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ICC Champions Trophy

Australia captain Ricky Ponting reckons his post-Ashes rest period was behind his fine form in the Champions Trophy.

Although he was dismissed for just a single in Monday's six-wicket final win over New Zealand, Ponting comfortably topped the run-scoring chart in the tournament.

Ponting, 34, stacked up 288 runs in his five matches and only team-mate Shane Watson, who finished with back-to-back unbeaten hundreds, came within 80 runs of his tally.

His rich vein began after he missed the first three matches of the 6-1 NatWest Series victory over England last month.

"The time I had at home just gave me the opportunity to get away and not think about the game," Ponting said.

"We all know how much of a mental game cricket is and when you can't think as clearly as you want, and you can't sometimes get out of training what you want because you are thinking of other things, it makes performing that little bit harder.

"To just freshen up in that manner over the years, I have found it has made batting that little bit easier - even leading the side feels a little bit easier.

"The other day, at the start of the semi-final against England, I was jumping out of my skin."

Ponting revealed that the 2-1 Ashes loss had left him drained, sub-consciously, even if it was not physically apparent at the time.

"You don't ever feel that because as a player you always think you have got yourself up at 100% to play every game," said Ponting. "It's not until you get home and have those couple of days off that you realise how tired you actually were.

"When you are away on tour and it's game day you are awake at six or seven o'clock in the morning ready to play.

"Then when you get home and your body has switched off you find you can't get out of bed before nine or 10 o'clock in the morning.

"Players will always get themselves up but not always at the 100% they think they are."

This latest piece of silverware extended Australia's record in 50-over global events to four wins out of the last five.

And Ponting favours the Champions Trophy's current format rather than its previous one.

"In the Champions Trophies I've played in in the past, they have sort of dragged on a little bit and there have been a lot of associate nation teams in and that has devalued the second-biggest one-day tournament we play," Ponting said.

"I have really enjoyed this tournament, it has got full endorsement from me.

"With all the ups and downs of the last 18 months this is a real positive for us. We pride ourselves on big events."

Amongst all the good news, however, Australia expect to uncover some bad after batsman Callum Ferguson twisted his right knee fielding last night.

Ferguson, 24, will be assessed by a specialist upon arrival back in Australia but there are concerns it is an aggravation of a previous anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered five years ago.

"He was very worried about it because he's had a history of ACL problems, he's actually torn it before," Ponting said. "It didn't look that good either."