CARDIF: Australia captain Ricky Ponting said his current side were well-placed to avoid the errors that saw them lose the Ashes in England in 2005 as he prepared to lead them into this year’s edition. “Where we were deficient in 2005 was not winning the crucial moments in that series,” Ponting, who oversaw Australia’s 5-0 Ashes series win on home soil in 2006-07, said at Sophia Gardens, where the first Test starts on Wednesday. “We made enough mistakes to give England chances to win some of those games,” the star batsman said. “Where we are at at the moment, the way we’ve prepared, the feel around the group, I am just sure we won’t make those mistakes again. I’ve got a really good feeling we are good enough.” Ponting has yet to win an Ashes series in England as captain but he stressed it would be no more special for him to win them as skipper than as a player. “It would be great for me, great for everyone in our squad.” Australia will be without Brett Lee after the fast bowler was forced to withdraw on Monday after damaging an abdominal muscle in his left side. Now the 32-year-old, who has taken 310 wickets in 76 Tests, could be out until at least the third match of the series at Edgbaston. However, Australia know about life without Lee, who missed their series win in South Africa earlier this year following foot and ankle injuries, with left-armer Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle sharing the new ball. Ponting insisted the remaining competition for a spot in Australia’s attack had not come down to a straight choice between paceman Ben Hilfenhaus and off-spinner Nathan Hauritz. It will be Australia’s first match in Cardiff since their shock loss here to Bangladesh in a one-day international in 2005, where controversial all-rounder Andrew Symonds was dropped from the side on the morning of the game after a late night out in Cardiff. “I don’t remember the Bangladesh game to tell the truth,” said Ponting, There’s a completely different feel around the ground.” Ponting added he first became aware of the importance of the Ashes as a teenager in Tasmania when his uncle, Greg Campbell, was selected for the 1989 squad that toured England. “It goes back a long time for me. My uncle was selected in the 1989 Ashes touring squad.”