RICKY PONTING’S Ashes tourists will not be operating under a “sledging” gag against England this summer.

Cricket Australia yesterday clarified that no specific ban in is in place on the near-the-knuckle wisecracks for which Ashes contests, among other international cricket fixtures, have long been renowned.

Reports yesterday suggested an edict from on high had instructed the 2009 tourists to resist all temptation for a verbal joust in the heat of battle.

A spokesman explained, however, that correspondence with players on the issue of good sportsmanship for this summer’s tour and beyond is not so prescriptive.

The source of the guidance for players is a positive response from Australia’s sports-mad public to a request for feedback commissioned for the team last year, and again over the past winter.

It became clear from the survey that Australia’s cricketers were among the most “trusted” of all their country’s sportsmen and sporting teams.