London, July 13 - Ricky Ponting was quick to indulge in mind games ahead of Thursday's second cricket Test at Lord's, saying England faced more 'soul searching' than his own team, despite Australia's failure to win the first match of the Ashes series at Cardiff Sunday.

The Australian captain was stressing the fact that they have not lost at Lord's since 1934, thus keeping up the pressure before reaching London to play at their home away from home.

'England will have more soul-searching and selection issues than we will,' he was quoted as saying by the Guardian after the first Test ended in the tensest of draws.

'They have been outplayed for four days of the Test match. All I keep hearing from commentators over the past few days is about the selection changes England have to make for the next game.

'I'm not looking at this game as a letdown. I'm disappointed that we didn't win but I'm not disappointed with the way we played over five days. We have proved a lot to ourselves as a group that, whatever conditions we are confronted with or whatever happens at the toss, we can play an exceptionally high level of Test cricket.'

Ponting talked of the 2005 series, when Australia's last pair of Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath denied England for 24 deliveries to save the third Test at Old Trafford. The then England captain Michael Vaughan rallied his team by pointing out that the Australians were wildly celebrating a draw, and England duly won the next game at Trent Bridge. Now the Australians are hoping for the same outcome in reverse.

'It will be hard for the guys to see how well we have played at the moment but that is certainly what I will be saying to them all,' said Ponting.