Ricky Ponting batsmen in danger on the final day, a rearguard counterattacking partnership by Kevin Pietersen and Ashley Giles on the final afternoon secured a draw for the hosts. Thus, the Ashes were lost for the first time in 16 years. The setback to Australia, and to Ponting as Australian captain, of the 2005 Ashes defeat, was to prove a strong motivation for the Australian camp to improve their standards and overcome any complacency that may have arisen from Australia's being the world's premier cricketing nation for a decade. Prior to the Ashes defeat, Australia's dominance had prompted the ICC to organise
Ricky Ponting first class debut for the county. Ponting scored an unbeaten 169 against Nottinghamshire in his final first class innings, ensuring his team held on for a draw. During the Ashes 2013, Ponting wrote a regular column for the Daily Mail. At the formal opening of the Bellerive Oval redevelopment in January 2015, it was announced that the new Western Stand would be named the "Ricky Ponting Stand" in his honour. On December 9, 2015 Ponting also unveiled a bronze statue placed at the ground in his honour. Ponting was known as an aggressive competitor, as manifested in his on-field conduct.