Former England spin bowler Phil Tufnell's exercise in poking some fun at Australia's cricketers at the Allan Border Medal awards ceremony on Monday has not gone down well with the world champions.
Pilloried for years for their failure to relieve the Ashes from Australia, Tufnell highlighted some of the Australian faults that led to England regaining the Ashes last year.
Allan Border Medal winner and Australian captain Ricky Ponting came in for some treatment as the result of his decision to bowl first in the second Test at Edgbaston despite having lost leading bowler Glenn McGrath to a late ankle injury.
Ponting said the comments would serve as motivation when the Ashes battle resumes in Australia later this year.
Ponting said the Australians were not thin-skinned but that on their night, it was not good timing.
"Disappointment is probably the right word," Ponting said to describe his feelings at a press conference in Australia on Tuesday.
"I'm not so concerned or angry over what he had to say.
"Looking back in a week or two's time it will probably be quite funny, but on our night - the Australian cricket team's night of nights for the whole year - I didn't think the time was that good."
It was obvious the Ashes' loss had an effect on the players but they had been focused on other things subsequently.
"We've been pretty focused and pretty positive on what we've been trying to achieve over the last few weeks, and to have it all re-hashed and brought up again probably touched a note with some of the guys."
Ponting didn't think it meant the team was precious.
"It's just we're there to enjoy the night for what it is and we had to sit down and go through that sort of stuff."
Shane Warne, who was lampooned by Tufnell for a vital dropped catch off Kevin Pietersen in the last Test, took a different view. It didn't really worry him, he said.
"You can take yourself too seriously, take it for a bit of fun," he said.
