Ricky Ponting has urged Australia's selectors to stick with David Warner for the fourth Ashes Test at Old Trafford, insisting a big score is imminent for the opener.

Key points: Cameron Green is set to be fit for Old Trafford , prompting questions around David Warner's place in the team

Cameron Green is set to be fit for Old Trafford , prompting questions around David Warner's place in the team Stuart Broad has claimed Warner's wicket 17 times in Ashes Tests, including twice in the Headingley Test

Stuart Broad has claimed Warner's wicket 17 times in Ashes Tests, including twice in the Headingley Test Ollie Robinson says he is fit to play, although James Anderson could come in for his home Test

Australia will regroup in Manchester with a full-squad training session on Sunday.

A win in the next Test will be enough to secure the side's first Ashes series win in England since 2001.

The biggest conundrum for the tourists remains whether to bring a fit-again Cameron Green back into the team — potentially at the expense of Warner.

Green has been an automatic pick for Australia whenever fit since his debut against India in 2020, but Mitch Marsh's century in the third Test at Headingley has put that first-choice status in doubt.

One option would be to move Green to the top of the order and drop Warner, who has made one half-century on this tour, with 66 in the second Test at Lord's.

Most concerning for Australia is that the opener was dismissed twice by his nemesis Stuart Broad at Headingley for four and one, taking his tally of outs to the seamer to 17.

If Warner was dropped, it could spell the end of his international career, given the 36-year-old's stated intention to retire this summer against Pakistan at the SCG.

But Ponting said he would stick with the under-fire opener, leaving Green as the odd man out when the fourth Test gets under way on Wednesday.

"I'm probably more inclined to give David another opportunity and hope he can get through Stuart Broad and go on and make a big score," Ponting said.

"When someone's got you out 17 times, it does become as much a mental — or probably more of a mental — battle than it does a technical battle.

"But just thinking about the series, I'd be inclined to stick with David Warner."

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Ponting noted Australia's lack of warm-up games had made Warner harder to drop, given back-ups Marcus Harris and Matt Renshaw had not had a chance to press their claims.

But the former Test captain — who coached Warner in the Indian Premier League at Delhi Capitals this year — would like to see changes in the opener's demeanour.

He felt Warner looked nervous when facing Broad, as shown by his wry smile when he twice edged the England quick to the slips at Headingley.

"I'd like to see him go the other way. I'd like to see him show that real bulldog fighting spirit that he's got," Ponting said.

"Like he showed in the first innings of the World Test Championship, like he showed in the first innings at Lord's where he made runs.

"If he gets back to that, with the way that I've seen him start in a couple of his innings, I honestly do feel a big score is just around the corner for him."

Robinson declares himself fit for Old Trafford

England quick Ollie Robinson has declared himself "100 per cent" fit to resume bowling at Old Trafford, after overcoming back spasms.

Robinson limped from the field after bowling 11.2 overs at Headingley, and did not send down another ball in the match.

Even if fit, the 29-year-old is no guarantee to face Australia, with a fresh James Anderson expected to return for his home fixture in Manchester.

England will likely want to keep Stuart Broad in the side given his record against David Warner, while fellow quicks Mark Wood and Chris Woakes were instrumental in the Headingley victory.

Ollie Robinson says he has recovered after suffering a "stabbing feeling in the back" in the third Test. ( Getty Images: Mike Egerton )

But Robinson said if picked, he would have no issue bowling.

"Sometimes these things come around, but then they go just as quickly as well. I'm 100 per cent fit for Manchester," Robinson said.

"It was just a sudden, quick stabbing feeling in the back.

"I think we caught it earlier than I have done in the past. I had some acupuncture, a bit of treatment, and I was fine after that.

"I was available to bowl on the third day if I'd been needed."

Robinson's fitness is one hurdle cleared for England, with Ben Stokes still no certainty to bowl after knee and glute issues.

If Robinson is to be left out, it is likely to come as a result of what he labelled as the fastest spell he had seen in his life from Wood on day one at Leeds.

Robinson said he had noticed the Durham quick made Australia's batsmen particularly uncomfortable, on a day where Wood's average speed was 145.62km/h.

"There was one ball that Marnus Labuschagne played, and after it he had a sort of wry, awkward smile on his face," Robinson said.

"He was trying to give off the persona that everything's fine, when it's really not.

"Even Uzzie [Usman Khawaja], who obviously plays pace really well and has been in such good form, struggled with the pace at times."

Having claimed the title of England's chief protagonist in this series, Robinson also made the surprise admission in the column he could understand Australia's stance on Jonny Bairstow's stumping at Lord's.

Routinely described as against the spirit of cricket by most England players for the past fortnight, Robinson said he felt the crowd at Headingley had largely moved on from the drama.

"It didn't feel as hostile as I was expecting," Robinson said.

"But then, at the end of the day, the mood probably calmed down a little bit because the laws are the laws with the Jonny thing.

"I can understand both sides."

AAP

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