England didn't have a chance: Ponting

Ponting says it felt "incredible" to seal an Ashes whitewash in 86 years, adding that it was due to Australia's meticulous preparation.

Victorious Australia captain Ricky Ponting said on Saturday that England had no chance of retaining the Ashes thanks to his side's iron discipline.

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Ponting said it felt "incredible" to seal a 5-0 series victory, the first Ashes whitewash in 86 years, adding that it was deserved due to Australia's meticulous preparation.

"If I had been allowed to write my own script for this series, I couldn't have come up with anything better than this," Ponting wrote in 'The Daily Telegraph' newspaper.

"It's been mistake-free, high-pressure stuff and we've worked hard for it. It's not like we turned up and expected our talent to win games. We prepared as well as we possibly could, worked hard and got our just rewards.

"I would say that our discipline was the key. We've done all the little things really well. Our running between the wickets was great, our fielding, generally, was sharp. Our bowling was terrific.

"We just didn't give England a chance."

Ponting paid tribute to bowlers McGrath and Warne, who have retired from Test cricket following the Ashes series.

He praised quick McGrath as better than Curtly Ambrose and Shaun Pollock, while he said spinner Warne's special talent lay in anticipating what stroke the batsman would attempt.

"It's hard for me to judge. I don't know their players and wouldn't like to comment on their character or lack of it. All I know is that at different times in this series we had to play exceptional cricket.

"I've been lucky enough to have played in lots of winning teams, but this one has been special.

"To be able to walk up to your bowlers, tell them what you want, set a few field positions and then see it all come off; from a captain's point of view, it doesn't get any better.