I love pressure: Ponting
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ADELAIDE - Comforted by the surrounds of his happiest hunting ground, Ricky Ponting is relishing the challenge of again fighting his way out of adversity against South Africa in the second Test at Adelaide Oval.
One year ago Ponting walked to the crease at The Wanderers in Johannesburg for what many predicted would be his last Test match innings.
Instead he kept the wolves at bay and set up a famous Australian win on the fifth day with a defiant half-century.
This time the threat of the axe is not so immediate, but the 37-year-old must strike soon in order to prove he still has what it takes to be a starter in next year's Ashes.
Ponting has three ducks from his past four innings against South Africa, but declared he thrives on the pressure.
``I don't shy away from it,'' Ponting said.
``I've been around enough and played in enough high-pressure situations, whether it's a big game or a game where you're under pressure because you haven't scored runs yourself.''
Fresh in the former skipper's mind is his extraordinary record at Adelaide Oval - the most runs (1723) by an individual at any Test venue in Australia and the sixth most by a player at any ground in the world.
Last summer in the city of churches, Ponting destroyed India with a first innings 221 and a lazy 60 not out in the second dig.