Australians arrive home and ready for Ashes

MELBOURNE, Nov 7 (Reuters) Australia's cricketers arrived home today with the Champions Trophy tucked safely under their arms and their minds focused on an even bigger prize.

The Champions Trophy had eluded the Australians until their breakthrough win in India on Sunday but the trophy cabinet will not be full until they regain the Ashes from England.

Australia knocked England out of the Champions Trophy to strike an early psychological blow before the Ashes, and Ponting expects the team's success in one-day cricket to carry over to the tests.

''To play the style of cricket we did with our backs to the wall was very pleasing,'' he told reporters after the team's arrival at Sydney Airport.

''We've raised our standards again from where they were, so I couldn't be happier with the way we're heading and to have this trophy and the month's preparation in India and good hard training will be good.'' Australia were overwhelming favourites to win the last Ashes series in England but there were some early warning signs that all was not well when they lost a one-day match to Bangladesh.

Ponting's men have gone from strength to strength since that defeat, however, winning 11 of the 12 tests they have played, before finishing off their preparations at the Champions Trophy.

''We went away and had 15 months to try to rectify some things and with everything we've done -- our training, preparation and the way we've played -- we couldn't have done much more,'' Ponting said.

''That's been the really pleasing thing for me and I know every Australian cricketer is looking forward to getting the series underway -- not long now.'' The first of five Ashes tests starts in Brisbane on November 23.

REUTERS DH HS0820