Australia are scheduled to meet Michael Vaughan's side in five Tests as they look to retain the urn they last lost in 1987, and Ponting revealed preparations are at an advanced stage.

"We are pretty well organised with our plans. We had it worked out for India probably six months before we got there and we have a fair idea of how we want to play and how England are going to play this time around," Ponting told Sydney's Daily Telegraph newspaper on Sunday.

The opening Test between the two countries is scheduled to start on July 21 at Lord's, and Ponting is keen for his side to hit the ground running.

"If we get it right early in the tour and we play as well as we can in the first Test I think they are going to find it very hard," said the Tasmanian, who is looking forward to rapid return to England following his brief stint with Somerset last season.

"The anticipation is here for everybody. All of us will be thinking about it a lot -- there's no doubt the English players will be thinking about it a lot.

"It has been building up for 12-15 months. I was over there at this time last year playing county cricket and they were talking about it even then. The build-up is huge."

Ponting also shrugged off thoughts that if things go wrong he could be the first Australian captain to lose the Ashes for almost two decades.

"I don't think about a lot of those things. It is going to be great to lead the side for the first time in England and in an Ashes tour," he said.

Former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg on Friday said, England were 'petrified' of Australia's ace leg-spinner Shane Warne and he was set for a record wicket haul in this year's Ashes cricket series.

Hogg, who took 41 wickets in the 1978-79 Ashes series, also claimed England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff could become Warne's next 'bunny' in much the same way that former South African batsman Darryl Cullinan fell regularly to Warne.

"They're petrified of Warne, absolutely scared of him," Hogg said.

"He's got such a bluff over them that he's already got wickets before he comes on to bowl, as soon as he's driving to the ground he's got wickets against them."

Hogg said Flintoff, who is yet to play a Test against Australia, was vulnerable against quality leg-spin and was susceptible to Warne's stock delivery which drifts into a right-hander before spinning away.

"I think Ponting should bring Warne on against Flintoff straight away, no matter what the score is, as soon as he walks through the gate," Hogg said.

"Flintoff has got the potential to be the next Cullinan ... really, he'll be absolutely shellshocked."

Warne is Test cricket's leading wicket-taker with 583 in 123 matches.