in the tropical north of Australia in the winter