RICKY Ponting maintains there is nothing illegal about his controversial Kookaburra bat and hopes to use it on the Ashes tour.
The Australian captain said the International Cricket Council had approved the black graphite covering and stickers on the back of the bat but the ICC disputes that claim.
The Marylebone Cricket Club and ICC have begun an investigation into the bat and Ponting has been cleared to keep using it only until a full report is given at an ICC meeting in Dubai next month.
"I can't change any sticker on my bat without ICC approval first, so anything that goes on the back of my bat has been approved by the ICC," Ponting said. "That certainly has been the case with this one.
"I know (Kookaburra managing director) Rob Elliot and Kookaburra have done everything inside the laws of the spirit of the game, which I think has been overlooked a little bit over the last few days.
"I'll keep my fingers crossed and hopefully I can take the same bats over with me to England that I used on the New Zealand tour."
Ponting said the graphite film, which has been stuck on his favourite bat, reinforced the blade and did not provide any extra power.
- JON PIERIK