Ponting backs Pietersen claims

.LONDON, Oct 8 (AFP): Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has spoken up in support of Kevin Pietersen's allegations of a "bullying" culture within the England team.
Pietersen, in one of several controversial claims in his recently-published autobiography, accused England's senior bowlers and wicketkeeper Matt Prior of aggressively demanding apologies from team-mates not in their clique for any mistakes they made while fielding.
Retired off-spinner Graeme Swann, one of the bowlers singled out by Pietersen, said Wednesday there was "absolutely no bullying" but Ponting, Australia's captain from 2004-11 supported the claims of England's all-time leading run-scorer.
"We saw them doing it, (James) Anderson was always the same, and Swann," Ponting told the Sydney Daily Telegraph on Wednesday.
"The pointing of fingers and you'd hear a few expletives if there was a misfield or a dropped catch.
Ponting was not involved in the two most recent Test series between the arch-rivals -- England's 2013 success and Australia's 2013/14 5-0 whitewash triumph on home spoil after which Pietersen was effectively sacked by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
However, the 39-year-old -- on the winning side in several Ashes series but the losing skipper in 2005, 2009 and 2010/11 -- insisted the 'bullying' observed by former England captain Pietersen had been evident for some time.
"They had a lot of very good players that were able to achieve a lot of success as a team," Ponting said.