Oz men ready to abstain from sex for Ashes

MELBOURNE: Australian men are prepared to abstain from sex for a month to see their national cricket team winning back the coveted Ashes urn.

According to a survey conducted by men's magazine 'Zoo Weekly', 41 per cent of the 20,000 respondents would abstain from sex if it meant Australia would regain the Ashes from England, 'The Age' reported on Sunday.

But the Aussie men are unlikely to be extensively tested because Australia are 2-0 up in the five Test series. The third Test starts at the WACA ground in Perth on Thursday.

The survey also found 62 per cent of those surveyed believed Shane Warne, the world record Test wicket taker with 694 victims from 142 matches, should be knighted.

The leg spin guru set up Australia's amazing six wicket victory in last week's second Test in Adelaide with 4-49 when England choked for 129 in its second innings.

42 per cent of respondents believed England's captain Andrew Flintoff was his country's most overrated player.

The allrounder was followed by paceman Steve Harmison on 25 per cent, opener Andrew Strauss (16 per cent) and middle order batsman Kevin Pietersen (15 per cent).

Pietersen, who is developing a bitter rivalry with former Hampshire teammate Shane Warne, is the most despised English cricketer among Australian fans.

South African-born Pietersen received 42 per cent of the votes followed by Flintoff on 23 per cent and Strauss 16 per cent.