Sydney, July 27 - Australian skipper Ricky Ponting feels England's star batsman Kevin Pietersen's absence will add more pressure on the Lord's Test hero Andrew Flintoff.

Ponting believes his team had Pietersen's measure during the first two Tests of the ongoing Ashes series but wonders how England will cope without their batting star now he has been ruled out of the series following Achilles tendon surgery.

'If you look at the way we've bowled to him and the way he's played, he's been one of the England batsmen we've been able to put the most pressure on,' Ponting was quoted as saying in Daily Telegraph. 'Ben Hilfenhaus, in particular, has bowled beautifully to him.'

'But he is a massive loss.