Ponting Back As England Elect Bat Against Australia

London: England captain Andrew Strauss won the toss and elected to bat against Australia in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) at Lord's on Saturday.

England, 3-0 down and needing a win to keep the seven-match series alive, made three changes from the side that lost by six wickets in Wednesday's day/nighter at the Rose Bowl.

Kent opener Joe Denly was recalled for his first ODI against Test opposition after injuring his knee in a football warm-up clash with Owais Shah ahead of last week's series opener at the Oval.

And pace bowling all-rounder Stuart Broad, fit following a neck injury, returned to the team.

Denly and Broad replaced the rested duo of all-rounder Paul Collingwood and fast bowler James Anderson respectively.

England also dropped off-spinner Graeme Swann and replaced him with leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who was himself left out after starring with both bat and ball in Friday's series four-run defeat at the Oval.

Australia welcomed back captain Ricky Ponting for his first match of the series after the star batsman returned home from a tour for a break after England's 2-1 Ashes Test series win.

Ponting came in for all-rounder James Hopes in the only change to world champions Australia's side.

This was the fourth time this series that Strauss had won the toss.

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