Ricky Ponting
Encyclopedia
Ricky Thomas Ponting nicknamed Punter, is an Australian cricketer, a former captain of the Australian cricket team
between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket
and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman
, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very occasional bowler
. He is regarded as one of Australia's finest cricketers in the modern era. He represents the Tasmanian Tigers
in Australian domestic cricket
and played in the Indian Premier League
with the Kolkata Knight Riders
in 2008.
Ponting made his first-class debut
for Tasmania in November 1992, when just 17 years and 337 days old, becoming the youngest Tasmanian to play in a Sheffield Shield match. However, he had to wait until 1995 before making his One Day International (ODI) debut, during a quadrangular tournament in New Zealand in a match against South Africa. His Test debut followed shortly after, when selected for the first Test of the 1995 home series against Sri Lanka in Perth, in which he scored 96. He lost his place in the national team several times in the period before early-1999, due to lack of form and discipline, before becoming One Day International captain in early-2002 and Test captain in early-2004.
After being involved in 156 Tests and 352 ODIs, Ponting is Australia's leading run-scorer in Test and ODI cricket, with more than 26,000 international runs as of November 2011. He has scored 39 Test centuries—behind only Indian Sachin Tendulkar
(51), and South African Jacques Kallis
(40)—and second for most runs in ODIs behind Tendulkar.
Ricky Ponting is the most successful captain of all time, with 48 victories in 77 Tests between 2004 and 31 December 2010, while as a player he is also the only cricketer in history to be involved in 100 Test victories.
, Tasmania on 19 December 1974, Ricky Ponting is the eldest of Graeme and Lorraine Ponting's four children. Graeme was "a good club cricketer" and played Australian rules football
, while Lorraine was a state vigoro
champion. His uncle Greg Campbell
played test cricket for Australia in 1989 and 1990. Ponting's parents first lived in Prospect
4.1 km (2.5 mi) south of city centre; however, they moved into the working-class area of Newnham
, 6 km (3.7 mi) north of central Launceston.
After marrying long-time girlfriend—law student Rianna Jennifer Cantor—in June 2002, Ponting credited her as the reason for his increased maturity. Their daughter Emmy Charlotte was born in Sydney on 26 July 2008. Second daughter Matisse Ellie was born in Sydney on 8 September 2011.
, Ponting played for the Mowbray
Under–13s team at the age of 11 in 1985–86. In January 1986, he took part in the five day annual Northern Tasmania junior cricket competition. After scoring four centuries in a week, bat manufacturer Kookaburra
gave Ponting a sponsorship contract while in just eighth grade mainly on the back of these four centuries. Ponting took this form into the Under-16s week-long competition less than a month later, scoring an even century on the final day. Ted Richardson, the former head of the Northern Tasmanian Schools Cricket Association said: "Ricky is certainly the equal of David Boon
at this level.
Australian Rules football was also a big part of Ponting's sporting life, and is a keen follower of the North Melbourne Kangaroos
. During the winter he played junior football for North Launceston
and up until he was 14, it could have become a possible sporting option. This was before he broke the humerus
in his right arm playing for North Launceston Under–17s as a 13 year-old. Ponting's arm was so badly damaged, it had to be pinned. Told to endure a 14-week lay-off, he never played competitive football again.
During Tasmanian Sheffield Shield matches at the NTCA Ground
(Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association Ground), Ponting helped out with the scoreboard, thereby surrounding himself with international cricketers. After leaving school at the end of year 10 in 1990, he began work as a groundsman at Scotch Oakburn College
, a private school in Launceston. In 1991 the Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association sponsored Ponting to attend a fortnight's training at the Australian Institute of Sport
's Cricket Academy
in Adelaide. The two weeks turned into a full two-year sponsorship as he was acclaimed to be the best 17 year-old batsman, Academy coach Rod Marsh
had ever seen.
Playing five games for Tasmania for the 1992 Under–19 carnival in Perth
, Ponting scored 350 runs, earning him selection in the 13-man national Under–19 development squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa—the first Australian cricket team to make an official tour to the country since Bill Lawry
's team in 1970.
, Ponting became the youngest player to appear for Tasmania
in a Sheffield Shield match, breaking Boon's record by 14 days. In November 1992, with Ponting just 17 years and 337 days, he strode out to the crease at number four against South Australia
at the Adelaide Oval
. Despite scoring 56 in a 127-run partnership with Boon, he could not prevent a defeat, scoring just four in Tasmania's second innings. In his first match in Tasmania, this time against New South Wales
, Ponting contributed 32 and 18 in a draw. He followed this up with 25 against Western Australia
in a narrow loss. His first match in Sydney also marked the debut of future Australian opening bowler Glenn McGrath
. His subsequent century also meant that Ponting became the youngest Tasmanian to score a first-class century at 18 years and 40 days, eclipsing Boon's record of 19 years and 356 days. After scoring another half century, Ponting scored back to back centuries against Western Australia on Australia's fastest wicket in Perth
. He become the youngest batsmen in Shield history to score twin centuries in a match. After setting a goal of scoring 500 runs in the season, he ended up scoring 781 at 48.81. After season's end, Ponting played seven four-day games for the Australian Academy, scoring 484 runs at 96.70, even though he was still only 18.
Speculation ignited that Ponting was an outsider to join the Australian squad on their 1993 tour to England. Despite Ponting's reluctance to weigh into the debate, Tasmanian coach Greg Shipperd
though he could handle the experience. The selectors ended up choosing Western Australian batsman Damien Martyn
for the tour, with Ponting selected in the Academy squad captained by Justin Langer
, which toured India and Sri Lanka for seven games in August–September 1993. Australian success was limited, with only several wins. No batsman scored a century, despite Ponting reaching 99 not out in a one-day game in Colombo
. He finished the tour second highest in the aggregates, behind Langer.
Before the start of the 1993–94 Sheffield Shield season, Ponting stated that he wanted to score 1000 runs for the season. In Tasmania's final match of the season, they needed to defeat South Australia outright to qualify for the final. Set 366 in 102 overs, Ponting scored 161 in a 290-run partnership that ended with Tasmania needing just 41 runs for victory. Despite Tasmania losing four quick wickets, they won with four wickets in hand. Disappointingly for Ponting, he could not repeat the performance in the final against New South Wales, scoring just one and 28, as Tasmania were defeated by an innings and 61 runs. The season saw Ponting score 965 runs at 48.25, close to his 1000 run goal.
A month after the final, he was again selected for the Academy squad for three limited overs matches against a touring Indian team. Queenslander Stuart Law
captained the Australian side that included former Australian keeper Rod Marsh
. In Australia's victory in Canberra
he top scored with 71 and before scoring 52 in victory in Sydney. The last match was also successful for the home team, with Ponting not required to bat.
Ponting started his 1994–95 campaign with a century against eventual Shield champions Queensland in Brisbane, impressing Queensland captain Allan Border
, "He's just an outstanding prospect," Border said.
Speculation once again arose that Ponting could become a candidate for upcoming tour to the West Indies. When Tasmania played Western Australia at Bellerive Oval
on 4 November 1994, Ponting scored 211. The century was his fifth successive against Western Australia-Sir Donald Bradman is the only other batsman to score five consecutive centuries against another state in Shield history. Ten days after the double century, Ponting was named in the Australian XI to take on England at Bellerive Oval
—in a match that was used as practice before the upcoming series in the West Indies. Future Australian representatives Matthew Hayden
, Langer, Greg Blewett
and Martyn were also selected. In a drawn match Ponting compiled a half-century.
A fourth team was introduced to the World Series Cup
in 1994–95—Australia A
—for the only time. Something the Australian captain Mark Taylor
was not a fan of, as many fan were supporting Australia A. Despite the negative feedback, it gave Ponting a chance on the international stage. Playing for Australia A, he scored 161 runs 26.83 with one half-century.
Greg Shipperd publicly suggested that Ponting could be selected as a reserve wicket-keeper for the upcoming West Indies tour, despite not doing so for Tasmania. However, he had kept wicket in pre-season matches and during centre wicket practice. Shippered need not worry, as Ponting was selected as a specialist batsman anyhow. " ... It was like all my birthdays had come at once. I had some reservations about making my Test debut against arguably the best fast bowling attack in the world," Ponting later said. The West Indies had been crickets powerhouse for close to two decades and teams included many feared fast bowlers. Before the tour, Australian captain Mark Taylor thought the last Test batting vacancy was possibly between Ponting and Justin Langer. "Ricky Ponting is more the stroke player while Justin is the tough man. It depends on what we need at the time but you can probably say Ricky has his neck in front because he's been on this tour [of New Zealand]," Taylor said. Rod Marsh believed Ponting's attitude and no fear approach could tear the West Indies apart. Nevertheless, Ponting did not expect to be selected. "I have got no expectations really, it's probably going to be more an experience thing rather than anything else," he said. "It would be great to get a Test match here or there if things go well. But if not, I'm sure I'm still going to learn a hell of a lot from being there and just being around the other 14 guys ... I won't be changing my game at all. I have got to back my ability and I'll be out there and playing as I usually do." Steve Waugh also noted that Ponting would "not be intimidated by the West Indians' inevitable waist-to-chin length." During the series, Ponting said the current crop of bowlers were not "of the same high class" that opposition teams had come to expect from the West Indies.
Ponting was selected for the third ODI on 12 March 1995 at Queen's Park Oval
, when Mark Waugh missed through injury. Ponting—batting at three—was involved in a 59-run partnership with Steve Waugh; however, he was dismissed for 43 when he lifted an attempted pull shot. Mark Waugh returned for the next match and Ponting was subsequently dropped until he replaced an out-of-form David Boon in the fifth and final match, where Ponting got second-ball duck. In a three-day warm-up match ahead of the Tests, Ponting scored 19, with Greg Blewett scoring a century and Langer compiling a half-century. The performance was not enough for Ponting to force his way into the Test side; though, Australia did regain the Frank Worrell Trophy
for the first time in 20 years, winning the series 2–1. When Ponting returned to Launceston in June 1995, Tasmania's TAB (now Tabcorp Holdings
) announced him as their part-time ambassador. He then undertook a tour to England with the Young Australians; a team that included fellow Tasmanian Shaun Young. It also included five future Test batsmen: Matthew Hayden, Matthew Elliot, Martin Love, Justin Langer and Stuart Law
. Despite not batting as well as he "would have liked", Ponting returned to Australia with the fourth highest batting average—48.73.
Tasmania toured Zimbabwe for five games ahead of the 1995/96 Sheffield Shield season. Though, Ponting struggled, aggregating 99 runs at a modest 24.75. By the end of October, he had signed an Australian Cricket Board contract, along with 22 other Australian cricketers. Ponting was still hopeful of a Test berth, but recognised that he needed to continue scoring runs. He opened the batting with Boon in Tasmania's first match of the Sheffield Shield season, scoring 20 and 43. Ahead of the followig match against Queensland in Hobart, Ponting set himself a goal of scoring a century in each innings; a feat he achieved in a high-scoring draw. His form continued against the touring Sri Lankans in a one-day game in Devonport, scoring 99. He scored another century against the same opposition in Launceston. During the match, the public address system at the NTCA Ground announced that Ponting was making his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Perth on 8 December. The following morning saw local newspaper The Examiner headline: He's Ricky Ponting, he's ours ... and he's made it! Tassie's batting star will play in his first Test." Marsh continued his praise of Ponting, who replaced a dropped Blewett. "I have no doubt Ricky will be trying to get 100 in his first Test game. And I hope he does." You'd back him to. If Ricky carries with him the same attitude that he has seen him succeed at First-class cricket to the next level there is no reason why he will not continue to score."
Sri Lanka batted first and scored 251, before Ponting—batting at number five due to Steve Waugh
's absence through injury—arrived at the crease with Australia at a comfortable 3/422. He started nervously, edging his first ball past first slip for a boundary from off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan
. When Ponting reached 96, Chaminda Vaas
hit Ponting high on his thigh and was given out leg before wicket. Many members of the crowd and media argued it was an incorrect decision due to excessive height. He combined with Stuart Law
, also playing on debut, for a partnership of 121. This was only the ninth ever century partnership by debutants in Test cricket. "I've got mixed emotions about my knock at the moment. 96 is a good score but it would have been nice to get a 100," Ponting said after the innings. "Once I struck a few in the middle of the bat, and I spent some time in the middle I tried to relax and enjoy it, just savour the moment." Australia won the match by an innings. In the second Test in Melbourne on Boxing Day, he scored a "compact" 71 in his only innings, combining for a century stand with Steve Waugh. He also took the wicket of Asanka Gurusinha
in Sri Lanka's first innings amidst four economical overs.
However, Ponting's performance was overshadowed by Australian umpire Darrell Hair
no-balling Muralitharan for throwing on seven occasions, increasing tensions between the two teams. Ponting's fellow Tasmanian hero retired after the Third Test, and Ponting's performances were not as strong at number six in the batting order, managing six and 20. Australia won yet again, sweeping the series 3–0, and Ponting was in full praise of Boon. "I would have hated to be the first person to come through from Launceston and make it but he has proved it can be done," Ponting said a year before his Test debut. Ponting ended his debut Test series with 193 runs at 48.25.
Ponting's appearances for Tasmania continued to be limited; however, he was still able to top the 1995/96 season averages with 59.50. In the World Series ODI Cup played between Australia, Sri Lanka and the West Indies after the Test series, Ponting played in all ten games. He started the series at number four but moved up a position midway through the season, after opener Michael Slater
was dropped. He broke through for his maiden ODI century in his 12th match, scoring 123 from 138 balls against Sri Lanka at the MCG. However, the effort was not enough to prevent Sri Lanka from victory. Tensions between Australia and Sri Lanka continued to flare, and in one such encounter, the Sri Lankans accused the Australians of cheating. Matters continued to get worse when the teams refused to shake hands at the end of the second final of the triangular series which Australia won 2–0. The match had included physical jostling between McGrath and Sanath Jayasuriya
mid pitch, with the latter accusing McGrath of making racist attacks. Later in the match, stump microphones showed Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy
alleging that portly Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga
was feigning injury and calling for a runner because of his lack of physical fitness. Ponting ended his first home ODI tournament with 341 runs at 34.10, including one century and three fifties, as Australia ended as series champions.
and is currently using the Kahuna
range.
bombing in Colombo
coupled with death threats to some members of the team forced Australia to forfeit their scheduled 1996 Cricket World Cup
match against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Ponting batted in the number three position for the entire tournament, and scored six in Australia's opening match victory over Kenya. He continued to be inconsistent with scores of 12 and 33 against India and Zimbabwe, before becoming the youngest batsman to score a World Cup century, when he scored 102 runs from 112 balls against the West Indies in Jaipur
. Ponting's psychology was to show the West Indians that he had no fear when he chose to wear a cap instead of a helmet. Though, the effort was not enough, as Australia lost by four wickets. Australia finished second in their group and faced New Zealand in the quarter-finals. He scored 41 followed by a 15 ball duck in a semi-final victory against the West Indies, as Australia staggered to 8/207. Australia appeared to be heading out of the tournament when the Caribbean team reached 2/165, but a sudden collapse saw Australia win by six runs in the last over. Ponting scored 45 from 73 balls in the final at the Gaddafi Stadium
in Lahore
, which Australia lost to Sri Lanka. In another spiteful encounter, some players refused to shake hands after the match. Ponting ended his first World Cup campaign with 229 runs at 32.71.
In August, Australia played in the Singer Cup in Sri Lanka, after enduring a five month break since the World Cup. Despite the political environment being more assured than during the World Cup, Australia still struggled to defeat the Sri Lankans, now full of confidence. Australia were too strong for Zimbabwe, before going down the home side. They regrouped and defeated India; however, Sri Lanka defeated Australia once again, this time in the final. Ponting scored: 53, 46 not out, 0 and 17 for the series. With the retirement of Boon, Ponting was elevated to the No. 3 position in the Test team, and his first assignment in his new role came in a one-off Test against India at the Feroz Shah Kotla
in Delhi
. Ponting made 13 and 14 in a seven-wicket defeat. It was a portent of Ponting's future Test struggles in India. His failed to regain his lost form in the following Titan Cup involving India, South Africa and Australia. After a "scratchy" game against South Africa, Ponting was rested for the next match against India. Nevertheless, he was recalled for the return match against South Africa, making 17. The series ending poorly for Ponting, being bowled for a duck, as South Africa won the final by eight wickets. The pair of ODI tournaments on the subcontinent yielded Ponting only 168 runs at 28.00 from seven matches.
Ponting continued in the role for the series against the West Indies in 1996–97 in Australia. After two Test matches and three scores under 10, he was replaced by Justin Langer
, despite scoring 88 in the First Test. He was out of the team for six months, and missed the remaining three Tests against the West Indies, the three Tests on the tour to South Africa, both series victories to Australia. Many "experts" thought the decision was unjustifiable. Former Australian coach, Bob Simpson, said: "I really feel that Ricky could have been persevered with. He's a fine young cricketer and he'll now have to prove that he's got the tenacity and temperament to go with it." Ponting's axing meant he had time to regain his form in the Sheffield Shield. Despite struggling at first, he scored twin centuries against South Australia in Hobart, and proceeded to score another ton against Queensland.
He was selected for the 1997 Ashes tour of England, but failed to play in any of the three initial ODI's. Ponting was not selected for Australia's defeat in the First Test. In a tour match against Leicester, he scored 64, not enough to force his way into the Australian line-up for a drawn Second Test. Australia won the next Test, though, Ponting was given three one-dayers and First-class match against Glamorgan to try and push his case for a Test inclusion. He scored a century in the latter, but managed just five against Middlesex in the last match before the Fourth Test. Michael Bevan
was eventually dropped for Ponting, due to poor form and troubles against the short ball. In his first Ashes Test, Ponting score his first Test century (127, batting at No. 6). He played the last three Tests and ended the series with 241 runs at 48.20. At the time Australia had a policy of the selecting the same team for ODIs, so Ponting only played in three ODIs in early stages of the 1996–97 season in Australia, scoring 68 runs at 22.66 in December 1996 before being dropped.
Ponting scored 119 runs at 39.66 in the three-Test home series against New Zealand in 1997–98, including a breezy 73 not out from 85 balls in the second innings of the First Test in Brisbane to help Australia set a winning target. He then made his first Test century on Australian soil, scoring 105 in the First Test against South Africa at the MCG. He added a fifty in the next match and ended the series with 248 runs at 49.60. Ponting has his most successful ODI season to date, scoring 462 runs at 57.75 in the annual tri-series, including a 100 against New Zealand and three fifties. The 100 was Ponting's third ODI century, but Australia had lost all three matches. He scored 76 in the third and deciding final against South Africa, which Australia won. In a brief four-match ODI tour of New Zealand at the end of the season, Ponting scored 76 runs at 25.33.
struck a double century in the opening warm-up match as the Australian bowlers struggled to cope with the conditions. Ponting came into the Test series with first-class scores of 53, 37 and 155 behind him. Batting at five and seven in the batting order respectively, he scored 18 in the first innings and two in the second on a "dusty turning track" in the opening Test in Chennai. Despite conceding a 71 first innings lead, Tendulkar struck 155 in India's second innings, as India won by 169 runs. Australia suffered further humiliation in the second Test at Eden Gardens
. India—whom amassed 5/633 in reply to Australia's 233—went onto win by an innings and 16 runs, as Ponting scored 60 and nine.
Several days after the match, Ponting was thrown out of Equinox night club in Kolkata
. The Indian media reported that Ponting was misbehaving with several women in the nightclub. Ponting was fined $1000 by Australian team management for the incident, and later apologised to staff. Ponting later wrote:
In the following Test in Bangalore
, Australia won their first Test in India for 29 years, despite 177 not out from Tendulkar, which gave India a slender first innings lead. Ponting scored 16 his only innings as Australia won by eight wickets. He finished the series with 105 runs at 21.00 as the hosts took the Tests 2–1.
Despite a poor Test series, Ponting's form in ODIs remained strong. In consecutive tournaments in India and Sharjah following the Tests, Ponting scored 467 runs at 51.88. In addition to three fifties, Ponting scored 145 from 158 balls in the Pepsi Cup against Zimbabwe in Delhi
, equalling Dean Jones
' Australian record.
Ponting also had his first confrontation with Harbhajan Singh
, an Indian off spin
ner who went on to have much success against him. In a Coca-Cola Cup series ODI against India in April, he and Mark Waugh
put on more than 80 runs in 12 overs before Harbhajan was introduced into the attack. In the spinners second over, Ponting took him for four then lofted him over mid-wicket for six next ball. The following delivery saw Ponting use his feet in an attempt to get to the pitch of the ball but missed the shot and was consequently stumped. After the dismissal the pair clashed verbally. Ponting wrote, "The Sharjah incident was the result of me being over-competitive but it had the potential to get quite nasty. I was really disappointed with the shot I played [to get dismissed] and when I looked up Harbahjan was right in my face giving me the finger [gesturing for Ponting to leave the ground with his index finger] and really mouthing off. Had he been a few more metres away from me I would have not reacted like I did or at the most I would have given him a bit of lip as I walked past. I just over-reacted to the provocation." Both players were consequently fined ($500) and reprimanded by the match referee
, with Harbhajan also suspended for a single ODI as he was adjudged to have breached the ICC Cricket Code of Conduct
.
On the subsequent tour of Pakistan less than six months later, Ponting was dropped in favour of Darren Lehmann
. The left-hander was perceived to be a better player of spin and a better prospect on the dry pitches of the Indian subcontinent
than Ponting. In the first Test starting in October, Lehmann scored 98 in Rawalpindi
, as Australia won their first Test in Pakistan in 39 years. Ponting's only Test outing was in a high-scoring second Test draw in Peshawar
, when he scored 76 not out and 43 as Lehmann was injured. The match saw Mark Taylor
equal Don Bradman's Australian record score of 334, when he declared Australia's innings overnight on 4/599, despite being not out. Ponting was replaced by Lehmann for the final Test.
In between the Tests and the ODIs, Australia were knocked out of the 1999 Wills International Cup, starting in late October, when they were defeated by India in their opening match. In a knockout based tournament, Tendulkar scored 141 in India's total of 307; meanwhile, Ponting managed a 53 ball 41, in a 44 run defeat. In a tournament hosted in Bangladesh, South Africa were eventual victors, defeating the West Indies in the final. He played in all the following ODIs against Pakistan, which Australia won 3–0. In the final match, Ponting scored 124 not out from 129 balls, as Australia chased down 316 with six wickets to spare. He finished the series with 215 runs at 107.50.
When the Australians returned for the home series against England, Ponting was "in the worst run-scoring groove in his first-class career." Nevertheless, he was recalled in place of Lehmann, despite the latter's form in Pakistan. This was explained on the basis of "horses for courses"; it was reasoned that Ponting would be more effective against England's pace-oriented bowling attack. However, Ponting struggled in the first three Tests, scoring 47 runs at 11.75, and Lehmann regained his spot for the last two matches. He had played 22 Tests by the end of 1998, with 1,209 runs at an average of 36.63. Ponting was a permanent fixture in the ODI team throughout this period, and scored 322 runs at 46.00 during the Carlton & United (CUB series) series of 1998–99. During the CUB series, Ponting was involved in a fight outside a pub in Kings Cross, New South Wales
, and earned a three match suspension from the national team. He sustained a black eye in the fight. Forced, to front a media conference with the black eye, Ponting admitted that he suffered from alcoholism, and sought external help to attend to this problem. He also thought that his career was on "thin ice" and he had "over-stepped" the mark, along with admitting that the episode may have ended his International captaincy aspirations.
, Ponting scored an unbeaten 18 from 10 balls at number four. Ponting scored 20, 23 and 36 in the following matches against the West Indies, India and Zimbabwe. In the last match of the Super Six stage of the tournament, Australia were to play South Africa in a match they needed to win to make the semi-finals. South Africa batted first and scored 271, before Australia slumped to 3/48. Steve Waugh joined Ponting in the middle and scored 22 runs in ten overs. Both then agreed increase the scoring in a mid-pitch conversation. South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis
could not bowl because of strained abdominal muscles and the batting pair attacked the replacement bowlers, scoring 82 from 10 overs. They were involved in a 126-run stand until Ponting fell for 69 scored in 110 balls, including five fours and two sixes. Waugh went onto make 120 off 110 deliveries, helping Australia win with two balls to spare. The sides met again in their next match, this time in the semi-final at Edgbaston on 17 June 1999. Australia only managed 213, with Ponting contributing a solid 37 from 48 balls. In reply, South Africa started strongly, talking 45 from the first nine overs without the loss of a wicket. However, Warne dismissed Herschelle Gibbs
and Gary Kirsten
before long and eventually took 4/29 from 10 overs. The last over started with the Africans needing eight runs with one wicket in hand. Lower-order hitter, Lance Klusener
, proceeded to score those runs in the next two balls. Drama followed, as Donald was run-out two balls later, resulting in a tie. Australia qualified for the final because they finished higher than their opposition on the Super Six table. They comfortably accounted for Pakistan in the final, winning by eight wickets, after they were set a target of 132. Ponting scored 24 in Australia's first World Cup win since 1987. He ended the tournament with 354 runs at 39.33.
Australia soon travelled to Sri Lanka for a three-Test series, which they lost 1–0. Ponting was one of Australia's few effective players during the tour and was Man-of-the-Series, ending with 253 runs at 84.33. In the First Test defeat at Kandy
, Ponting scored 96 and 51, almost half of Australia's match total of 328 runs. They lost the match match by six wickets, partly due to being unable to handle the spin of Muralitharan who too eight wickets. The Second Test was severely interrupted by rain and Ponting scored just one in his only innings. He scored 105 not out in the Third Test in Colombo, his only Test century in Sri Lanka. Despite having a perceived weakness against spin, Ponting played Muralitharan the best out of all the Australian batsmen. He scored 31 as Australia won their inaugural Test against Zimbabwe by nine wickets. In the following ODI series between the respective countries, Ponting scored 288 runs at 57.60 with two fifties.
Ponting started the 1999–2000 season poorly, with ducks in his first three Test innings in the series against Pakistan, including a pair on his home ground Bellerive Oval
. He ended the run in style, scoring 197 in the Third Test at the WACA. Australia won the series 3–0 and Ponting proceeded to score 125 in the First Test against India at the Adelaide Oval. He finished with an unbeaten 141 in the Third Test at the SCG, the culmination of another Australian whitewash. Ponting was the leading scorer for the series, compiling 375 runs at 125.00. He brought this form into the initial stages of the following 1999/2000 Carlton United ODI series, hitting 32 and 115, before three consecutive ducks. Ponting, however, ended the rut towards the back end of the series, stringing together 53, 43, 33, 50 and 78, as Australia won the tournament. Along with his impressive average of 40.4, Ponting's strike rate (87.06) was the highest of all recognised Australian batsmen. Perhaps more importantly, Ponting was selected as temporary vice-captain when Shane Warne was unavailable through injury, strenghthening his claim for future higher honours. "It's now apparent to me that I'm one being viewed as a future Australia captain," Ponting acknowledged in his newspaper column. "I think it's fair to say unless I was being considered for a future leadership position in the team then someone with significantly more experience, like Mark [Waugh] would have been given the nod to be the team's vice-captain. Despite all his good fortune, Ponting slid into the boundary fence and seriously damaged his ankle during the second final against Pakistan, forcing him to miss the upcoming ODI series' in New Zealand and South Africa. The damaged ligaments required a two-hour operation, with doctors telling him how he would not be able to return to cricket until the next summer. Though, he defied the odds, and by May he returned to the golf course and was given approval to start cricket training. He returned to the International scene in August for a three-match ODI series against South Africa in Melbourne's indoor Docklands Stadium. He made only 60 runs, as the series was tied 1–1, with a tie.
Ahead of the first Test of the 2000–01 season in November, Ponting found form while playing for Tasmania. He scored 233 against a strong Queensland bowling team that included Andy Bichel
, Adam Dale
and Ashley Noffke
. The innings included 37 boundaries and four sixes, and was so dominnent, the next highest score for the innings was 61. He continued to destroy the Queensland attack by adding a half-century in the second innings. In the second and last First-class match Ponting played for Tasmania in the season, he scored a more sedate 187 against New South Wales in Hobart, assuring him a place in the Test side, despite Damien Martyn (who replaced Ponting in the side when injured) scoring two centuries for Western Australia. Ponting was overlooked the ODI vice-captaincy, with Gilchrist given the role; however, Ponting captained a Northern Territory XI against the West Indies in the lead-up to the upcoming series. Despite not being known for extravagant claims, Steve Waugh told a journalist that Ponting could easily be the best batsman in the world, and put him alongside Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara. When Jamie Cox was selected for Australia A, Ponting was selected as captain of Tasmania for a domestic one-dayer against Victoria in December. His men won by nine wickets, with Ponting scoring an unbeaten 64 from 69 balls. Australia white-washed the West Indies 5–0 in the Test series; though, Ponting only scored a modest 242 runs at 40.33, with a high score of 92.
's team in 1969. Australian captain Steve Waugh began calling this the "Final Frontier". Australia easily won the First Test at Mumbai
by ten wickets to extend the winning sequence to 16. India, looked set for defeat in the Second Test at Eden Gardens
in Kolkata
after conceding a first innings lead of 274. However, Waugh chose to enforce the follow-on, the only time that Australia had chosen to do so for more than five years. However, V. V. S. Laxman
(281) and Rahul Dravid
(180) batted for the entire fourth day's play and set Australia a target of 384 on a dusty, spinning wicket. The Australians were unable to cope with the spin of Harbhajan Singh
on the final day, and became only the third team to lose a Test after enforcing the follow-on. Starting the final Test well, Australia's batting collapsed on the second morning, losing 6/26. Harbhajan finished with 15 wickets in the match to lead India to a two-wicket win in another close finish. Ponting finished with just 17 runs at an average of 3.4, dismissed all five times by Harbhajan. Ponting had a habit of instinctively rocking onto the front foot and thrusting his wrists at Harbhajan's deliveries and was frequently caught in the bat pad positions because of this.
Despite this recent run of poor scores, Ponting was promoted to the key No. 3 position in the Australian batting order at the expense of the dropped Justin Langer
, while Damien Martyn
took Ponting's former spot at No. 6, for the very next Test series, the 2001 Ashes tour of England. Ponting began the series poorly, scoring 11, 14, 4, 14 and 17—the first four dismissals all to Darren Gough
. In the first innings of the fourth Test, Ponting stood his ground while on 0 after edging to slips and refused to go off the field without a TV replay. Replays revealed that the ball had been grassed and Ponting subsequently went on to score 144 and 72 in the second innings. He scored his 216 runs in only 226 balls. In doing so, he repeated his feat in 1997 of returning to form at Headingley. He ended the series with 338 runs at 42.25. Starting with that 2001 Ashes
series he has batted No. 3 in all but four of his Test innings.
The touring New Zealanders were not expected to provide much of a challenge to the in-form Australians during the three-match Test series starting in November. The opening Test in Brisbane, saw the tourists came within 11 runs of victory, before the Test was drawn; partly to do with inclement weather. Ponting scored five and a run-a-ball 32 not out in Australia's second innings, as they pushed for a declaration. After scoring 4, 0 and 0 in his previous Test outings at Bellerive Oval
, Ponting broke through with a man-of-the-match performance of 157 not out in the Second Test, before further rain resulted in another draw. The result of the Third Test in Perth was no different, with Ponting scoring 31 and 26. Set a record 440 to win, Australia finished on 7/381 at stumps on the final day, despite half-centuries from Gilchrist and the Waugh twins. He ended the Test season 366 runs at 52.28.
, leading to the dropping of Steve Waugh
from the one-day team in February 2002. Ponting was elevated to the captaincy, ahead of then vice-captain Adam Gilchrist
. The fortunes of the ODI team revived immediately, and the Ponting's men won their first series during the tour of South Africa, defeating the team that had won the tournament that ended Waugh's reign.
Following his elevation to the ODI captaincy, Ponting played a prominent role in the Test tour of South Africa. He scored 100 not out to steer Australia to a four-wicket win in the Second Test in Cape Town, bringing up the winning runs with a six from the bowling of Paul Adams
. He struck 89 in the Third Test and ended the series with 308 runs at 77.25 with a strike rate of 76.48. Australia entered the seven-match ODI series without both of the Waugh twins.
Ponting was prominent in the 3–0 whitewash of Pakistan on neutral territory in late-2002. He struck 141 in the First Test in Colombo and 150 in the Third Test in Sharjah to end with 342 runs at 85.50.
was announced. Steve Waugh was a somewhat surprising omission, despite being unable to force his way back into the ODI team since being dropped after team disappointment in the 2001–02 VB Series
. Ponting scored a slow 18 from 30 deliveries in Australia's victory in the opening match of the 2002–03 VB series against England in Sydney. He proceeded to score 119 from 123 balls (nine fours and three sixes) in Australia's second match of the series—again against England, this time at the MCG—sharing an all wicket record Australian ODI partnership of 225 with Adam Gilchrist in the process. Despite a comfortable Australian victory, Warne dislocated his right shoulder while diving to stop a ball. The success continued through the 2002–03 ODI series in Australia. Winning the finals series against England 2–0.
Australia hit trouble on the personnel front in the lead up to the World Cup. Lehmann was handed a seven-match ban for racial abuse, the world's number 1 ranked ODI batsman Michael Bevan
was injured, as was all rounder Shane Watson
, who had to withdraw from the World Cup. At the time, another all-rounder, Andrew Symonds
, had been performing poorly and had been heavily maligned by cricket analysts, but Ponting strongly advocated his inclusion. The selectors granted Ponting his wish, although the decision was considered highly controversial, especially with Waugh campaigning for his recall as an all-rounder.
A few days before the tournament started, Australia were in further turmoil, when leading bowler Shane Warne
was sent home after failing a drugs test, and a replacement could not be flown in until after the first match. With Bevan and Lehmann still sidelined, Australia went into their opening match with little choice over their line-up, and Symonds having to play. However, Symonds repaid Ponting's faith with an unbeaten 140 after Australia lost three quick wickets to be in early trouble. Australia crushed Pakistan, and gained further momentum by defeating India by nine wickets in less than half their allotted overs in the next match. Symonds continued to put in a series of match-winning performances and continued to be strongly backed by Ponting from then on. Ponting himself performed solidly with 53 against Pakistan and 24 not out, hitting the winning runs to guide Australia home.
He failed to perform in the rest of the group matches including just 2 against Namibia
and 18 against England in a poor performance which Australia managed to win just. He began the Super Six stage with a massive 114 against Sri Lanka. This innings included 4 sixes and he was very aggressive. He failed in the rest of the Super Six stage and the semi-final against the same opposition (Sri Lanka). In the Final, they met India, who they had crushed in the group stage. Indian captain Sourav Ganguly controversially sent the Australians in to bat, citing cloud cover, but Ponting's batsmen attacked immediately and put the Indian bowlers under pressure. They went on to score 359–2, a record for a world cup final by over 100 runs. Ponting top-scored with a brilliant 140 not out from 121 balls. India's batsmen could not cope with the target, and were defeated by a record (for World Cup Final matches) 125 runs. "I have had some amazing times and some proud moments in my career, but the events at the Wanderers have topped the lot. Lifting the World Cup alongside 20 other proud Australians ... [It is] without doubt the best moment of my cricketing life." Ponting led his team to a dominant, undefeated, performance in the 2003 Cricket World Cup
, winning all 11 of their matches.
Brian Lara was reinstated West Indies captain in place of Carl Hooper
for Australia's away series in the Caribbean starting in April 2003. While Ponting was announced as long-term vice-captain in place of Adam Gilchrist. The first Test was not the first time Ponting had been vice-captain of the Australian Test team however, as he was thrust into the role against the West Indies in 2000 and England in 2001—because of injuries to Steve Waugh. Although Gilchrist had not done anything untoward, Ponting was elevated because Australian selectors wanted him to captain if Waugh was to be injured. This was Ponting's third tour to the Caribbean, and he was rested from the only warm-up match ahead of the Tests. Nevertheless, he continued his World Cup form in the First Test, scoring 117 and 42 not out on a slow and low pitch, as Australia won by nine wickets. Ponting scored his first double century (206) in the Second Test, as he and Darren Lehmann shared an Australian third wicket partnership record of 315; against a weak bowling attack. Australia defeated the West Indies by 118 runs on the final day—retaining the Frank Worrell Trophy
. The Tasmanian's rich vein of form continued in the Third Test, after being rested for a tour match against Barbados
. He scored 113 before running himself out, as Australia batted first on a pitch at the Kensington Oval
described as the slowest Waugh had played on. Waugh's men procreded to take a 3–0 series, with a comfortable nine wicket victory. Ponting missed the final Test, as Australia conceded the Test record run chase of 418; nevertheless, Ponting was still awarded the man-of-the-series award, after ending the series with 523 runs at 130.75.
and Cairns in the tropical north of Australia in the winter of 2003. In the third and final match of the ODI series following the Tests, Ponting scored a composed century, as he and Michael Bevan
put on a run-a-ball 127 run stand. Strangely, Ponting's 14th ODI century, included only two fours, despite hitting four sixes.
Australia's cricket summer started in October; a month earlier than usual because of their upcoming ODI series in India following their home series against Zimbabwe. Due to the seasons early start, many of the Australian players were without match fitness. McGrath missed the series with an ankle injury; while there were concerns about whether Australia should be playing African country because of Robert Mugabe
's regime. The first Test started on 9 October in Perth, as Australia started strongly batted first against a Zimbabwean bowling attack that lacked penetration on a flat WACA wicket. However, Ponting was dismissed leg before wicket for 37, while Hayden went onto break Brian Lara
's world record Test score of 375. Australia won the Test by a comfortable innings and 175 runs on the final day. Although they were not without injuries, as Stuart MacGill
(discomfort behind his right knee) and Jason Gillespie
(side strain) both left the field injured on day three. The injuries to the bowling duo meant Australia used part timers, Lehmann, Martyn, Waugh and Ponting for 57 overs in Zimbabwe's second innings to give the strike bowlers a rest. The heavy bowling workload on Lehmann therefore caused him to tear a muscle in his left Achilles tendon
. An inexperienced Australian team won the next Test at the SCG by nine wickets; sweeping the series 2–0. Ponting struck 169 and 53 not out, and passed 5,000 Test runs in his first innings century. The Australian number three ended the two-match series with 259 runs at 129.50. In the midst of the lack of public attention and poor crowds, Ponting wrote how he was unsure whether Bangladesh and Zimbabwe should be playing Test cricket.
Australia flew to India two day after the conclusion of the Zimbabwean series to play in the TVS Cup cup against India and New Zealand. They opened their campaign on 26 October against India in Gwalior, but where defeated by 37 runs, as Ponting was dismissed for two. Australia played New Zealand in match three of series in Faridabad
. An early 9 am start saw New Zealand bowled out for 97, despite Australia bowling 17 wides. Australia comfortably reached the target, losing only two wickets in the process; one of which was Ponting for 12, who felt that he was "in terrible form.". Before Australia's next game, Ponting was named the Wisden International Cricketer of the Year in an award ceremony in Mumbai. Two days later, the city saw Australia defeat India by 77 runs, helped by Ponting's 31. He continued his run without a large score, managing just 16 in the fifth match of the series against New Zealand; however, Australia won a hard fought contest. He regained his form in a victory over New Zealand in match—scoring 52 in Guwahati
. Ponting improved further against India in match eight in Bangalore
. After Gilchrist scored his first ODI century against India, Ponting scored an unbeaten 108 from 103 balls, to help Australia win by 61 runs. Ponting hit seven sixes and one four, becoming the first batsman to end up with only one four in an ODI century. Ponting struggled to come to terms with the pitch early, reaching his 50 in 69 balls, before scoring his next 50 in 31 deliveries. After defeating New Zealand, India qualified for the final against Australia. Batting first in Kolkata, Australia managed 5/235, as Ponting scored 36. India were bowled out for 198, leaving Australia victors by 37 runs. He finished the series with 296 runs—the third highest run-scorer—at an average of 42.83.
Having also scored 206 at Port-of-Spain earlier in the year, he became only the second player (Sir Donald Bradman the other) to hit three double-centuries in a calendar year. Ponting's 242 against India at Adelaide is also the highest ever Test score by a batsman whose team was subsequently defeated in the match.
After Steve Waugh
's retirement at the beginning of 2004 following the drawn home series against India, Ponting assumed the Test captaincy. Since 1997 the Australian team has not always had the same captain for Tests and for ODIs, with Mark Taylor
and Steve Waugh
being dropped from the ODI team whilst still the Test captain.
Ponting started with a 3–0 clean sweep of the Test series in Sri Lanka. Ponting brought Symonds into the Test team on the back of strong ODI form, rather than first-class cricket, replacing Simon Katich
, who had scored a century and unbeaten fifty in the last Test. However, this backfired and Symonds was dropped after two Tests. Nevertheless, it was a far cry from Australia's last two Test campaigns in Sri Lanka, which had resulted in a 1–0 and 0–1 results respectively. Individually though, Ponting struggled, especially in comparison to his efforts in 1999. He scored 198 runs at 33.00, his only effort beyond 30 being 92 in the first innings of the Third Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.
Australia hosted Sri Lanka for two Tests during the winter, in the tropical north. Ponting missed the victory in the First Test in Darwin due to a family bereavement, and scored 22 and 45 as the Second Test in Cairns was drawn.
Despite their success at World Cups, Australia continued their failure to win the ICC Champions Trophy
. They were knocked out by hosts England in the semifinals in 2004.
After missing most of the tour of India due to injury, Ponting returned for the Fourth Test. By this time, Australia had taken an unassailable 2–0 series lead, his deputy Gilchrist leading the tourists to their first Test series win in India since 1969–70. Leading spinner Shane Warne
injured himself on the eve of the match, which was played on a very dry pitch at the Wankhede Stadium
in Mumbai
.Off spin
ner Nathan Hauritz
and leg spin
ner Cameron White
, who were not regular wicket-takers in domestic cricket, were surpri♫se selections ahead of Stuart MacGill
for the tour. The reasoning given by the selectors was that as they intended to play only one spinner—Warne—MacGill was unlikely to play so they would not lose anything by taking some young spinners instead, in order to gain experience. However, it was too late for MacGill to be flown in, and Hauritz played and took 5/103, while India's. Ponting made 11 and 12 and Australia lost a low-scoring match in less than two days' equivalent playing time. Ponting was very vocal in criticising the playing surface after the match.
Ponting oversaw a successful campaign in the 2004–05 Australian season. They won all five Tests, defeating New Zealand 2–0 and Pakistan 3–0. Ponting scored 145 runs at 72.50 against New Zealand in a winning start to his Test captaincy on home soil.
Up to this point, Ponting's prolific form with the bat in 2003 had tapered away following his ascension to the captaincy and he had not made a century in eight Tests, a long period by his standards. In the First Test against Pakistan in Perth, Ponting made 98 in the second innings. Australia went on to crush the visitors by over 400 runs. Ponting struck 62 not out in the second innings as Australia won by nine wickets in the Second Test in Melbourne, and then brought up his maiden century as captain, scoring 207 in the New Year's Test in Sydney, which ended in another convincing nine-wicket triumph. He ended the series with 403 runs at 100.75.
Australia then won a three-Test tour against New Zealand away 2–0. Ponting ended the series in style, scoring 105 and 86 not out in the Third Test win in New Zealand. In his first Test series in the country, he scored 293 runs at 97.66.
in 1986–87 to lose an Ashes series. The 2005 series was hailed as one of the great Test series, but Ponting faced significant criticism afterwards and his tenure as captain was questioned. In his defence, Ponting said that Australia had simply been outplayed and had not stepped up at crucial moments in the matches. He rejected suggestions that Shane Warne
should be captain in his stead.
The series began with a decisive 239-run win to Australia at Lord's
, with Australia's bowlers dominating the English batsmen. England made only 155 and 180, and only Kevin Pietersen
passed 50, which he did in both innings.
In the pre-match warm up before the next Test at Edgbaston
, an accidental injury to Glenn McGrath
, who took nine wickets at Lord's, led to his late withdrawal from the match with an ankle injury. Ponting sent England in to bat after winning the toss after the hosts' insipid batting display in the series opener, a decision widely criticised, as the pitch was ideal for batting. England immediately attacked in the absence of McGrath and seized the initiative. They posted a big first innings total of 407 in less than 80 overs on the first day, and won the game by two runs despite a late stumble and a near-successful run chase by bowlers Brett Lee
and Michael Kasprowicz
on the final day. England had the upper hand throughout the third Test at Old Trafford
, where Australia needed to bat through the last day to force a draw. Ponting scored 156, the first Australian century of the series, and was dismissed only four overs from the end of the day. This left Australia nine wickets down but their final pair survived the remaining overs. In the fourth Test at Trent Bridge
, Australia again batted poorly and was forced to follow-on. In the second innings, Ponting was well set on a score of 48, and England was in some difficulty due to an injury to key paceman Simon Jones
, when the Australian captain was run out by a direct hit from the substitute fielder (Gary Pratt
). Ponting reacted angrily, directing an abusive tirade at the English support team in the pavilion concerning the liberal use of substitutes as he walked into the Australian rooms. England had routinely used substitutes so that their bowlers could receive massages between their spells, but in this case, Pratt was on the field due to an injury to Jones, who had been taken to hospital and would go on to miss the fifth and final Test match of the series. Ponting was later fined 75% of his match fee by the match referee.
After England won the match by three wickets after nervously chasing down a target of 128 to take a two-one lead in the series, Ponting returned to the subject of substitutes in an interview with Australian radio: "I think it's an absolute disgrace the spirit of the game is being treated like that. It is within the rules; it's just not within the spirit of the game." England coach Duncan Fletcher
later commented on this incident: "He [Ponting] completely blew his top. I did not actually think it at the time but, looking back now, that might be the moment when it became clear that England were going to regain the Ashes."
Australia went on to lose the match, despite a spirited fightback with the ball on the last day. Also in this match Ponting bowled six overs, and took his first wicket since March 1999; Michael Vaughan
caught behind by Adam Gilchrist
. The Fifth Test at The Oval
was curtailed by rain and although Australia had the English batsmen in danger on the final day, a rearguard counterattacking partnership by Kevin Pietersen
and Ashley Giles
on the final afternoon secured a draw for the hosts. Thus, the Ashes were lost for the first time in 16 years.
The setback to Australia, and to Ponting as Australian captain, of the 2005 Ashes defeat, was to prove a strong motivation for the Australian camp to improve their standards and overcome any complacency that may have arisen from Australia's being the world's premier cricketing nation for a decade. Prior to the Ashes defeat, Australia's dominance had prompted the ICC to organise a series against a World XI, immediately after the Ashes. Following the Ashes defeat, Australia were expected to struggle against the World XI, but bounced back to whitewash them 3–0 in the ODIs; they also won the only Test easily, Ponting scoring 46 and 54. However, the series was also criticised due to the apparent lack of collective desire of the World XI, who were regarded more as a collection of individuals. Following the Ashes defeat, and the pivotal role played by English all rounder Andrew Flintoff
, which allowed England to field five frontline bowlers, Australia decided to adopt this strategy. Thus Damien Martyn
, a specialist batsman who struggled in England, was dropped, and Watson brought into the team to bat at No. 7 behind Gilchrist and bowl regularly. Watson was injured in his second Test in the role, but the policy was continued, although his replacement Andrew Symonds struggled and averaged less than 20 with the bat and more than 35 with the ball, without taking many wickets, for over a year. Despite this, the policy was persisted with.
In any case, Australia were untroubled during the 2005–06 season. They whitewashed the West Indies 3–0 before defeating South Africa 2–0 in three Tests. They then reciprocated South Africa's tour and recorded a 3–0 whitewash in the Tests. In the series against the West Indies, Ponting scored a century in each innings of the First Test in Brisbane, 149 and 104 not out. In his first Test as captain in front of the Tasmanian pubilc, Ponting managed 17 and 0 not out, and he ended the series with 329 runs at 82.25.
Ponting was in a rich vein of form against the South Africans. After scoring 71 and 53 in the drawn First Test in Perth, Ponting scored 117 on Boxing Day in the Second Test at the MCG. Australia won the match and Ponting scored 120 and 143 not out to end the series and start the New Year with a dramatic win in the Third Test at the SCG. South African captain Graeme Smith
declared on the final morning of a rain-curtailed match and tried to open up the game in a bid to equal the series. He left Australia a target of 287 runs in 76 overs, and Ponting made 143 not out in only 159 balls to secure an eight-wicket win. It was the first time anyone had scored two centuries in their 100th Test and Ponting was named man of the match and man of the series. He had scored 515 runs at 103.00.
. This was ruled by the MCC
to have contravened Law 6.1, which states that bats have to be made of wood, although they may be "covered with material for protection, strengthening or repair not likely to cause unacceptable damage to the ball". Ponting and Kookaburra agreed to comply, before the series against South Africa.
Australia continued their run in South Africa even in the absence of McGrath for family reasons. Ponting scored 103 and 116 in the Second Test in Durban, making it three Test centuries in consecutive innings at the ground. He ended the series with 348 runs at 58.00. On 12 March 2006, Ponting scored 164 in only 105 balls in the 5th ODI against South Africa
in Johannesburg
, as Australia made a record total of 434 for 4, only to be beaten by South Africa's 438 for 9. At the end of the match Ponting was jointly awarded Man of the Match with Herschelle Gibbs
. Ponting was not happy with the performance and once in the dressing rooms delivered "the biggest spray" he hoped to do while captain of Australia.
The Australians moved on to their maiden Test tour of Bangladesh thereafter, and narrowly avoided an ignominious loss in the First Test at Fatullah. After the home side took an unexpected first innings lead, Ponting scored an unbeaten 118 in the second innings to guide his team to a three-wicket win. He scored 52 in the Second Test as Australia won by an innings and took the series 2–0.
Australia won the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy
in India, finally winning the ODI tournament that had eluded them despite their World Cup success. After the final in Mumbai, Ponting drew some criticism for appearing to ask BCCI president and Indian cabinet minister Sharad Pawar
to "leave the podium" and pointing towards the exit with his finger, while his team-mate Damien Martyn
pushed him gently in the back so that his team could commence celebrations. The issue, while minor, was solved when Ponting issued a formal apology to Pawar.
In the First Test in Brisbane
, Ponting top-scored in Australia's first innings with 196 runs, and he followed this up with 60 not out in the second as Australia took the initiative with a commanding win. In the Second Test in Adelaide
, Ponting top-scored with 142, helping Australia to a total of 513 in response to England's 6/551. Australia went on to win the match by six wickets after a last day English collapse, Ponting making 49 in the chase. At the conclusion of the match, Ponting's batting average peaked at 59.99. The Third Test played at the WACA Ground
saw another win to Australia by 206 runs to reclaim the Ashes; Ponting made 2 and 75. The 15 months they had been in English hands was the shortest period either nation had held the urn. Further wins in Melbourne and Sydney, made Ponting's team the second team (after Warwick Armstrong
's Australian team in 1920–21) to win an Ashes series 5–0, and that against what had been thought to be a formidable enemy, the second strongest cricketing team in the world. Ricky Ponting was awarded Man of the Series for the 2006–07 Ashes series after scoring 576 runs at an average of 82.29 including 2 centuries and 2 half centuries.
Australia then started the ODI series well, qualifying in first place for the final. However, they stumbled and lost 2–0 to England in the finals. Ponting was then rested for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy ahead of the World Cup, and in his absence, the Australians were whitewashed 3–0, leading to suggestions that his team had slumped just ahead of the most important ODI tournament in world cricket.
Australia left for St Vincent, Australia's venue for its two warm-up matches against Zimbabwe and England on 28 February without Brett Lee because of ankle damage. In the first warmup game against Zimbabwe, Ponting scored just 2 in Australia's 106 run victory. In Australia's second and last warm up game, this time against England, Ponting again failed to make an impact, scoring just 7 before he was bowled by off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple
.
Australia started its official World Cup campaign with three group matches played at Warner Park
, St Kitts. Ponting himself started his campaign successfully with an innings of 113 from 93 deliveries that included five sixes, as Australia were dominant in 203 run victory against Scotland. Ponting later wrote Despite scoring just 23 in the next match against the Netherlands, Australia still amassed 358 and proceeded to bundle out the Dutch for 129 in 26.5 overs. In the lead up to Australia's last group stage match against pre-tournament number one ranked team South Africa; former South African batsman Jonty Rhodes
claimed that Australia were not as good fielding side as the South Africans. Winning the toss and batting first, Australia amassed 377/6—their highest score in World Cups. Matthew Hayden scored 101 from 68 deliveries and reached three figures in only 66 deliveries, and in doing so, scored the fastest Cricket World Cup century in history. Ponting also scored 91 from 91 balls, and became the seventh player to score 10,000 ODI runs. Despite South Africa being 160 without loss in the 21st over, bringing back memories of their record run chase in Johannesburg a year earlier, South Africa crumbled, losing 9 wickets for just 74 runs. At the post-game media conference, Ponting was critical of Kallis' innings (48 from 63).
Australia comfortably qualified for the Super Eights
with their first match played at the new Antigua Recreation Ground
in Antigua
. Ponting stated that he was not very impressed with the outfield labelling it "ridiculously sandy".
The Australian captain was run out when on 35, with his team amassing 322 mainly thanks to 158 from Hayden. In a match spread out over two days, Australia comfortably defeated the home side by 103 runs. In their next match, Australia come up against lowly Bangladesh in another ran interrupted affair. This time the match was shortened to 22 overs a side as the stadium failed to handle the rain that fell before the rain. In the end Australia won by 10 wickets with Ponting not getting a chance to bat.
Ponting's men had an eight day break before their match against England again in Antigua. Despite Kevin Pieterson's century in England's innings, Ponting scored a half-century guiding Australia to a seven wicket victory.
After not getting a bat in Australia's rout of Ireland in Barbados on 13 April, Ponting steered Australia to victory in their next match against Sri Lanka in Grenada, with 66 not out. Grenada was again the venue for Australia's final super eights battle, this time against New Zealand. Again amongst the runs, Ponting produced a fluent 66 that included seven boundaries, with his team wrapping up their biggest victory of the tournament. Before the Sri Lankan match, reports came out describing the pitch as a "compost heap", although Ponting disagreed, even though he described the square as "patchy".
With his men now firm favourites for the tournament, they again came up against South Africa in the Semi-Final. Surprisingly to some, South African skipper Graeme Smith elected to bat on a pitch that appeared to have something in it. South Africa, who were reeling at 27/5, ended up posting 149. Ponting's description of the performance was, "they were all trying to play the innings of their life in the same game, but they were cut down, one after the other. Instead of swimming between the flags, they drowned down the wrong end of the beach. Smith and Jacques Kallis were too aggressive much too quickly..."
Although Ponting struggled to trouble the scorers with 22, Australia easily dispatched South Africa by 7 wickets, inside 32 overs.
However, the series against India was much harder-fought. Australia won the First Test easily, by 337 runs, but the matches thereafter were more difficult. The Second Test
was closely fought and ended in Australian victory minutes before the end of play. This saw Australia equal the world record of 16 consecutive Test wins; Ponting, was part of Steve Waugh side that set the previous record in 1999–2001. However, the cricket was overshadowed by player conduct issues.
After the match ended the stadium erupted in cheering as the Indians walked off the field, and the Australians celebrated their record-equalling win. The Australians revelled in their victory, praising Michael Clarke
. In an interview live at the ground, Ponting also asked Clarke to tell the commentator Tony Greig
that the declaration
was timed exactly right. Adam Gilchrist was also reported as asking the question, "How about that declaration, Tony Greig". The Australian Team did not shake hands with Indian Players on the field, especially Kumble who was waiting there after the fall of the final wicket. Though the Australian and Indian teams shook hands before heading into the dressing rooms later, but Kumble, who was batting at the end of the match, showed his displeasure by not shaking hands with the umpires. India expressed their resentment by boycotting the Post-Match presentation ceremony.
In the post-match press conference, Anil Kumble
summed up his view of the game by stating, "Only one team is playing in the spirit of the game" – a statement that alluded to Australian captain Bill Woodfull
's leaked private admonishment of English manager Sir Pelham Warner during the 1932/33 Bodyline series
. Chetan Chauhan
, India's team manager said his players were "agitated and upset by... the incompetent umpires here... [and hoped] that they will not officiate again in the series". Ponting was questioned over the wrong decision, the racism row, and especially the wicket of Ganguly during which he held his finger up to indicate to Mark Benson
that Ganguly has been caught. Ponting was aggressive towards the Indian journalists, lashing out at them for "questioning my [Ponting's] integrity". The Australian players faced much questioning as a result of the fallout of the incident. The Australian team maintained that they play hard but fair. Pace bowler Brett Lee
outlined the competitive spirit in the team while Ponting insisted that the only player to have been outside the spirit of the game was on the Indian side. In regards to the racism issue, Ponting denied he did anything wrong by singularly reporting Harbhajan Singh for being abusive. Ponting stated that he was obligated to refer any incidents of racism to officials as it is widely agreed that racism is unacceptable anywhere in the world. "When I heard what had taken place with Andrew [Symonds] I immediately informed the umpires and then left the field at the end of the over to inform our team manager, which is what we are instructed to do," Ponting said. He clarified his point further, "making this report is not something I wanted to do but something I had to do. I had nothing to gain personally from taking this action. I was doing the right thing by the game. After criticism of the Australian team in multiple media continued, a shocked Ponting promised to ensure that his World champion side’s conduct is not seen to be arrogant in future matches.
The Indian players released few statements about the issue. Anil Kumble
wrote in his column in the Hindustan Times
that Ponting was not willing to listen to his pleas that the issue should remain on the field. Kumble claimed that he knew through experience that such an allegation would have major ramifications both on and off the field. Both teams have expressed hope that this issue would not overshadow the cricket. The English Australian
journalist and former captain of Somerset County Cricket Club
, Peter Roebuck
, a columnist in the The Sydney Morning Herald
, branded Ponting as "arrogant" and insisted that be stripped of the captaincy.
In the early part of the Test series against India, Ponting continued to struggle against Harbhajan, falling to him three consecutive times in the first two Tests. On the third occasion, Ponting was again caught at bat pad, from the first ball that Harbhajan bowled to him, prompting the bowler to celebrate raucously. Harbhajan missed the Third Test and upon his return in the fourth Test, Ponting broke through for his first Test century against India in matches involving Harbhajan, scoring 140. However, the second half of the series was less successful for Australia as a team; India won the Third Test, ending the Australian streak and denying Ponting a world record 17th successive win, and the Fourth Test was a high-scoring draw. The Adelaide Test aside, Ponting had an otherwise unproductive season, scoring 268 runs at 38.28.
In the Commonwealth Bank series, Ponting struggled until Australia's last round robin match against India where he and another poor performing Australian batsmen, Andrew Symonds put on a 100 run partnership with Ponting making a hundred and Symonds making 50. Australia won two of their three round robin matches against the Indians, but the tables were turned in the finals, which the tourists won 2–0.
In the only warm up match before the series—against a Jamaican XI, the Australians drew controversy from various sections of the media as they chose to wear a sponsors cap over the traditional Baggy Green cap. This was because wicket–keeper Brad Haddin did not want to receive a Baggy Green as he was yet to play in a Test. The rest of the team decided they wanted to look uniform although they wore their Baggy Greens in Jamaica's second innings. Ponting scored 17 in the first innings and 20 not out in the second, as a storm prevented an Australian victory.
After winning the toss and electing to bat in the First Test in Kingston, Jamaica
, Ponting recorded his 35th Test century, before he was eventually dismissed in the final session of the opening day for 158 from 224 balls (16 fours and a six). Despite forcing their way back into contention, the West Indies were defeated by 95 runs. In the Second Test, Ponting became the seventh player and third Australian to score 10,000 Test runs. It took Ponting 118 Tests and 196 innings' to achieve the feat, one slower than Tendulkar and Lara. He was dismissed in the following over for 65, scored in 123 balls. Despite his many achievemnets, Ponting gained more joy out of team victories, "I am more proud of how many winnings teams I've played in rather than how many runs I've scored," he said. "The one-on-one contests of the game of cricket is what keeps me going. Milestones and stats have never been anything that's motivated me about the game." Ponting scored 38 (48 balls) in Australia's second innings, as the match ended in a draw. In the final Test in Barbados
, he made just 18 and 39; however, Australia comfortably accounted for the home team, winning by 89 runs.
The Australian captain ended the series with 323 runs at 53.83. Although Australia won the three–Test series handsomely, with a 2–0 margin, they were to face stronger opposition overseas, in the next year. Difficulties were also beginning to appear in the spin department. MacGill, who had taken over 200 wickets in his career despite playing only sporadically due to the presence of Warne, suffered a loss of form and decided to retire during the series. Brad Hogg
, the regular ODI spinner had also retired prior to the series, and Beau Casson
made his debut in the final Test.
After not batting in Australia's Twenty20 loss in Bridgetown
, Ponting was rested for the List A 50-over game against the University of West Indies Vice Chancellor's XI. He returned for the first three ODIs and scored just 87 runs at 29.00, notching up his 300th ODI during the 2nd match. Ponting scored 69 in the third match, before returning home because of a wrist injury. Under the captaincy of Michael Clarke in the final two games, Australia swept the series 5–0.
when Ponting returned. It was Australia's first Test series win in India since 1969–70, in which he made 11 and 12, on a controversial pitch.
Ponting was also under pressure following the spiteful confrontations during the Indian tour of Australia earlier in the year, and only scored 17 runs at 3.40 in 2001. Ponting acknowledged that he was keen to rectify his poor Test batting record in India. Australia's attack was also to come under the microscope; in a traditionally spin-dominated country, they only had the uncapped Bryce McGain
, Jason Krejza
, and White, who was no longer a regular bowler in domestic cricket. Australia's tactics were questioned from the outset. McGain was sent home injured and Krejza was heavily attacked by India's younger batsmen in a tour match, conceding 0/199 in 31 overs. Krejza was then omitted from the first three Tests, even though Ponting publicly claimed his confidence in his bowler. White played at No. 8, a specialist bowler's position, even though he played mostly as a batsman in first-class cricket. Although Ponting frequently extolled White in public, he often opted to use the part-time left arm orthodox spin of Michael Clarke
more often and before White.
In the First Test on a turning pitch in Bangalore, Ponting brought up his first Test century in India, 123 on the first day, although he eventually fell leg before wicket to Harbhajan. After the innings Ponting said, "Today is one step in the right direction. It was nice to get some runs out there and put the team in a good position. But one innings doesn't make a tour." The other tours I've had here, apart from the last Test I played, I've batted at six, always coming in against spin and when the wicket has worn. One thing that stands out in my career is whenever I've been in early, with the team in a bit of trouble, I've managed to make runs." Australia had the hosts seven wickets down in their first innings, still more than 320 runs in arrears, but India recovered to salvage a draw after a rearguard effort.
In the Second Test in Mohali. Australia were defeated by 320 runs and Ponting was criticised for using part-timers against the free-scoring Indian batsmen in the second innings, because of a slow over-rate, which is penalisable by a fine, or in severe instances, a ban to the captain. This meant that he was not able to use pace spearhead Brett Lee
significantly. A long discussion between Lee and Ponting prompted media allegations of a team rift.
The Third Test in Delhi saw a flat pitch, where India scored 7/613 in its first innings. Gautam Gambhir
and VVS Laxman both scored double centuries, and Ponting resorted to bowling himself for two overs. Ponting amassed 87 in Australia's first innings score of 577. The match ended in a draw and Australia needed to win in the Fourth Test in Nagpur to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
With Australia needing to win the Fourth Test, Krejza was called in and took 12 wickets on debut. On the fourth afternoon of the Fourth Test, the Indian batting collapsed, and Australia had an opportunity to bowl them out and chase a target of around 250–300 after the tea break. However, the Australians were a long way behind on their over rate, so in order to avoid a one match suspension, Ponting chose to bowl their part-time
spinners and medium pacers such as Michael Clarke
, Cameron White
and Mike Hussey (who were all unsuccessful in capturing a wicket), as they took less time. In the meantime, captain MS Dhoni and Harbhajan both added half centuries. This drew strong criticism from many commentators
, who suggested that their Faster bowlers
, who had been responsible for the collapse, could have bowled from a shorter run-up. When the fast bowlers were reintroduced, the last four wickets fell quickly. This left Australia with 382 runs for victory and they lost by 172 runs to cede the series 2–0. In the first innings, Ponting became Harbhajan's 300th Test wicket. He ended the series with 264 runs at 37.71. While below his career standards, it was substantially better than his previous Test efforts in India.
Ponting escaped from India with a fine for slow over rates. He failed to redress the matter during the subsequent home series against New Zealand, when match referee Chris Broad
dealt a second successive fine for being three overs behind in the First Test: Ponting was stripped of thirty per cent of his A$12,750 match fee, twice the punishment of his team-mates in accordance with International Cricket Council
rules for captains. Australia were largely untroubled by New Zealand, sweeping both Tests. Ponting scored only 100 runs at 33.33.
In the first Test in Perth, starting in December, Ponting again had to reduce his reliance on his preferred pace bowlers, and rely more on spinners due to a slow over rate. His persistent problems with the over rate have prompted some commentators to criticise him for spending too much time during the match conferring with bowlers. In the first innings he scored a duck, and managed 32 in Australia's second innings. Ponting's inexperienced attack had trouble penetrating the opposition batsmen, and South Africa made 4/414, the second highest successful runchase in history to win by six wickets on the final day.
Ponting experienced a form slump for much of 2008, albeit in comparison to his usually high standards. However he again exceeded 1,000 runs in the calendar year. Ponting scored his 37th century in the first innings of the Second Test against South Africa on Boxing Day, and followed that with 99 in the second innings, seemingly a lone stand against the South African bowling attack. The tourists won the match by nine wickets to win the series. Australia thus lost their first home Test series since 1992–93. "We've had an amazing run as a team," Ponting said after the match. "We have dominated world cricket for a long period of time. I'm still very positive and very sure that with some of these younger guys coming on that in a few years' time we can get back up there and be dominating world cricket once again. It's disappointing when you lose any series. This one I think is probably no different. The only fact that's different is that we've probably been in very strong winning positions in both of the Test matches and when we've needed to put the last couple of nails in the coffin we haven't been able to do that. The gap between our best cricket and our worst cricket has been too big. We have to make that smaller if we want to win the next Test and if we want to stay in the top group of Test-playing nations."
Australia lost the series 2–1, the first time South Africa had won a Test series against Australian since 1970, and the first on Australian soil. Ponting totalled 285 runs at 47.50 for the series.
With the retirement of experienced opening batsman Matthew Hayden—who was replaced by the uncapped 20 year-old Phillip Hughes—the Australian team that toured South Africa in February, March and April 2009 was its most inexperienced since since the defections to World Series Cricket
. This was further compounded by the loss of Andrew Symonds to injury, who was replaced by the uncapped Marcus North
. The bowling attack also required major changes, due to the injuries to Brett Lee
and Stuart Clark
. Subsequently, paceman Mitchell Johnson
was the only bowler with more than four Tests heading into the series. Of the First Test team, Hughes, North, Ben Hilfenhaus
, Peter Siddle
and Andrew McDonald
had only five Tests between them, with the former three making their debut. Ponting's team took the series 2–1, so Australia maintained their No. 1 Test ranking. Ponting was praised for cobbling together an unexpected win, as South Africa were thought to be stronger on home soil. He scored eighties in the first two Tests, ending with 210 runs at 35.00.
in Nottingham
. Ponting hit five boundaries on his 25 before he was bowled trying the run-rate, before Sri Lanka won by six wickets. The defeat consequently eliminated Australia from the tournament.
In Australia's two drawn warm-up matches ahead of the 2009 Ashes
, Ponting struggled to adjust to the English conditions, somewhat, with 71 in the first match being his highest score. Nevertheless, he started the Ashes series strongly, scoring 150 in the First Test in Cardiff
. In his 38th hundred and eighth Ashes century, the Australian number three batsman became just the fourth man to score 11,000 runs in Test cricket. He later revealed he had tightened his technique to suit English conditions. Despite his performance, Australia were unable to force a victory, with England's last pair, Monty Panesar
and Jimmy Anderson
, surviving 66 deliveries before the match was drawn. He drew critiscm for failing to bowl fellow Tasmanian and fast-bowler Ben Hifenhaus, while the pair were at the crease. Ponting could only manage two and 38, as Australia were defeated in the second Test at Lords—their first Test defeat at the venue since 1934. In the Third Test at Edgbaston
, Ponting became the highest Australian run-scorer in the history of Test cricket on 31 July, overtaking former Australian captain Allan Border
's total of 11,174 in his first-innings score of 38. The match was eventually drawn, partly due to poor weather, though Ponting could only add five further runs to his tally in the second-innings.
In the first three tests, spinner Nathan Hauritz
had taken 12 wickets and had been unexpectedly successful given Australia's struggles to find a reliable spinner. Ponting captained the Australians to an innings and 80 run victory at the Fourth Test at Headingley
, with Hauritz omitted on a pace-friendly wicket. He struck a commanding 78 from 101 balls as Australia bowled England out and took the lead on the first day. Hauritz was again left out for the Fifth and final Test at The Oval
, as Australia opted to retain the team that had won so convincingly at Headingley, despite the fact that the pitch was very dry and favourable to spin. England, coincedentely, went on to win the Test by 197 runs and took the series 2–1. When Ponting was run-out for 66, Australia's hopes of achieving the record 546-run target to retain the Ashes, was ended. He therefore became only the third Australian captain to lose the Ashes twice. Despite not being a selector, Ponting was heavily criticised for Australia not playing Hauritz and his apparaent reluctance to put faith in his spinners. He was questioned, particularly on Australia's recent habit of often not playing a specialist/regular spinner. Instances of these were the first three Tests in India, the omission of Krejza for the First Test against New Zealand immediately after taking 12 wickets on debut, and opting for no spinner in the first two Tests in South Africa.
Australia came into the Champions Trophy
ranked second in ODIs; along with being the events reigning champions. They opened their campaign against an undermanned West Indian outfit who were without prominent players because of an industrial dispute. On a "lively pitch" with early morning "demons", Ponting top-scored with 79, after reaching his half-century in 63 balls. He hit opening bowler and future nemesis, Kemar Roach
, for four boundaries in the seventh over of the match, and scored a six and two fours against the fast-bowler when he was reintroduced into the attack in the 21st over. The innings set up Australia's comfortable 50-run victory. In the ninth match of the tournament, Australia played India in Centurion
, and reached 4/234 in the 43rd over, before rain intervened, causing the match to be abandoned. Ponting shared an 88-run stand with Hussey and an 84-run partnership with Paine, in his innings of 65 from 85 deliveries, before being run out. The result meant Pakistan qualified for the semi-final; however, Australia needed to defeat Pakistan in their third and final group match for a place in the other semi; a feat they achieved. Though, when Ponting was dismissed for a patient 32 in pursuit of low total, Australia collapsed, before winning by two wickets.
Australia defeated England by nine wickets in their semi-final, with Ponting scoring an unbeaten 111 from 115 deliveries (12 fours and one six); his 28th ODI century. During the innings, Ponting became the third batsman to score 12,000 ODI runs and was also involved in a record 252-run partnership with Watson—Ponting's seventh double-century stand for Australia in the format; the only player to achieve this feat. Despite Ponting's score of only one in the final in Centurion against New Zealand, Australia won the by six wickets—their second consecutive Champions Trophy victory. Ponting was presented with the golden bat award for most runs in the tournament—288 at an average of 72 in four games—and also received the man-of-the-series award, before praising his young side for the title defence.
Australia proceeded to tour India for seven ODIs starting in mid-October and ending in early November. In the opening match, Ponting top-scored for Australia with 74 from 85 balls (eight fours and two sixes), as his team narrowly escaped defeat. Ponting made just 12 in India's comprehensive victory in the second match, while he scored a slow 59 from 93 balls (four boundaries) in another Indian victory in the third match. The Australian captain stuck a more fluent innings of 52, scored in 59 deliveries and included five fours and a six in the following fixture. Australia amassed their biggest total of the series in the fifth match, with Ponting contributing a run-a-ball 45. A slow, low, turning wicket was presented to the teams for the sixth ODI in Guwahati
. Ponting fought his way to 25 from 57 balls, before falling to Harbhajan, as Australia comfortably chased down India's total of 170 with six wickets remaining. The final match in Mumbai was subsequently washed out after a cyclone formed over the Arabian Sea
which is near the city; securing a 4–2 series victory to the injury depleted Australians. Their campaign was disrupted by injury from the start, with four first-choice players—Nathan Bracken, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Callum Ferguson—all back in Australia. The team became more foreign in the matches to follow, as Brett Lee, James Hopes, Tim Paine, Peter Siddle and Moises Henriques were all sent home. "It's probably one of the best one-day series I have ever been involved in, with all the injuries and setbacks at the start of this tour," Ponting said. He ending the series with 267 runs at 44.50.
Leading West Indian batsmen Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul returned for the opening Test of the 2009–10 Australian cricket season starting on 26 November in Brisbane, after the industrial dispute was resolved. Ponting scored 55 (79 balls) in an Australian innings victory, before many sections of the media attacked the West Indies lack-luster performance. Ponting produced scores of 35 (73 balls) and 20 (34 balls) in the following Test in Adelaide, as the touring side responded to their critics by securing a draw. For the first time since 2002, Ponting slid out of the top ten Test batting rankings—dropping to 12th—as Australia faced the prospect of falling to third in the team rankings if they were not able to achieve victory in the final Test of the series. Matters got worse for Ponting, as former Australian fast-bowler Rodney Hogg
voiced that he should be sacked as captain and replaced with New South Wales leader Simon Katich. He said the team had become a "boys club" and was not preparing adequately for the future. However, former Australian Test opening batsman Justin Langer labelled Hogg's comments as "rubbish", something that was backed by Katich.
In the First innings of the Third and final Test, Ponting was immediately greeted with short pitched bowling. After mis-timing a pull-shot from Roach on his first ball, Ponting was struck on the elbow from the following delivery. Despite battling through obvious discomfort, Ponting eventually retired hurt on 23 from 25 balls—the only time he had taken such action in his International career. Nevertheless, he did manage to hit two fours and a six from short deliveries in Roach's 12th over. The following morning, Ponting admitted he was "embarrassed" to retire hurt, but "wouldn't have been able to hit the ball off the square." Michael Clarke replaced Ponting at his number three batting position, as the Australia captain did not want to risk further damage to his elbow tendon injury ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in Melbourne. Nevertheless, Australia collapsed and he eventually came to the wicket at number nine, with Australia at 7/125. The West Indian bowlers once again bowled short deliverers to Ponting until he turned one such delivery to short-leg and was dismissed for two.
After spending time in a hyperbaric chamber to increase the speed of his recovery from the elbow injury, Ponting recovered sufficiently to play in the Boxing Day Test. Despite still being inconvenienced by the injury, he scored 57 at close to a run-a-ball, before being dismissed to another short pitched delivery for 12 in Australia's second innings. The home side went onto with the match comfortably, with Ponting overtaking Shane Warne's record of 91 Test victories and surpassing Steve Waugh as crickets most successful Test captain. "We all play to win games of cricket and be involved in a team that wins a lot of games of cricket. They are things I am very proud of," Ponting said. Ponting scored 853 runs at 38.77 in 13 Tests in 2009, and scored only one century and seven half-centuries. Nevertheless, his ODI form was more convincing, topping the run-scoring list with MS Dhoni. His 1,198 runs were scored at an average of 42.78, including two centuries and nine half-centuries in 29 matches. Ponting was criticised for choosing to bat on a green pitch for the Third Test. Australia were dismissed for 127, and Ponting was once again dismissed from a short ball, this time for a first-ball duck, and many sections of the media called for him to stop playing the hook and pull shots. He fell for only 11 in the second innings, and when Australia lost their eighth wicket, they were only just over 50 ahead. However, a 123-run ninth-wicket partnership between Michael Hussey and Peter Siddle rescued the home-side, helping them win by 36 runs. After being dropped on zero, Ponting scored his fifth double-century in the Third and final Test in Hobart. His innings helped Australia complete a 3–0 series victory.
In the following five ODIs, Ponting could not continue his Hobart form, scoring 125 runs at 25 in the series, boosted by a half-century in the final match. Though, his performances improved in the five ODIs starting soon after against the West Indies. He was named man-of-the-series thanks to his 295 runs at 73.75, including two-half centuries and his 29th and first ODI century in Brisbane during the fourth match.
However, his competitive attitudes can push the boundaries. In early 2006, in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy
, Ponting had an on-field argument with umpire Billy Bowden
over signalling a no-ball because not enough players were within the inner circle. In mid 2006, during a tour of Bangladesh
, Ponting was accused of "badgering the umpires until he got what he wanted".
During the 4th Test of the 2010/11 Ashes series, Ponting was once more involved in an on-field argument with umpires. The altercation had begun after Aleem Dar
had turned down an appeal for caught-behind. After consulting wicket-keeper Brad Haddin who had initially gone up for the appeal, Ponting opted to have the not-out decision reviewed. Replays showed the batsman, Kevin Pietersen
, was indeed not-out and the original decision was upheld by third-umpire Marais Erasmus
. Following the upholding of the decision, a number of Australian players, led by Ponting argued with Dar for over a minute, before continuing the confrontation with Pietersen and the other on-field umpire Tony Hill
. Following the end of the days play, Ponting was summoned by match referee Ranjan Madugalle
regarding the incident. During the hearing, Ponting pleaded guilty to a Level 1 offence under article 2.1.3 (h) of the ICC Cricket Code of Conduct
, which relates to "arguing or entering into a prolonged discussion with the umpire about his decision". As a result, Ponting was fined 40% of his match fee, which accounted to around $5,400.
Ricky Ponting is widely regarded as one of the greatest competitors the game has ever seen and this was testified by the South African captain, Graeme Smith, describing Ricky Ponting as the toughest competitor he had ever played against
He has been perceived to have trouble against quality spin, especially against Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has dismissed Ponting on 13 occasions in International cricket, as of August 2010. Ponting has a tendency to rock onto the front foot and thrust his wrists at spinning deliveries, resulting in many catches close to the wicket. Ponting rarely employs the sweep shot against spin, something considered unusual for a top-order batsman. Instead, he looks to use his feet to come down the wicket, or play off the back foot through the off-side.
Former West Indian captain, Viv Richards
, who was rated as the third best Test cricketer in a 2002 poll by Wisden, said Ponting was his favourite current-day player to watch, slightly ahead of Sachin Tendulkar
.
.
Australian cricket team
The Australian cricket team is the national cricket team of Australia. It is the joint oldest team in Test cricket, having played in the first Test match in 1877...
between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket
Test cricket
Test cricket is the longest form of the sport of cricket. Test matches are played between national representative teams with "Test status", as determined by the International Cricket Council , with four innings played between two teams of 11 players over a period of up to a maximum five days...
and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handed batsman
Batting (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, batting is the act or skill of hitting the cricket ball with a cricket bat to score runs or prevent the loss of one's wicket. A player who is currently batting is denoted as a batsman, while the act of hitting the ball is called a shot or stroke...
, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very occasional bowler
Bowling (cricket)
In the sport of cricket, bowling is the action of propelling the ball toward the wicket defended by a batsman. A player skilled at bowling is called a bowler; a bowler who is also a competent batsman is known as an all-rounder...
. He is regarded as one of Australia's finest cricketers in the modern era. He represents the Tasmanian Tigers
Tasmanian Tigers
The Tasmanian cricket team, nicknamed the Tigers, represents the Australian state of Tasmania in cricket tournaments. They compete annually in the Australian domestic senior men's cricket season, which currently consists of the first-class Sheffield Shield, the limited overs Ford Ranger Cup, and...
in Australian domestic cricket
Cricket in Australia
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in Australia, at international, domestic and local levels. Unlike most other sports played in Australia, cricket generates equal interest in all states of the nation. In 2007, a survey by Sweeney Sports found that 52% of the Australian public have an...
and played in the Indian Premier League
Indian Premier League
The Indian Premier League is a professional league for Twenty20 cricket competition in India. It was initiated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India , headquartered in Mumbai, and is supervised by BCCI Vice President Rajeev Shukla, who serves as the league's Chairman and Commissioner...
with the Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders
Kolkata Knight Riders is the franchise representing Kolkata in the Indian Premier League, a Twenty20 cricket tournament. Sourav Ganguly led the team in IPL1 and IPL3, Brendon McCullum in IPL2, and Gautam Gambhir in IPL4...
in 2008.
Ponting made his first-class debut
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
for Tasmania in November 1992, when just 17 years and 337 days old, becoming the youngest Tasmanian to play in a Sheffield Shield match. However, he had to wait until 1995 before making his One Day International (ODI) debut, during a quadrangular tournament in New Zealand in a match against South Africa. His Test debut followed shortly after, when selected for the first Test of the 1995 home series against Sri Lanka in Perth, in which he scored 96. He lost his place in the national team several times in the period before early-1999, due to lack of form and discipline, before becoming One Day International captain in early-2002 and Test captain in early-2004.
After being involved in 156 Tests and 352 ODIs, Ponting is Australia's leading run-scorer in Test and ODI cricket, with more than 26,000 international runs as of November 2011. He has scored 39 Test centuries—behind only Indian Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
(51), and South African Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis
Jacques Henry Kallis is a South African cricketer. As an all-rounder he is a formidable right-handed batsman and fast-medium swingbowler. He is one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, being the only cricketer in the history of the game to hold more than 12,000 runs and 250 wickets in both...
(40)—and second for most runs in ODIs behind Tendulkar.
Ricky Ponting is the most successful captain of all time, with 48 victories in 77 Tests between 2004 and 31 December 2010, while as a player he is also the only cricketer in history to be involved in 100 Test victories.
Birth and personal life
Born in LauncestonLaunceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, Tasmania on 19 December 1974, Ricky Ponting is the eldest of Graeme and Lorraine Ponting's four children. Graeme was "a good club cricketer" and played Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, while Lorraine was a state vigoro
Vigoro
Vigoro is a sport like both cricket and baseball and has been mainly played by women. It is most popular in Australia.-History:The game was invented by Englishman John George Grant...
champion. His uncle Greg Campbell
Greg Campbell
Gregory Dale Campbell is a former Australian cricketer who played in 4 Tests and 12 ODIs from 1989 to 1990. Campbell was a right arm fast bowler, and batted as a right-handed tail ender. He is the uncle of former Australian captain Ricky Ponting...
played test cricket for Australia in 1989 and 1990. Ponting's parents first lived in Prospect
Prospect, Tasmania
Prospect is a small suburb of Launceston.The Mount Pleasant Laboratories are Tasmanian government laboratories located in Prospect and include:* Diagnostic Services - Researching the Tasmanian Devil Facial Tumor Disease* Animal Health Laboratory...
4.1 km (2.5 mi) south of city centre; however, they moved into the working-class area of Newnham
Newnham, Tasmania
Newnham is a suburb of Launceston. Newnham is located on the East Tamar Highway, on the eastern side of the Tamar River.Both the University of Tasmania and the Australian Maritime College have a campus in Newnham. Mowbray Indoor Sport n Skate is also located in this area.-References:...
, 6 km (3.7 mi) north of central Launceston.
After marrying long-time girlfriend—law student Rianna Jennifer Cantor—in June 2002, Ponting credited her as the reason for his increased maturity. Their daughter Emmy Charlotte was born in Sydney on 26 July 2008. Second daughter Matisse Ellie was born in Sydney on 8 September 2011.
Junior ranks
Introduced to cricket by father Graeme and uncle Greg CampbellGreg Campbell
Gregory Dale Campbell is a former Australian cricketer who played in 4 Tests and 12 ODIs from 1989 to 1990. Campbell was a right arm fast bowler, and batted as a right-handed tail ender. He is the uncle of former Australian captain Ricky Ponting...
, Ponting played for the Mowbray
Mowbray Cricket Club
Mowbray Cricket Club , also known as Mowbray Eagles is a cricket team which represents the Launceston suburb of Mowbray in the Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association grade cricket competition, in the Australian state of Tasmania....
Under–13s team at the age of 11 in 1985–86. In January 1986, he took part in the five day annual Northern Tasmania junior cricket competition. After scoring four centuries in a week, bat manufacturer Kookaburra
Kookaburra Sport
Kookaburra is an Australian sports equipment company, specialising in cricket and hockey equipment, named after the Australian kingfisher. The company notably manufactures the most widely used brand of ball used in One-day internationals and Test cricket....
gave Ponting a sponsorship contract while in just eighth grade mainly on the back of these four centuries. Ponting took this form into the Under-16s week-long competition less than a month later, scoring an even century on the final day. Ted Richardson, the former head of the Northern Tasmanian Schools Cricket Association said: "Ricky is certainly the equal of David Boon
David Boon
David Clarence Boon MBE , nicknamed Boony, is a former Australian cricketer whose international playing career spanned the years 1984–1995...
at this level.
Australian Rules football was also a big part of Ponting's sporting life, and is a keen follower of the North Melbourne Kangaroos
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Kangaroos, is the fourth oldest Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League and is one of the oldest sporting clubs in Australia and the world...
. During the winter he played junior football for North Launceston
North Launceston Football Club
The North Launceston Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Launceston, Tasmania. Australia. Since 2009 they have played in the newly formed Tasmanian State League.-History:...
and up until he was 14, it could have become a possible sporting option. This was before he broke the humerus
Humerus
The humerus is a long bone in the arm or forelimb that runs from the shoulder to the elbow....
in his right arm playing for North Launceston Under–17s as a 13 year-old. Ponting's arm was so badly damaged, it had to be pinned. Told to endure a 14-week lay-off, he never played competitive football again.
During Tasmanian Sheffield Shield matches at the NTCA Ground
NTCA Ground
The Northern Tasmania Cricket Association Ground, better known as the NTCA Ground, is a multi-use sports venue in Launceston, Australia. It is currently used mostly for club cricket matches and has a capacity of under 10,000....
(Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association Ground), Ponting helped out with the scoreboard, thereby surrounding himself with international cricketers. After leaving school at the end of year 10 in 1990, he began work as a groundsman at Scotch Oakburn College
Scotch Oakburn College
Scotch Oakburn College is an independent, Uniting Church, co-educational, day and boarding school, located in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia.Although founded in 1886, the present school was established in 1979 with the amalgamation of the historically boys' Scotch College and girls' Oakburn College...
, a private school in Launceston. In 1991 the Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association sponsored Ponting to attend a fortnight's training at the Australian Institute of Sport
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport is a sports training institution in Australia with world class facilities and support services. The Institute's headquarters is situated in Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The 66.0 hectare site campus is in the northern suburb of Bruce, but some of the...
's Cricket Academy
Australian Cricket Academy
The Australian Cricket Academy, originally located at Henley Beach in Adelaide, was formed in 1987 as a joint initiative of the Australian Institute of Sport and the Australian Cricket Board . It was designed to be a finishing school for leading young cricketers and is a program within the AIS...
in Adelaide. The two weeks turned into a full two-year sponsorship as he was acclaimed to be the best 17 year-old batsman, Academy coach Rod Marsh
Rod Marsh
Rodney William Marsh MBE is a former Australian wicketkeeper.A colourful character, Marsh had a Test career spanning from the 1970–71 to the 1983–84 Australian season. In 96 Tests, he set a world record of 355 wicketkeeping dismissals, the same number his pace bowling Western...
had ever seen.
Playing five games for Tasmania for the 1992 Under–19 carnival in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Ponting scored 350 runs, earning him selection in the 13-man national Under–19 development squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa—the first Australian cricket team to make an official tour to the country since Bill Lawry
Bill Lawry
William Morris "Bill" Lawry, AM is a former cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia in 25 Tests, winning nine, losing eight and drawing eight, and led Australia in the inaugural One Day International match, played in 1971...
's team in 1970.
Early Australian domestic career
After scoring 114 not out in club match against RiversideRiverside Cricket Club (Tasmania)
Riverside Cricket Club is a cricket team which represents Launceston in the Northern Tasmanian Cricket Association grade cricket competition, in the Australian state of Tasmania.-Teams and Honours:...
, Ponting became the youngest player to appear for Tasmania
Tasmanian Tigers
The Tasmanian cricket team, nicknamed the Tigers, represents the Australian state of Tasmania in cricket tournaments. They compete annually in the Australian domestic senior men's cricket season, which currently consists of the first-class Sheffield Shield, the limited overs Ford Ranger Cup, and...
in a Sheffield Shield match, breaking Boon's record by 14 days. In November 1992, with Ponting just 17 years and 337 days, he strode out to the crease at number four against South Australia
Southern Redbacks
The South Australia cricket team, nicknamed the Southern Redbacks and known as the West End Redbacks due to their sponsorship agreement with local brewers West End, are an Australian first class cricket team based in Adelaide, South Australia, and represent the state of South Australia...
at the Adelaide Oval
Adelaide Oval
The Adelaide Oval is a sports ground in Adelaide, South Australia, located in the parklands between the Central Business District and North Adelaide...
. Despite scoring 56 in a 127-run partnership with Boon, he could not prevent a defeat, scoring just four in Tasmania's second innings. In his first match in Tasmania, this time against New South Wales
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
, Ponting contributed 32 and 18 in a draw. He followed this up with 25 against Western Australia
Western Warriors
The Western Australia cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team representing the state of Western Australia...
in a narrow loss. His first match in Sydney also marked the debut of future Australian opening bowler Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath
Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
. His subsequent century also meant that Ponting became the youngest Tasmanian to score a first-class century at 18 years and 40 days, eclipsing Boon's record of 19 years and 356 days. After scoring another half century, Ponting scored back to back centuries against Western Australia on Australia's fastest wicket in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. He become the youngest batsmen in Shield history to score twin centuries in a match. After setting a goal of scoring 500 runs in the season, he ended up scoring 781 at 48.81. After season's end, Ponting played seven four-day games for the Australian Academy, scoring 484 runs at 96.70, even though he was still only 18.
Speculation ignited that Ponting was an outsider to join the Australian squad on their 1993 tour to England. Despite Ponting's reluctance to weigh into the debate, Tasmanian coach Greg Shipperd
Greg Shipperd
Gregory Shipperd is an Australian first-class cricketer who is the current coach of the Delhi DareDevils and Victorian Bushrangers...
though he could handle the experience. The selectors ended up choosing Western Australian batsman Damien Martyn
Damien Martyn
Damien Richard Martyn is a former Australian cricketer. He played for the national team sporadically in 1992–1994 before becoming a regular ODI player in 1999–2000 and a regular Test player in 2001 until his retirement in late 2006...
for the tour, with Ponting selected in the Academy squad captained by Justin Langer
Justin Langer
Justin Lee Langer AM is a former international cricketer who represented Australia in 105 Test matches and the current Assistant Coach and Batting Coach of the Australian cricket team. A left-handed batsman, his opening partnership with Matthew Hayden was one of the most successful of all time...
, which toured India and Sri Lanka for seven games in August–September 1993. Australian success was limited, with only several wins. No batsman scored a century, despite Ponting reaching 99 not out in a one-day game in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
. He finished the tour second highest in the aggregates, behind Langer.
Before the start of the 1993–94 Sheffield Shield season, Ponting stated that he wanted to score 1000 runs for the season. In Tasmania's final match of the season, they needed to defeat South Australia outright to qualify for the final. Set 366 in 102 overs, Ponting scored 161 in a 290-run partnership that ended with Tasmania needing just 41 runs for victory. Despite Tasmania losing four quick wickets, they won with four wickets in hand. Disappointingly for Ponting, he could not repeat the performance in the final against New South Wales, scoring just one and 28, as Tasmania were defeated by an innings and 61 runs. The season saw Ponting score 965 runs at 48.25, close to his 1000 run goal.
A month after the final, he was again selected for the Academy squad for three limited overs matches against a touring Indian team. Queenslander Stuart Law
Stuart Law
Stuart Grant Law OAM is an Australian-born cricketer. He is also the head coach of Bangladesh national cricket team, as from July, he succeeded fellow Aussie Jamie Siddons, who left shortly after the 2011 Cricket World Cup...
captained the Australian side that included former Australian keeper Rod Marsh
Rod Marsh
Rodney William Marsh MBE is a former Australian wicketkeeper.A colourful character, Marsh had a Test career spanning from the 1970–71 to the 1983–84 Australian season. In 96 Tests, he set a world record of 355 wicketkeeping dismissals, the same number his pace bowling Western...
. In Australia's victory in Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
he top scored with 71 and before scoring 52 in victory in Sydney. The last match was also successful for the home team, with Ponting not required to bat.
Ponting started his 1994–95 campaign with a century against eventual Shield champions Queensland in Brisbane, impressing Queensland captain Allan Border
Allan Border
Allan Robert Border AO is a former Australian cricketer. A batsman, Border was for many years the captain of the Australian team. His playing nickname was "A.B.". He played 156 Test matches in his career, a record until it was passed by fellow Australian Steve Waugh...
, "He's just an outstanding prospect," Border said.
Speculation once again arose that Ponting could become a candidate for upcoming tour to the West Indies. When Tasmania played Western Australia at Bellerive Oval
Bellerive Oval
Bellerive Oval, also known as its sponsored name Blundstone Arena, is primarily a cricket and Australian Rules Football ground located in Bellerive, City of Clarence, on the eastern shore of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia...
on 4 November 1994, Ponting scored 211. The century was his fifth successive against Western Australia-Sir Donald Bradman is the only other batsman to score five consecutive centuries against another state in Shield history. Ten days after the double century, Ponting was named in the Australian XI to take on England at Bellerive Oval
Bellerive Oval
Bellerive Oval, also known as its sponsored name Blundstone Arena, is primarily a cricket and Australian Rules Football ground located in Bellerive, City of Clarence, on the eastern shore of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia...
—in a match that was used as practice before the upcoming series in the West Indies. Future Australian representatives Matthew Hayden
Matthew Hayden
Matthew Lawrence Hayden AM is a former Australian cricketer, and was signed to the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL until the 2010 season. Hayden is a powerful and aggressive left-handed opening batsman, known for his ability to score quickly at both Test and one day levels.Hayden holds the record...
, Langer, Greg Blewett
Greg Blewett
Gregory Scott Blewett is a former Australian right handed batsman and a right arm medium fast bowler in cricket who represented the Australian national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches from 1995 to 2000....
and Martyn were also selected. In a drawn match Ponting compiled a half-century.
A fourth team was introduced to the World Series Cup
World Series Cup
The World Series Cup was the name of the One Day International cricket tournament that took place in Australia every season between Australia and two touring teams from 1979-80 to 1995-96. The tournament was renamed the World Series from 1990-1. This was the very first of the One Day International ...
in 1994–95—Australia A
Australia A cricket team
The Australia A cricket team is a cricket team representing Australia and is the second team of the Australian cricket team. They have also played far more one-day than first-class matches; indeed they have played only three first-class games against equivalent A sides, against South Africa A in...
—for the only time. Something the Australian captain Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor (cricketer)
Mark Anthony Taylor, AO is a former Australian cricket player and Test opening batsman from 1988–1999, as well as captain from 1994–1999, succeeding Allan Border...
was not a fan of, as many fan were supporting Australia A. Despite the negative feedback, it gave Ponting a chance on the international stage. Playing for Australia A, he scored 161 runs 26.83 with one half-century.
Australian debut
Ponting's domestic performances were rewarded when he was selected for the Australian ODI team to play in all the matches in the 1995 quadrangular tournament in New Zealand, that also included South Africa and India. Ponting made his debut against South Africa at number six in the batting order. He scored one from six balls, as Australia successfully chased South Africa's target on a difficult batting track. Australia secured another victory in their next match, this time against New Zealand in Auckland, where Ponting scored 10 not out, after coming to wicket late in the innings. His highest series score came in the third International where Australia lost to India in Dunedin. Ponting was promoted to number three in the batting order and responded by scoring 62 from 92 balls. The innings was scored without a boundary and was based on "deft placement and judicious running." The loss failed to stop Australia from appearing in the final against New Zealand in Auckland. Ponting returned to number six and was seven not out when the winning runs were scored. He finished the series with 80 runs at 40 and strike rate of 71.42 runs per hundred balls.Greg Shipperd publicly suggested that Ponting could be selected as a reserve wicket-keeper for the upcoming West Indies tour, despite not doing so for Tasmania. However, he had kept wicket in pre-season matches and during centre wicket practice. Shippered need not worry, as Ponting was selected as a specialist batsman anyhow. " ... It was like all my birthdays had come at once. I had some reservations about making my Test debut against arguably the best fast bowling attack in the world," Ponting later said. The West Indies had been crickets powerhouse for close to two decades and teams included many feared fast bowlers. Before the tour, Australian captain Mark Taylor thought the last Test batting vacancy was possibly between Ponting and Justin Langer. "Ricky Ponting is more the stroke player while Justin is the tough man. It depends on what we need at the time but you can probably say Ricky has his neck in front because he's been on this tour [of New Zealand]," Taylor said. Rod Marsh believed Ponting's attitude and no fear approach could tear the West Indies apart. Nevertheless, Ponting did not expect to be selected. "I have got no expectations really, it's probably going to be more an experience thing rather than anything else," he said. "It would be great to get a Test match here or there if things go well. But if not, I'm sure I'm still going to learn a hell of a lot from being there and just being around the other 14 guys ... I won't be changing my game at all. I have got to back my ability and I'll be out there and playing as I usually do." Steve Waugh also noted that Ponting would "not be intimidated by the West Indians' inevitable waist-to-chin length." During the series, Ponting said the current crop of bowlers were not "of the same high class" that opposition teams had come to expect from the West Indies.
Ponting was selected for the third ODI on 12 March 1995 at Queen's Park Oval
Queen's Park Oval
Queen's Park Oval, in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, is currently the largest capacity cricket ground in the West Indies and has hosted more Test matches than any other ground in the Caribbean. It also hosted a number of matches in the 2007 Cricket World Cup. It is privately owned by the...
, when Mark Waugh missed through injury. Ponting—batting at three—was involved in a 59-run partnership with Steve Waugh; however, he was dismissed for 43 when he lifted an attempted pull shot. Mark Waugh returned for the next match and Ponting was subsequently dropped until he replaced an out-of-form David Boon in the fifth and final match, where Ponting got second-ball duck. In a three-day warm-up match ahead of the Tests, Ponting scored 19, with Greg Blewett scoring a century and Langer compiling a half-century. The performance was not enough for Ponting to force his way into the Test side; though, Australia did regain the Frank Worrell Trophy
Frank Worrell Trophy
The Frank Worrell Trophy is awarded for the winner of the West Indies - Australia Test match series in cricket.The trophy is named after the former West Indies captain Sir Frank Worrell, and was first awarded at the end of the 1960-61 series...
for the first time in 20 years, winning the series 2–1. When Ponting returned to Launceston in June 1995, Tasmania's TAB (now Tabcorp Holdings
Tabcorp Holdings
Tabcorp Holdings is an Australian company with interests in gaming, wagering and related media. It was formed through the privatisation of the Victorian Totalisator Agency Board in 1994. The TAB ran all off-track betting on horse racing, greyhound racing, and harness racing in Victoria, as well...
) announced him as their part-time ambassador. He then undertook a tour to England with the Young Australians; a team that included fellow Tasmanian Shaun Young. It also included five future Test batsmen: Matthew Hayden, Matthew Elliot, Martin Love, Justin Langer and Stuart Law
Stuart Law
Stuart Grant Law OAM is an Australian-born cricketer. He is also the head coach of Bangladesh national cricket team, as from July, he succeeded fellow Aussie Jamie Siddons, who left shortly after the 2011 Cricket World Cup...
. Despite not batting as well as he "would have liked", Ponting returned to Australia with the fourth highest batting average—48.73.
Tasmania toured Zimbabwe for five games ahead of the 1995/96 Sheffield Shield season. Though, Ponting struggled, aggregating 99 runs at a modest 24.75. By the end of October, he had signed an Australian Cricket Board contract, along with 22 other Australian cricketers. Ponting was still hopeful of a Test berth, but recognised that he needed to continue scoring runs. He opened the batting with Boon in Tasmania's first match of the Sheffield Shield season, scoring 20 and 43. Ahead of the followig match against Queensland in Hobart, Ponting set himself a goal of scoring a century in each innings; a feat he achieved in a high-scoring draw. His form continued against the touring Sri Lankans in a one-day game in Devonport, scoring 99. He scored another century against the same opposition in Launceston. During the match, the public address system at the NTCA Ground announced that Ponting was making his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Perth on 8 December. The following morning saw local newspaper The Examiner headline: He's Ricky Ponting, he's ours ... and he's made it! Tassie's batting star will play in his first Test." Marsh continued his praise of Ponting, who replaced a dropped Blewett. "I have no doubt Ricky will be trying to get 100 in his first Test game. And I hope he does." You'd back him to. If Ricky carries with him the same attitude that he has seen him succeed at First-class cricket to the next level there is no reason why he will not continue to score."
Sri Lanka batted first and scored 251, before Ponting—batting at number five due to Steve Waugh
Steve Waugh
Stephen Rodger "Steve" Waugh, AO is a former Australian cricketer and fraternal twin of cricketer Mark Waugh. A right-handed batsman, he was also a successful medium-pace bowler...
's absence through injury—arrived at the crease with Australia at a comfortable 3/422. He started nervously, edging his first ball past first slip for a boundary from off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan , often referred to as Murali, is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who was rated the greatest Test match bowler ever by Wisden Cricketers' Almanack in 2002...
. When Ponting reached 96, Chaminda Vaas
Chaminda Vaas
Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas , usually known as Chaminda Vaas, is a Sri Lankan cricketer is regarded as the best fast bowler to have come out of the country - he has been described as the 'most penetrative and successful new-ball bowler Sri Lanka have had'...
hit Ponting high on his thigh and was given out leg before wicket. Many members of the crowd and media argued it was an incorrect decision due to excessive height. He combined with Stuart Law
Stuart Law
Stuart Grant Law OAM is an Australian-born cricketer. He is also the head coach of Bangladesh national cricket team, as from July, he succeeded fellow Aussie Jamie Siddons, who left shortly after the 2011 Cricket World Cup...
, also playing on debut, for a partnership of 121. This was only the ninth ever century partnership by debutants in Test cricket. "I've got mixed emotions about my knock at the moment. 96 is a good score but it would have been nice to get a 100," Ponting said after the innings. "Once I struck a few in the middle of the bat, and I spent some time in the middle I tried to relax and enjoy it, just savour the moment." Australia won the match by an innings. In the second Test in Melbourne on Boxing Day, he scored a "compact" 71 in his only innings, combining for a century stand with Steve Waugh. He also took the wicket of Asanka Gurusinha
Asanka Gurusinha
Asanka Pradeep Gurusinha is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who enjoyed an 11-year international career, playing 41 Tests and 147 One Day Internationals for Sri Lanka. He was a specialist batsman who helped win the 1996 World Cup final with 65 in a partnership of 125 with the final's Man of the...
in Sri Lanka's first innings amidst four economical overs.
However, Ponting's performance was overshadowed by Australian umpire Darrell Hair
Darrell Hair
Darrell Bruce Hair is an Australian former Test match cricket umpire, from New South Wales. He stood on the Emirates International panel of umpires from 2002 to 2003, before he, along with fellow Australian Simon Taufel, and New Zealander Billy Bowden, was appointed to the ICC Elite umpire panel...
no-balling Muralitharan for throwing on seven occasions, increasing tensions between the two teams. Ponting's fellow Tasmanian hero retired after the Third Test, and Ponting's performances were not as strong at number six in the batting order, managing six and 20. Australia won yet again, sweeping the series 3–0, and Ponting was in full praise of Boon. "I would have hated to be the first person to come through from Launceston and make it but he has proved it can be done," Ponting said a year before his Test debut. Ponting ended his debut Test series with 193 runs at 48.25.
Ponting's appearances for Tasmania continued to be limited; however, he was still able to top the 1995/96 season averages with 59.50. In the World Series ODI Cup played between Australia, Sri Lanka and the West Indies after the Test series, Ponting played in all ten games. He started the series at number four but moved up a position midway through the season, after opener Michael Slater
Michael Slater
Michael Jonathon Slater is a former Australian cricketer who played in 74 Tests and 42 ODIs for the Australian cricket team from 1993 to 2001...
was dropped. He broke through for his maiden ODI century in his 12th match, scoring 123 from 138 balls against Sri Lanka at the MCG. However, the effort was not enough to prevent Sri Lanka from victory. Tensions between Australia and Sri Lanka continued to flare, and in one such encounter, the Sri Lankans accused the Australians of cheating. Matters continued to get worse when the teams refused to shake hands at the end of the second final of the triangular series which Australia won 2–0. The match had included physical jostling between McGrath and Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Jayasuriya
Sanath Teran Jayasuriya is a former Sri Lankan cricketer. An all-rounder, he played for the Sri Lankan cricket team from 1989 to 2011...
mid pitch, with the latter accusing McGrath of making racist attacks. Later in the match, stump microphones showed Australian wicketkeeper Ian Healy
Ian Healy
Ian Andrew Healy is a former cricketer who played for Queensland and Australia. A specialist wicketkeeper and useful right-hand middle-order batsman, he made an unheralded entry to international cricket in 1988, after only six first-class games. His work ethic and combativeness was much needed...
alleging that portly Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga
Arjuna Ranatunga
Arjuna Ranatunga is a retired Sri Lankan cricketer and politician. He was the captain of Sri Lankan cricket team, and led them to an unbeaten title-winning campaign at the 1996 Cricket World Cup...
was feigning injury and calling for a runner because of his lack of physical fitness. Ponting ended his first home ODI tournament with 341 runs at 34.10, including one century and three fifties, as Australia ended as series champions.
Sponsorship
He is sponsored by KookaburraKookaburra Sport
Kookaburra is an Australian sports equipment company, specialising in cricket and hockey equipment, named after the Australian kingfisher. The company notably manufactures the most widely used brand of ball used in One-day internationals and Test cricket....
and is currently using the Kahuna
Kookaburra Kahuna
The Kahuna is a range of bats made by Kookaburra Sport and is the company's sole premier bat line. The Kahuna Icon faced controversy in early 2006 when there was a dispute over whether the graphite backing of the bat would increase its performance to an unfair level, as compared to even other bats...
range.
1996 World Cup
After the spiteful summer, a Tamil TigerLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
bombing in Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
coupled with death threats to some members of the team forced Australia to forfeit their scheduled 1996 Cricket World Cup
1996 Cricket World Cup
The 1996 Cricket World Cup, also called the Wills World Cup after its official sponsors, was the sixth edition of the tournament organized by the International Cricket Council . It was the second World Cup to be hosted by Pakistan and India, and for the first time by Sri Lanka...
match against Sri Lanka in Colombo. Ponting batted in the number three position for the entire tournament, and scored six in Australia's opening match victory over Kenya. He continued to be inconsistent with scores of 12 and 33 against India and Zimbabwe, before becoming the youngest batsman to score a World Cup century, when he scored 102 runs from 112 balls against the West Indies in Jaipur
Jaipur
Jaipur , also popularly known as the Pink City, is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Rajasthan. Founded on 18 November 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber, the city today has a population of more than 3.1 million....
. Ponting's psychology was to show the West Indians that he had no fear when he chose to wear a cap instead of a helmet. Though, the effort was not enough, as Australia lost by four wickets. Australia finished second in their group and faced New Zealand in the quarter-finals. He scored 41 followed by a 15 ball duck in a semi-final victory against the West Indies, as Australia staggered to 8/207. Australia appeared to be heading out of the tournament when the Caribbean team reached 2/165, but a sudden collapse saw Australia win by six runs in the last over. Ponting scored 45 from 73 balls in the final at the Gaddafi Stadium
Gaddafi Stadium
Gaddafi Stadium is a cricket ground in Lahore, Pakistan. It was designed by Daghestani-born architect and engineer Nasreddin Murat-Khan who also designed Lahore's Minar-e-Pakistan and constructed by Mian Abdul Khaliq and Company in 1959. Following the ground's renovation for the 1996 Cricket World...
in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, which Australia lost to Sri Lanka. In another spiteful encounter, some players refused to shake hands after the match. Ponting ended his first World Cup campaign with 229 runs at 32.71.
In August, Australia played in the Singer Cup in Sri Lanka, after enduring a five month break since the World Cup. Despite the political environment being more assured than during the World Cup, Australia still struggled to defeat the Sri Lankans, now full of confidence. Australia were too strong for Zimbabwe, before going down the home side. They regrouped and defeated India; however, Sri Lanka defeated Australia once again, this time in the final. Ponting scored: 53, 46 not out, 0 and 17 for the series. With the retirement of Boon, Ponting was elevated to the No. 3 position in the Test team, and his first assignment in his new role came in a one-off Test against India at the Feroz Shah Kotla
Feroz Shah Kotla
The Feroz Shah Kotla or Kotla was originally a fortress built by Sultan Ferozshah Tughlaq to house his version of Delhi city called Ferozabad. A pristine polished sandstone pillar from the 3rd century B.C...
in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
. Ponting made 13 and 14 in a seven-wicket defeat. It was a portent of Ponting's future Test struggles in India. His failed to regain his lost form in the following Titan Cup involving India, South Africa and Australia. After a "scratchy" game against South Africa, Ponting was rested for the next match against India. Nevertheless, he was recalled for the return match against South Africa, making 17. The series ending poorly for Ponting, being bowled for a duck, as South Africa won the final by eight wickets. The pair of ODI tournaments on the subcontinent yielded Ponting only 168 runs at 28.00 from seven matches.
Ponting continued in the role for the series against the West Indies in 1996–97 in Australia. After two Test matches and three scores under 10, he was replaced by Justin Langer
Justin Langer
Justin Lee Langer AM is a former international cricketer who represented Australia in 105 Test matches and the current Assistant Coach and Batting Coach of the Australian cricket team. A left-handed batsman, his opening partnership with Matthew Hayden was one of the most successful of all time...
, despite scoring 88 in the First Test. He was out of the team for six months, and missed the remaining three Tests against the West Indies, the three Tests on the tour to South Africa, both series victories to Australia. Many "experts" thought the decision was unjustifiable. Former Australian coach, Bob Simpson, said: "I really feel that Ricky could have been persevered with. He's a fine young cricketer and he'll now have to prove that he's got the tenacity and temperament to go with it." Ponting's axing meant he had time to regain his form in the Sheffield Shield. Despite struggling at first, he scored twin centuries against South Australia in Hobart, and proceeded to score another ton against Queensland.
He was selected for the 1997 Ashes tour of England, but failed to play in any of the three initial ODI's. Ponting was not selected for Australia's defeat in the First Test. In a tour match against Leicester, he scored 64, not enough to force his way into the Australian line-up for a drawn Second Test. Australia won the next Test, though, Ponting was given three one-dayers and First-class match against Glamorgan to try and push his case for a Test inclusion. He scored a century in the latter, but managed just five against Middlesex in the last match before the Fourth Test. Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan
Michael Gwyl Bevan is a former Australian left-handed cricket batsman and a slow left arm chinaman bowler. He played 232 ODI matches for Australia, and was a part of the 1999 and 2003 teams that won the World Cup...
was eventually dropped for Ponting, due to poor form and troubles against the short ball. In his first Ashes Test, Ponting score his first Test century (127, batting at No. 6). He played the last three Tests and ended the series with 241 runs at 48.20. At the time Australia had a policy of the selecting the same team for ODIs, so Ponting only played in three ODIs in early stages of the 1996–97 season in Australia, scoring 68 runs at 22.66 in December 1996 before being dropped.
Ponting scored 119 runs at 39.66 in the three-Test home series against New Zealand in 1997–98, including a breezy 73 not out from 85 balls in the second innings of the First Test in Brisbane to help Australia set a winning target. He then made his first Test century on Australian soil, scoring 105 in the First Test against South Africa at the MCG. He added a fifty in the next match and ended the series with 248 runs at 49.60. Ponting has his most successful ODI season to date, scoring 462 runs at 57.75 in the annual tri-series, including a 100 against New Zealand and three fifties. The 100 was Ponting's third ODI century, but Australia had lost all three matches. He scored 76 in the third and deciding final against South Africa, which Australia won. In a brief four-match ODI tour of New Zealand at the end of the season, Ponting scored 76 runs at 25.33.
1998 tours of the subcontinent and Ashes
Just 10 days after their tour of New Zealand, Australia played in a first-class warm-up match in India, ahead of their three match Test series. Sachin TendulkarSachin Tendulkar
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
struck a double century in the opening warm-up match as the Australian bowlers struggled to cope with the conditions. Ponting came into the Test series with first-class scores of 53, 37 and 155 behind him. Batting at five and seven in the batting order respectively, he scored 18 in the first innings and two in the second on a "dusty turning track" in the opening Test in Chennai. Despite conceding a 71 first innings lead, Tendulkar struck 155 in India's second innings, as India won by 169 runs. Australia suffered further humiliation in the second Test at Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens is a cricket ground in Kolkata , India. It is the home of the Bengal cricket team and the Indian Premier League's Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as being a Test and One Day International ground. It is the largest cricket stadium in India by seating capacity...
. India—whom amassed 5/633 in reply to Australia's 233—went onto win by an innings and 16 runs, as Ponting scored 60 and nine.
Several days after the match, Ponting was thrown out of Equinox night club in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
. The Indian media reported that Ponting was misbehaving with several women in the nightclub. Ponting was fined $1000 by Australian team management for the incident, and later apologised to staff. Ponting later wrote:
In the following Test in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, Australia won their first Test in India for 29 years, despite 177 not out from Tendulkar, which gave India a slender first innings lead. Ponting scored 16 his only innings as Australia won by eight wickets. He finished the series with 105 runs at 21.00 as the hosts took the Tests 2–1.
Despite a poor Test series, Ponting's form in ODIs remained strong. In consecutive tournaments in India and Sharjah following the Tests, Ponting scored 467 runs at 51.88. In addition to three fifties, Ponting scored 145 from 158 balls in the Pepsi Cup against Zimbabwe in Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, equalling Dean Jones
Dean Jones (cricketer)
Dean Mervyn Jones AM is a retired Australian cricketer, and is presently a coach. He also worked as a media commentator.-Career:...
' Australian record.
Ponting also had his first confrontation with Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh Plaha , commonly known as Harbhajan Singh, is an Indian cricketer. A specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan....
, an Indian off spin
Off spin
Off spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
ner who went on to have much success against him. In a Coca-Cola Cup series ODI against India in April, he and Mark Waugh
Mark Waugh
Mark Edward Waugh AM is a former Australian cricketer, who represented Australia in Test matches from early 1991 to late 2002, and made his One-Day International debut in 1988. Waugh is regarded as one of the most elegant and gifted stroke makers to ever play the game. His nickname is "Junior" as...
put on more than 80 runs in 12 overs before Harbhajan was introduced into the attack. In the spinners second over, Ponting took him for four then lofted him over mid-wicket for six next ball. The following delivery saw Ponting use his feet in an attempt to get to the pitch of the ball but missed the shot and was consequently stumped. After the dismissal the pair clashed verbally. Ponting wrote, "The Sharjah incident was the result of me being over-competitive but it had the potential to get quite nasty. I was really disappointed with the shot I played [to get dismissed] and when I looked up Harbahjan was right in my face giving me the finger [gesturing for Ponting to leave the ground with his index finger] and really mouthing off. Had he been a few more metres away from me I would have not reacted like I did or at the most I would have given him a bit of lip as I walked past. I just over-reacted to the provocation." Both players were consequently fined ($500) and reprimanded by the match referee
Panel of ICC Referees
The Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Referees is composed of former international cricket players who are appointed by the ICC to oversee all Test match and One Day International cricket matches in the capacity of Match referee. The referees are ultimately in charge of all international cricket matches,...
, with Harbhajan also suspended for a single ODI as he was adjudged to have breached the ICC Cricket Code of Conduct
ICC Cricket Code of Conduct
The ICC Cricket Code of Conduct is a regulation regarding the conduct of professional players in the sport of cricket. Traditionally, cricket requires "gentlemanly" conduct from all players...
.
On the subsequent tour of Pakistan less than six months later, Ponting was dropped in favour of Darren Lehmann
Darren Lehmann
Darren Scott Lehmann is a former Australian cricketer, who made his ODI debut in 1996 and Test debut in 1998. He was on the fringes of national selection for the entirety of the 1990s, and only became a regular in the ODI team in 2001 and Test team in late 2002, before being dropped in early 2005...
. The left-hander was perceived to be a better player of spin and a better prospect on the dry pitches of the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
than Ponting. In the first Test starting in October, Lehmann scored 98 in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, as Australia won their first Test in Pakistan in 39 years. Ponting's only Test outing was in a high-scoring second Test draw in Peshawar
Peshawar
Peshawar is the capital of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the administrative center and central economic hub for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan....
, when he scored 76 not out and 43 as Lehmann was injured. The match saw Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor (cricketer)
Mark Anthony Taylor, AO is a former Australian cricket player and Test opening batsman from 1988–1999, as well as captain from 1994–1999, succeeding Allan Border...
equal Don Bradman's Australian record score of 334, when he declared Australia's innings overnight on 4/599, despite being not out. Ponting was replaced by Lehmann for the final Test.
In between the Tests and the ODIs, Australia were knocked out of the 1999 Wills International Cup, starting in late October, when they were defeated by India in their opening match. In a knockout based tournament, Tendulkar scored 141 in India's total of 307; meanwhile, Ponting managed a 53 ball 41, in a 44 run defeat. In a tournament hosted in Bangladesh, South Africa were eventual victors, defeating the West Indies in the final. He played in all the following ODIs against Pakistan, which Australia won 3–0. In the final match, Ponting scored 124 not out from 129 balls, as Australia chased down 316 with six wickets to spare. He finished the series with 215 runs at 107.50.
When the Australians returned for the home series against England, Ponting was "in the worst run-scoring groove in his first-class career." Nevertheless, he was recalled in place of Lehmann, despite the latter's form in Pakistan. This was explained on the basis of "horses for courses"; it was reasoned that Ponting would be more effective against England's pace-oriented bowling attack. However, Ponting struggled in the first three Tests, scoring 47 runs at 11.75, and Lehmann regained his spot for the last two matches. He had played 22 Tests by the end of 1998, with 1,209 runs at an average of 36.63. Ponting was a permanent fixture in the ODI team throughout this period, and scored 322 runs at 46.00 during the Carlton & United (CUB series) series of 1998–99. During the CUB series, Ponting was involved in a fight outside a pub in Kings Cross, New South Wales
Kings Cross, New South Wales
Kings Cross is an inner-city locality of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located approximately 2 kilometres east of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Sydney...
, and earned a three match suspension from the national team. He sustained a black eye in the fight. Forced, to front a media conference with the black eye, Ponting admitted that he suffered from alcoholism, and sought external help to attend to this problem. He also thought that his career was on "thin ice" and he had "over-stepped" the mark, along with admitting that the episode may have ended his International captaincy aspirations.
1999–2002: The road back to the Australian side
Mark Taylor retired from international cricket on 2 February 1999, and was replaced by ODI captain Steve Waugh. Lehmann failed to make much impact in the final two Ashes Tests and was dropped for the 1998–99 tour of the West Indies, while Ponting was recalled. Ponting's ability against pace-bowling helped his push for inclusion, as the West Indies typically relied entirely on pacemen. However, he was unable to force his way into the side in the first two tests, with number three, Justin Langer, and number six, Greg Blewett, cementing their places in the side. Before the third Test, Blewett suffered a hand injury and Ponting was recalled into the side. On a pitch that became increasingly flat throughout the day, Ponting—who came to the crease with the score at 4–144—joined Steve Waugh in a 281 partnership. After Waugh survived one of Ambrose's "more threatening spells", he scored 199 and Ponting 104. He "batted with maturity and even temperament associated with the champions of the game," according to Waugh. Australia collapsed in their second innings to be bowled out for 146, with Ponting scoring 22. Left with a record run-chase in Barbados, the West Indies won by a single wicket, thanks to an unbeaten Brian Lara century. Australia had to win the Fourth and final Test in Antigua to retain the series, after going down 2–1. Ponting scored 21 and 21 not out in the match, as Australia won by 176 runs. The following seven-match ODI series was not a success for Ponting, scoring just 74 runs at 14.80 in five matches. The series was drawn at 3-all and included a tie.First World Cup success (1999)
Australia started their 1999 World Cup campaign in England with success against minnows Scotland, before defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand. Ponting scored, 33, 47 and 47 respectively. After the twin defeats, pundits doubted whether Australia could make the semi-finals let alone win the tournament. Australia then defeated Bangladesh with 30 overs to spare, as Ponting batted out of his usual number three spot for the only time in the tournament. In an attempt to increase the run-rate with pinch hitter Brendon JulianBrendon Julian
Brendon Paul Julian is a former Australian cricketer who played in 7 Tests and 25 ODIs from 1993 to 1999....
, Ponting scored an unbeaten 18 from 10 balls at number four. Ponting scored 20, 23 and 36 in the following matches against the West Indies, India and Zimbabwe. In the last match of the Super Six stage of the tournament, Australia were to play South Africa in a match they needed to win to make the semi-finals. South Africa batted first and scored 271, before Australia slumped to 3/48. Steve Waugh joined Ponting in the middle and scored 22 runs in ten overs. Both then agreed increase the scoring in a mid-pitch conversation. South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis
Jacques Kallis
Jacques Henry Kallis is a South African cricketer. As an all-rounder he is a formidable right-handed batsman and fast-medium swingbowler. He is one of the greatest all-rounders of all time, being the only cricketer in the history of the game to hold more than 12,000 runs and 250 wickets in both...
could not bowl because of strained abdominal muscles and the batting pair attacked the replacement bowlers, scoring 82 from 10 overs. They were involved in a 126-run stand until Ponting fell for 69 scored in 110 balls, including five fours and two sixes. Waugh went onto make 120 off 110 deliveries, helping Australia win with two balls to spare. The sides met again in their next match, this time in the semi-final at Edgbaston on 17 June 1999. Australia only managed 213, with Ponting contributing a solid 37 from 48 balls. In reply, South Africa started strongly, talking 45 from the first nine overs without the loss of a wicket. However, Warne dismissed Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Herman Gibbs is a South African cricketer, more specifically a batsman.Gibbs was schooled at St Joseph's Marist College and then Diocesan College in Rondebosch...
and Gary Kirsten
Gary Kirsten
Gary Kirsten is a former South African cricketer, and the World Cup winning coach of the Indian cricket team. He played 101 Test matches and 185 One-day internationals for South Africa between 1993 and 2004, mainly as an opening batsman...
before long and eventually took 4/29 from 10 overs. The last over started with the Africans needing eight runs with one wicket in hand. Lower-order hitter, Lance Klusener
Lance Klusener
Lance Klusener is a South African cricketer, more specifically an all-rounder. He is known for his aggressive batting and his fast-medium swing bowling. He is nicknamed "Zulu" because of his fluency in that language. Following his exploits at the 1999 World Cup, he topped the ICC ODI Batting...
, proceeded to score those runs in the next two balls. Drama followed, as Donald was run-out two balls later, resulting in a tie. Australia qualified for the final because they finished higher than their opposition on the Super Six table. They comfortably accounted for Pakistan in the final, winning by eight wickets, after they were set a target of 132. Ponting scored 24 in Australia's first World Cup win since 1987. He ended the tournament with 354 runs at 39.33.
Australia soon travelled to Sri Lanka for a three-Test series, which they lost 1–0. Ponting was one of Australia's few effective players during the tour and was Man-of-the-Series, ending with 253 runs at 84.33. In the First Test defeat at Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
, Ponting scored 96 and 51, almost half of Australia's match total of 328 runs. They lost the match match by six wickets, partly due to being unable to handle the spin of Muralitharan who too eight wickets. The Second Test was severely interrupted by rain and Ponting scored just one in his only innings. He scored 105 not out in the Third Test in Colombo, his only Test century in Sri Lanka. Despite having a perceived weakness against spin, Ponting played Muralitharan the best out of all the Australian batsmen. He scored 31 as Australia won their inaugural Test against Zimbabwe by nine wickets. In the following ODI series between the respective countries, Ponting scored 288 runs at 57.60 with two fifties.
Ponting started the 1999–2000 season poorly, with ducks in his first three Test innings in the series against Pakistan, including a pair on his home ground Bellerive Oval
Bellerive Oval
Bellerive Oval, also known as its sponsored name Blundstone Arena, is primarily a cricket and Australian Rules Football ground located in Bellerive, City of Clarence, on the eastern shore of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia...
. He ended the run in style, scoring 197 in the Third Test at the WACA. Australia won the series 3–0 and Ponting proceeded to score 125 in the First Test against India at the Adelaide Oval. He finished with an unbeaten 141 in the Third Test at the SCG, the culmination of another Australian whitewash. Ponting was the leading scorer for the series, compiling 375 runs at 125.00. He brought this form into the initial stages of the following 1999/2000 Carlton United ODI series, hitting 32 and 115, before three consecutive ducks. Ponting, however, ended the rut towards the back end of the series, stringing together 53, 43, 33, 50 and 78, as Australia won the tournament. Along with his impressive average of 40.4, Ponting's strike rate (87.06) was the highest of all recognised Australian batsmen. Perhaps more importantly, Ponting was selected as temporary vice-captain when Shane Warne was unavailable through injury, strenghthening his claim for future higher honours. "It's now apparent to me that I'm one being viewed as a future Australia captain," Ponting acknowledged in his newspaper column. "I think it's fair to say unless I was being considered for a future leadership position in the team then someone with significantly more experience, like Mark [Waugh] would have been given the nod to be the team's vice-captain. Despite all his good fortune, Ponting slid into the boundary fence and seriously damaged his ankle during the second final against Pakistan, forcing him to miss the upcoming ODI series' in New Zealand and South Africa. The damaged ligaments required a two-hour operation, with doctors telling him how he would not be able to return to cricket until the next summer. Though, he defied the odds, and by May he returned to the golf course and was given approval to start cricket training. He returned to the International scene in August for a three-match ODI series against South Africa in Melbourne's indoor Docklands Stadium. He made only 60 runs, as the series was tied 1–1, with a tie.
Ahead of the first Test of the 2000–01 season in November, Ponting found form while playing for Tasmania. He scored 233 against a strong Queensland bowling team that included Andy Bichel
Andy Bichel
Andrew John Bichel is a retired Australian cricket player and was the bowling coach of the Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2009 Indian Premier League....
, Adam Dale
Adam Dale
Adam Craig Dale is a former Australian cricketer who played in 2 Tests and 30 ODIs from 1997 to 2000.He represented the Wynnum-Manly Cricket Club in Brisbane....
and Ashley Noffke
Ashley Noffke
Ashley Allan Noffke is an Australian cricketer who currently plays for the Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League . He previously played cricket for Queensland and Western Australia...
. The innings included 37 boundaries and four sixes, and was so dominnent, the next highest score for the innings was 61. He continued to destroy the Queensland attack by adding a half-century in the second innings. In the second and last First-class match Ponting played for Tasmania in the season, he scored a more sedate 187 against New South Wales in Hobart, assuring him a place in the Test side, despite Damien Martyn (who replaced Ponting in the side when injured) scoring two centuries for Western Australia. Ponting was overlooked the ODI vice-captaincy, with Gilchrist given the role; however, Ponting captained a Northern Territory XI against the West Indies in the lead-up to the upcoming series. Despite not being known for extravagant claims, Steve Waugh told a journalist that Ponting could easily be the best batsman in the world, and put him alongside Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara. When Jamie Cox was selected for Australia A, Ponting was selected as captain of Tasmania for a domestic one-dayer against Victoria in December. His men won by nine wickets, with Ponting scoring an unbeaten 64 from 69 balls. Australia white-washed the West Indies 5–0 in the Test series; though, Ponting only scored a modest 242 runs at 40.33, with a high score of 92.
Defeat in India and 2001 Ashes
Injury aside (he missed a three-Test tour of New Zealand in early 2000 after hurting his ankle in a fielding mishap in an ODI Final at Sydney), his position was now secure. Australia toured India in between February and April for three Tests and five ODIs. They had previously failed to achieve a Test series victory in India since Bill LawryBill Lawry
William Morris "Bill" Lawry, AM is a former cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. He captained Australia in 25 Tests, winning nine, losing eight and drawing eight, and led Australia in the inaugural One Day International match, played in 1971...
's team in 1969. Australian captain Steve Waugh began calling this the "Final Frontier". Australia easily won the First Test at Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
by ten wickets to extend the winning sequence to 16. India, looked set for defeat in the Second Test at Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens
Eden Gardens is a cricket ground in Kolkata , India. It is the home of the Bengal cricket team and the Indian Premier League's Kolkata Knight Riders, as well as being a Test and One Day International ground. It is the largest cricket stadium in India by seating capacity...
in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
after conceding a first innings lead of 274. However, Waugh chose to enforce the follow-on, the only time that Australia had chosen to do so for more than five years. However, V. V. S. Laxman
V. V. S. Laxman
Vangipurapu Venkata Sai Laxman , sometimes shortened to Venkatsai Laxman but generally known as V.V.S. Laxman, is an Indian cricketer. Laxman represents Hyderabad in domestic cricket and has played for Lancashire in English county cricket. Laxman is the great grand nephew of Dr. Sarvepalli...
(281) and Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid
Rahul Sharad Dravid , is a cricketer in the Indian national team, of which he has been a regular member since 1996. He was appointed as the captain of the Indian cricket team in October 2005 and resigned from the post in September 2007. Dravid was honoured as one of the top-five Wisden Cricketers...
(180) batted for the entire fourth day's play and set Australia a target of 384 on a dusty, spinning wicket. The Australians were unable to cope with the spin of Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh Plaha , commonly known as Harbhajan Singh, is an Indian cricketer. A specialist bowler, he has the second-highest number of Test wickets by an off spinner, behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan....
on the final day, and became only the third team to lose a Test after enforcing the follow-on. Starting the final Test well, Australia's batting collapsed on the second morning, losing 6/26. Harbhajan finished with 15 wickets in the match to lead India to a two-wicket win in another close finish. Ponting finished with just 17 runs at an average of 3.4, dismissed all five times by Harbhajan. Ponting had a habit of instinctively rocking onto the front foot and thrusting his wrists at Harbhajan's deliveries and was frequently caught in the bat pad positions because of this.
Despite this recent run of poor scores, Ponting was promoted to the key No. 3 position in the Australian batting order at the expense of the dropped Justin Langer
Justin Langer
Justin Lee Langer AM is a former international cricketer who represented Australia in 105 Test matches and the current Assistant Coach and Batting Coach of the Australian cricket team. A left-handed batsman, his opening partnership with Matthew Hayden was one of the most successful of all time...
, while Damien Martyn
Damien Martyn
Damien Richard Martyn is a former Australian cricketer. He played for the national team sporadically in 1992–1994 before becoming a regular ODI player in 1999–2000 and a regular Test player in 2001 until his retirement in late 2006...
took Ponting's former spot at No. 6, for the very next Test series, the 2001 Ashes tour of England. Ponting began the series poorly, scoring 11, 14, 4, 14 and 17—the first four dismissals all to Darren Gough
Darren Gough
Darren Gough is a retired English cricketer and former captain of Yorkshire County Cricket Club. The spearhead of England's bowling attack through much of the 1990s, he is England's highest wicket-taker in one-day internationals with 234, and took 229 wickets in his 58 Test matches, making him...
. In the first innings of the fourth Test, Ponting stood his ground while on 0 after edging to slips and refused to go off the field without a TV replay. Replays revealed that the ball had been grassed and Ponting subsequently went on to score 144 and 72 in the second innings. He scored his 216 runs in only 226 balls. In doing so, he repeated his feat in 1997 of returning to form at Headingley. He ended the series with 338 runs at 42.25. Starting with that 2001 Ashes
The Ashes
The Ashes is a Test cricket series played between England and Australia. It is one of the most celebrated rivalries in international cricket and dates back to 1882. It is currently played biennially, alternately in the United Kingdom and Australia. Cricket being a summer sport, and the venues...
series he has batted No. 3 in all but four of his Test innings.
The touring New Zealanders were not expected to provide much of a challenge to the in-form Australians during the three-match Test series starting in November. The opening Test in Brisbane, saw the tourists came within 11 runs of victory, before the Test was drawn; partly to do with inclement weather. Ponting scored five and a run-a-ball 32 not out in Australia's second innings, as they pushed for a declaration. After scoring 4, 0 and 0 in his previous Test outings at Bellerive Oval
Bellerive Oval
Bellerive Oval, also known as its sponsored name Blundstone Arena, is primarily a cricket and Australian Rules Football ground located in Bellerive, City of Clarence, on the eastern shore of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia...
, Ponting broke through with a man-of-the-match performance of 157 not out in the Second Test, before further rain resulted in another draw. The result of the Third Test in Perth was no different, with Ponting scoring 31 and 26. Set a record 440 to win, Australia finished on 7/381 at stumps on the final day, despite half-centuries from Gilchrist and the Waugh twins. He ended the Test season 366 runs at 52.28.
Appointment as One Day International captain
Although the Test team had continued to perform well, sweeping South Africa 3–0 in the home series in 2001–02, the One-Day International (ODI) team suffered a slump, failing to qualify for the finals of the triangular tournamentWorld Series Cup
The World Series Cup was the name of the One Day International cricket tournament that took place in Australia every season between Australia and two touring teams from 1979-80 to 1995-96. The tournament was renamed the World Series from 1990-1. This was the very first of the One Day International ...
, leading to the dropping of Steve Waugh
Steve Waugh
Stephen Rodger "Steve" Waugh, AO is a former Australian cricketer and fraternal twin of cricketer Mark Waugh. A right-handed batsman, he was also a successful medium-pace bowler...
from the one-day team in February 2002. Ponting was elevated to the captaincy, ahead of then vice-captain Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist
Adam Craig Gilchrist AM , nicknamed "Gilly" or "Churchy", is an Australian international cricketer who currently captains Kings XI Punjab and recently captained Middlesex. He is an attacking left-handed batsman and record-breaking wicket-keeper, who redefined the role for the Australian national...
. The fortunes of the ODI team revived immediately, and the Ponting's men won their first series during the tour of South Africa, defeating the team that had won the tournament that ended Waugh's reign.
Following his elevation to the ODI captaincy, Ponting played a prominent role in the Test tour of South Africa. He scored 100 not out to steer Australia to a four-wicket win in the Second Test in Cape Town, bringing up the winning runs with a six from the bowling of Paul Adams
Paul Adams (cricketer)
Paul Regan Adams is a former South African cricketer, a chinaman bowler who played for the national team sporadically since the 1990s. Meanwhile, his first class cricket career registered 412 wickets....
. He struck 89 in the Third Test and ended the series with 308 runs at 77.25 with a strike rate of 76.48. Australia entered the seven-match ODI series without both of the Waugh twins.
Ponting was prominent in the 3–0 whitewash of Pakistan on neutral territory in late-2002. He struck 141 in the First Test in Colombo and 150 in the Third Test in Sharjah to end with 342 runs at 85.50.
2002–03 Ashes victory and first World Cup success as captain
England toured for the 2002–03 Australian season, and Ponting struck 123 in the First Test in Brisbane. His form continued with 154 in the Second Test in Adelaide, meaning that he had scored four centuries in five Tests. Australia won the latter match by an innings and Ponting scored 68 in the Third Test in Perth as Australia took an unassailable 3–0 lead. He was unable to pass fifty in the final two Tests and ended the series with 417 runs at 52.12. Australia won the VB series held between and after the Tests. After the conclusion of the Third Test, Australia's 30 man squad for upcoming 2003 World Cup2003 Cricket World Cup
-Group stage tables and results:The top three teams from each pool qualify for the next stage, carrying forward the points already scored against fellow qualifiers, plus a quarter of the points scored against the teams that failed to qualify.-Pool A:...
was announced. Steve Waugh was a somewhat surprising omission, despite being unable to force his way back into the ODI team since being dropped after team disappointment in the 2001–02 VB Series
2001–02 VB Series
The 2001-02 VB Series was a One Day International cricket tri-series where Australia played host to New Zealand and South Africa...
. Ponting scored a slow 18 from 30 deliveries in Australia's victory in the opening match of the 2002–03 VB series against England in Sydney. He proceeded to score 119 from 123 balls (nine fours and three sixes) in Australia's second match of the series—again against England, this time at the MCG—sharing an all wicket record Australian ODI partnership of 225 with Adam Gilchrist in the process. Despite a comfortable Australian victory, Warne dislocated his right shoulder while diving to stop a ball. The success continued through the 2002–03 ODI series in Australia. Winning the finals series against England 2–0.
Australia hit trouble on the personnel front in the lead up to the World Cup. Lehmann was handed a seven-match ban for racial abuse, the world's number 1 ranked ODI batsman Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan
Michael Gwyl Bevan is a former Australian left-handed cricket batsman and a slow left arm chinaman bowler. He played 232 ODI matches for Australia, and was a part of the 1999 and 2003 teams that won the World Cup...
was injured, as was all rounder Shane Watson
Shane Watson
Shane Robert Watson is an Australian cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-handed fast medium bowler. He mainly bats as an opener in international cricket, although he does not do so domestically....
, who had to withdraw from the World Cup. At the time, another all-rounder, Andrew Symonds
Andrew Symonds
Andrew Symonds is a former Australian cricket team all-rounder. A two-time World Cup winner, Symonds is a right-handed middle order batsman and alternates between medium pace and off-spin bowling....
, had been performing poorly and had been heavily maligned by cricket analysts, but Ponting strongly advocated his inclusion. The selectors granted Ponting his wish, although the decision was considered highly controversial, especially with Waugh campaigning for his recall as an all-rounder.
A few days before the tournament started, Australia were in further turmoil, when leading bowler Shane Warne
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
was sent home after failing a drugs test, and a replacement could not be flown in until after the first match. With Bevan and Lehmann still sidelined, Australia went into their opening match with little choice over their line-up, and Symonds having to play. However, Symonds repaid Ponting's faith with an unbeaten 140 after Australia lost three quick wickets to be in early trouble. Australia crushed Pakistan, and gained further momentum by defeating India by nine wickets in less than half their allotted overs in the next match. Symonds continued to put in a series of match-winning performances and continued to be strongly backed by Ponting from then on. Ponting himself performed solidly with 53 against Pakistan and 24 not out, hitting the winning runs to guide Australia home.
He failed to perform in the rest of the group matches including just 2 against Namibia
Namibia national cricket team
The Namibia cricket team is the team that represents the country of Namibia in international cricket matches. It is governed by Cricket Namibia, an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 1992 and became part of the High Performance Program in 2007. They took part in the 2003...
and 18 against England in a poor performance which Australia managed to win just. He began the Super Six stage with a massive 114 against Sri Lanka. This innings included 4 sixes and he was very aggressive. He failed in the rest of the Super Six stage and the semi-final against the same opposition (Sri Lanka). In the Final, they met India, who they had crushed in the group stage. Indian captain Sourav Ganguly controversially sent the Australians in to bat, citing cloud cover, but Ponting's batsmen attacked immediately and put the Indian bowlers under pressure. They went on to score 359–2, a record for a world cup final by over 100 runs. Ponting top-scored with a brilliant 140 not out from 121 balls. India's batsmen could not cope with the target, and were defeated by a record (for World Cup Final matches) 125 runs. "I have had some amazing times and some proud moments in my career, but the events at the Wanderers have topped the lot. Lifting the World Cup alongside 20 other proud Australians ... [It is] without doubt the best moment of my cricketing life." Ponting led his team to a dominant, undefeated, performance in the 2003 Cricket World Cup
2003 Cricket World Cup
-Group stage tables and results:The top three teams from each pool qualify for the next stage, carrying forward the points already scored against fellow qualifiers, plus a quarter of the points scored against the teams that failed to qualify.-Pool A:...
, winning all 11 of their matches.
Brian Lara was reinstated West Indies captain in place of Carl Hooper
Carl Hooper
Carl Llewellyn Hooper is a former West Indian cricket player and captain.-Career:He was a right-handed batsman and off-spin bowler, who came to prominence in the late 1980s in a side that included such players as Gordon Greenidge, Desmond Haynes, Malcolm Marshall and Courtney Walsh and represented...
for Australia's away series in the Caribbean starting in April 2003. While Ponting was announced as long-term vice-captain in place of Adam Gilchrist. The first Test was not the first time Ponting had been vice-captain of the Australian Test team however, as he was thrust into the role against the West Indies in 2000 and England in 2001—because of injuries to Steve Waugh. Although Gilchrist had not done anything untoward, Ponting was elevated because Australian selectors wanted him to captain if Waugh was to be injured. This was Ponting's third tour to the Caribbean, and he was rested from the only warm-up match ahead of the Tests. Nevertheless, he continued his World Cup form in the First Test, scoring 117 and 42 not out on a slow and low pitch, as Australia won by nine wickets. Ponting scored his first double century (206) in the Second Test, as he and Darren Lehmann shared an Australian third wicket partnership record of 315; against a weak bowling attack. Australia defeated the West Indies by 118 runs on the final day—retaining the Frank Worrell Trophy
Frank Worrell Trophy
The Frank Worrell Trophy is awarded for the winner of the West Indies - Australia Test match series in cricket.The trophy is named after the former West Indies captain Sir Frank Worrell, and was first awarded at the end of the 1960-61 series...
. The Tasmanian's rich vein of form continued in the Third Test, after being rested for a tour match against Barbados
Barbados national cricket team
The Barbadian cricket team is the representative first class cricket team of Barbados.It does not take part in any international competitions , but rather in inter-regional competitions in the Caribbean, such as the Regional Four Day Competition and the WICB Cup, and the best players may be...
. He scored 113 before running himself out, as Australia batted first on a pitch at the Kensington Oval
Kensington Oval
The Kensington Oval is located to the west of the capital-city Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. "The Oval" is one of the major sporting facilities on the island and is primarily used for cricket...
described as the slowest Waugh had played on. Waugh's men procreded to take a 3–0 series, with a comfortable nine wicket victory. Ponting missed the final Test, as Australia conceded the Test record run chase of 418; nevertheless, Ponting was still awarded the man-of-the-series award, after ending the series with 523 runs at 130.75.
5000 Test runs
Ponting then scored 10 and 59 as Australia recorded comfortable innings victories in their inuaugural series against Bangladesh, played in DarwinDarwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
and Cairns in the tropical north of Australia in the winter of 2003. In the third and final match of the ODI series following the Tests, Ponting scored a composed century, as he and Michael Bevan
Michael Bevan
Michael Gwyl Bevan is a former Australian left-handed cricket batsman and a slow left arm chinaman bowler. He played 232 ODI matches for Australia, and was a part of the 1999 and 2003 teams that won the World Cup...
put on a run-a-ball 127 run stand. Strangely, Ponting's 14th ODI century, included only two fours, despite hitting four sixes.
Australia's cricket summer started in October; a month earlier than usual because of their upcoming ODI series in India following their home series against Zimbabwe. Due to the seasons early start, many of the Australian players were without match fitness. McGrath missed the series with an ankle injury; while there were concerns about whether Australia should be playing African country because of Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
's regime. The first Test started on 9 October in Perth, as Australia started strongly batted first against a Zimbabwean bowling attack that lacked penetration on a flat WACA wicket. However, Ponting was dismissed leg before wicket for 37, while Hayden went onto break Brian Lara
Brian Lara
Brian Charles Lara, TC, OCC, AM is a former West Indian international cricket player. Lara is generally regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of all time...
's world record Test score of 375. Australia won the Test by a comfortable innings and 175 runs on the final day. Although they were not without injuries, as Stuart MacGill
Stuart MacGill
Stuart Charles Glyndwr MacGill is a former right-arm leg spin bowler of the Australian cricket team, with a domestic career at Western Australia, New South Wales, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Somerset...
(discomfort behind his right knee) and Jason Gillespie
Jason Gillespie
Jason Neil Gillespie is an Australian cricketer who formerly represented Australia at international level, in both Tests and One Day Internationals, and South Australia, Yorkshire and Glamorgan at first-class level. His primary role is as a right-arm fast-medium bowler, but he is also a competent...
(side strain) both left the field injured on day three. The injuries to the bowling duo meant Australia used part timers, Lehmann, Martyn, Waugh and Ponting for 57 overs in Zimbabwe's second innings to give the strike bowlers a rest. The heavy bowling workload on Lehmann therefore caused him to tear a muscle in his left Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
. An inexperienced Australian team won the next Test at the SCG by nine wickets; sweeping the series 2–0. Ponting struck 169 and 53 not out, and passed 5,000 Test runs in his first innings century. The Australian number three ended the two-match series with 259 runs at 129.50. In the midst of the lack of public attention and poor crowds, Ponting wrote how he was unsure whether Bangladesh and Zimbabwe should be playing Test cricket.
Australia flew to India two day after the conclusion of the Zimbabwean series to play in the TVS Cup cup against India and New Zealand. They opened their campaign on 26 October against India in Gwalior, but where defeated by 37 runs, as Ponting was dismissed for two. Australia played New Zealand in match three of series in Faridabad
Faridabad
Faridabad is a city in the south-east of Haryana state in northern India, in Faridabad district. It lies at 28º 25' 16" N Latitude and 77º 18' 28" E Longitude. The district shares its boundaries with the National Capital and Union Territory of Delhi to its north, Gurgaon district to the west and...
. An early 9 am start saw New Zealand bowled out for 97, despite Australia bowling 17 wides. Australia comfortably reached the target, losing only two wickets in the process; one of which was Ponting for 12, who felt that he was "in terrible form.". Before Australia's next game, Ponting was named the Wisden International Cricketer of the Year in an award ceremony in Mumbai. Two days later, the city saw Australia defeat India by 77 runs, helped by Ponting's 31. He continued his run without a large score, managing just 16 in the fifth match of the series against New Zealand; however, Australia won a hard fought contest. He regained his form in a victory over New Zealand in match—scoring 52 in Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
. Ponting improved further against India in match eight in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
. After Gilchrist scored his first ODI century against India, Ponting scored an unbeaten 108 from 103 balls, to help Australia win by 61 runs. Ponting hit seven sixes and one four, becoming the first batsman to end up with only one four in an ODI century. Ponting struggled to come to terms with the pitch early, reaching his 50 in 69 balls, before scoring his next 50 in 31 deliveries. After defeating New Zealand, India qualified for the final against Australia. Batting first in Kolkata, Australia managed 5/235, as Ponting scored 36. India were bowled out for 198, leaving Australia victors by 37 runs. He finished the series with 296 runs—the third highest run-scorer—at an average of 42.83.
Most runs by an Australian in a calendar year (2003)
After making 54 and 50 in the rain-drawn First Test in Brisbane, Ponting scored double-centuries in back-to-back Tests against India, in the Second Test at Adelaide (242) and at Melbourne (257, his career high). He hit 31 not out in the second Test against New Zealand, innings in Melbourne as Australia levelled the series 1–1 and scored 25 and 47 in the drawn Fourth Test in Sydney to end as the leading run-scorer for the series, with 706 runs at 100.85. Harbhajan had been sent home after the First Test with an injury to his spinning finger.Having also scored 206 at Port-of-Spain earlier in the year, he became only the second player (Sir Donald Bradman the other) to hit three double-centuries in a calendar year. Ponting's 242 against India at Adelaide is also the highest ever Test score by a batsman whose team was subsequently defeated in the match.
After Steve Waugh
Steve Waugh
Stephen Rodger "Steve" Waugh, AO is a former Australian cricketer and fraternal twin of cricketer Mark Waugh. A right-handed batsman, he was also a successful medium-pace bowler...
's retirement at the beginning of 2004 following the drawn home series against India, Ponting assumed the Test captaincy. Since 1997 the Australian team has not always had the same captain for Tests and for ODIs, with Mark Taylor
Mark Taylor (cricketer)
Mark Anthony Taylor, AO is a former Australian cricket player and Test opening batsman from 1988–1999, as well as captain from 1994–1999, succeeding Allan Border...
and Steve Waugh
Steve Waugh
Stephen Rodger "Steve" Waugh, AO is a former Australian cricketer and fraternal twin of cricketer Mark Waugh. A right-handed batsman, he was also a successful medium-pace bowler...
being dropped from the ODI team whilst still the Test captain.
2004–2008: Appointment as Test captain
Simon Katich
Simon Matthew Katich is an Australian cricketer. He is the captain of the New South Wales Blues, and also captained, up until the end of the 2007 season, Derbyshire County Cricket Club...
, who had scored a century and unbeaten fifty in the last Test. However, this backfired and Symonds was dropped after two Tests. Nevertheless, it was a far cry from Australia's last two Test campaigns in Sri Lanka, which had resulted in a 1–0 and 0–1 results respectively. Individually though, Ponting struggled, especially in comparison to his efforts in 1999. He scored 198 runs at 33.00, his only effort beyond 30 being 92 in the first innings of the Third Test at the Sinhalese Sports Club ground in Colombo.
Australia hosted Sri Lanka for two Tests during the winter, in the tropical north. Ponting missed the victory in the First Test in Darwin due to a family bereavement, and scored 22 and 45 as the Second Test in Cairns was drawn.
Despite their success at World Cups, Australia continued their failure to win the ICC Champions Trophy
ICC Champions Trophy
The ICC Champions Trophy is a One Day International cricket tournament, second in importance only to the Cricket World Cup. It was inaugurated as the ICC Knock Out tournament in 1998 and has been played every two years since, changing its name to the Champions Trophy in 2002...
. They were knocked out by hosts England in the semifinals in 2004.
After missing most of the tour of India due to injury, Ponting returned for the Fourth Test. By this time, Australia had taken an unassailable 2–0 series lead, his deputy Gilchrist leading the tourists to their first Test series win in India since 1969–70. Leading spinner Shane Warne
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
injured himself on the eve of the match, which was played on a very dry pitch at the Wankhede Stadium
Wankhede Stadium
The Sheshrao Krushnarao Wankhede Stadium is a cricket stadium in the Indian city of Mumbai. This ground was built after disputes between the Cricket Club of India, which owns the Brabourne Stadium, and the Mumbai Cricket Association over the allocation of tickets for cricket matches...
in Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
.Off spin
Off spin
Off spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
ner Nathan Hauritz
Nathan Hauritz
Nathan Michael Hauritz is an Australian cricketer who has represented Australia in Tests, One-dayers and Twenty20 Internationals. He is mainly noted for his off spin bowling....
and leg spin
Leg spin
Leg spin is a type of spin bowling in the sport of cricket. A leg spinner bowls right-arm with a wrist spin action, causing the ball to spin from right to left in the cricket pitch, at the point of delivery. When the ball bounces, the spin causes the ball to deviate sharply from right to left, that...
ner Cameron White
Cameron White
Cameron Leon White is an Australian cricketer and current Australian Twenty20 captain. A powerful middle order batsman and right-arm leg-spin bowler, White made his first-class cricket debut as a teenager in the 2000–01 season for the Victorian Bushrangers as a bowling all-rounder...
, who were not regular wicket-takers in domestic cricket, were surpri♫se selections ahead of Stuart MacGill
Stuart MacGill
Stuart Charles Glyndwr MacGill is a former right-arm leg spin bowler of the Australian cricket team, with a domestic career at Western Australia, New South Wales, Nottinghamshire, Devon and Somerset...
for the tour. The reasoning given by the selectors was that as they intended to play only one spinner—Warne—MacGill was unlikely to play so they would not lose anything by taking some young spinners instead, in order to gain experience. However, it was too late for MacGill to be flown in, and Hauritz played and took 5/103, while India's. Ponting made 11 and 12 and Australia lost a low-scoring match in less than two days' equivalent playing time. Ponting was very vocal in criticising the playing surface after the match.
Ponting oversaw a successful campaign in the 2004–05 Australian season. They won all five Tests, defeating New Zealand 2–0 and Pakistan 3–0. Ponting scored 145 runs at 72.50 against New Zealand in a winning start to his Test captaincy on home soil.
Up to this point, Ponting's prolific form with the bat in 2003 had tapered away following his ascension to the captaincy and he had not made a century in eight Tests, a long period by his standards. In the First Test against Pakistan in Perth, Ponting made 98 in the second innings. Australia went on to crush the visitors by over 400 runs. Ponting struck 62 not out in the second innings as Australia won by nine wickets in the Second Test in Melbourne, and then brought up his maiden century as captain, scoring 207 in the New Year's Test in Sydney, which ended in another convincing nine-wicket triumph. He ended the series with 403 runs at 100.75.
Australia then won a three-Test tour against New Zealand away 2–0. Ponting ended the series in style, scoring 105 and 86 not out in the Third Test win in New Zealand. In his first Test series in the country, he scored 293 runs at 97.66.
Australia lose an Ashes series for the first time since 1987
Australia lost to England 2–1 after starting the series as favourites. Ponting thus became the first Australian captain since Allan BorderAllan Border
Allan Robert Border AO is a former Australian cricketer. A batsman, Border was for many years the captain of the Australian team. His playing nickname was "A.B.". He played 156 Test matches in his career, a record until it was passed by fellow Australian Steve Waugh...
in 1986–87 to lose an Ashes series. The 2005 series was hailed as one of the great Test series, but Ponting faced significant criticism afterwards and his tenure as captain was questioned. In his defence, Ponting said that Australia had simply been outplayed and had not stepped up at crucial moments in the matches. He rejected suggestions that Shane Warne
Shane Warne
Shane Keith Warne is a former Australian international cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of the game. In 2000, he was selected by a panel of cricket experts as one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Century, the only specialist bowler selected in the quintet...
should be captain in his stead.
The series began with a decisive 239-run win to Australia at Lord's
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
, with Australia's bowlers dominating the English batsmen. England made only 155 and 180, and only Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Peter Pietersen, MBE is a South African-born English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional off spin bowler who plays for England and Surrey...
passed 50, which he did in both innings.
In the pre-match warm up before the next Test at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
, an accidental injury to Glenn McGrath
Glenn McGrath
Glenn Donald McGrath AM , nicknamed "Pigeon", is a former Australian cricket player. He is one of the most highly regarded fast-medium pace bowlers in cricketing history, and a leading contributor to Australia's domination of world cricket from the mid-1990s to the early 21st century...
, who took nine wickets at Lord's, led to his late withdrawal from the match with an ankle injury. Ponting sent England in to bat after winning the toss after the hosts' insipid batting display in the series opener, a decision widely criticised, as the pitch was ideal for batting. England immediately attacked in the absence of McGrath and seized the initiative. They posted a big first innings total of 407 in less than 80 overs on the first day, and won the game by two runs despite a late stumble and a near-successful run chase by bowlers Brett Lee
Brett Lee
Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
and Michael Kasprowicz
Michael Kasprowicz
Michael Scott Kasprowicz is a former Australian Test cricketer. He is a right arm fast bowler, effective outfielder and useful lower order batsman, and has enjoyed a successful career both in Australia and in the English county scene since making his debut for Queensland as a seventeen year old in...
on the final day. England had the upper hand throughout the third Test at Old Trafford
Old Trafford (cricket)
Old Trafford is a cricket ground situated on Talbot Road in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. It has been the home of Lancashire County Cricket Club since its foundation in 1864, having been the ground of Manchester Cricket Club from 1857...
, where Australia needed to bat through the last day to force a draw. Ponting scored 156, the first Australian century of the series, and was dismissed only four overs from the end of the day. This left Australia nine wickets down but their final pair survived the remaining overs. In the fourth Test at Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
, Australia again batted poorly and was forced to follow-on. In the second innings, Ponting was well set on a score of 48, and England was in some difficulty due to an injury to key paceman Simon Jones
Simon Jones (cricketer)
Simon Philip Jones MBE is a Welsh cricketer, who played internationally for England. Formerly playing his county cricket for Glamorgan County Cricket Club and then Worcestershire before moving in September 2009 to Hampshire. He is currently on a month's loan with his first county, Glamorgan...
, when the Australian captain was run out by a direct hit from the substitute fielder (Gary Pratt
Gary Pratt
Gary Joseph Pratt is an English cricketer and a footballer. He is primarily a left-handed batsman but also bowls right-arm off breaks...
). Ponting reacted angrily, directing an abusive tirade at the English support team in the pavilion concerning the liberal use of substitutes as he walked into the Australian rooms. England had routinely used substitutes so that their bowlers could receive massages between their spells, but in this case, Pratt was on the field due to an injury to Jones, who had been taken to hospital and would go on to miss the fifth and final Test match of the series. Ponting was later fined 75% of his match fee by the match referee.
After England won the match by three wickets after nervously chasing down a target of 128 to take a two-one lead in the series, Ponting returned to the subject of substitutes in an interview with Australian radio: "I think it's an absolute disgrace the spirit of the game is being treated like that. It is within the rules; it's just not within the spirit of the game." England coach Duncan Fletcher
Duncan Fletcher
Duncan Andrew Gwynne Fletcher OBE is a former Zimbabwean cricketer, formerly captain of the Zimbabwean cricket team and the current coach of the Indian Cricket Team. He has been appointed as coach of the Indian Cricket Team on April 27, 2011...
later commented on this incident: "He [Ponting] completely blew his top. I did not actually think it at the time but, looking back now, that might be the moment when it became clear that England were going to regain the Ashes."
Australia went on to lose the match, despite a spirited fightback with the ball on the last day. Also in this match Ponting bowled six overs, and took his first wicket since March 1999; Michael Vaughan
Michael Vaughan
Michael Paul Vaughan OBE is a retired cricketer who represented Yorkshire and England. A classically elegant right-handed batsman and occasional off-spinner, Vaughan was ranked one of the best batsmen in the world following the 2002/3 Ashes, in which he scored 633 runs, including three centuries...
caught behind by Adam Gilchrist
Adam Gilchrist
Adam Craig Gilchrist AM , nicknamed "Gilly" or "Churchy", is an Australian international cricketer who currently captains Kings XI Punjab and recently captained Middlesex. He is an attacking left-handed batsman and record-breaking wicket-keeper, who redefined the role for the Australian national...
. The Fifth Test at The Oval
The Oval
The Kia Oval, still commonly referred to by its original name of The Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in the London Borough of Lambeth. In the past it was also sometimes called the Kennington Oval...
was curtailed by rain and although Australia had the English batsmen in danger on the final day, a rearguard counterattacking partnership by Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Peter Pietersen, MBE is a South African-born English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional off spin bowler who plays for England and Surrey...
and Ashley Giles
Ashley Giles
Ashley Fraser Giles MBE is a retired English cricketer. Giles played the entirety of his 14-year first-class career at Warwickshire County Cricket Club where he is now employed as Director of Cricket...
on the final afternoon secured a draw for the hosts. Thus, the Ashes were lost for the first time in 16 years.
The setback to Australia, and to Ponting as Australian captain, of the 2005 Ashes defeat, was to prove a strong motivation for the Australian camp to improve their standards and overcome any complacency that may have arisen from Australia's being the world's premier cricketing nation for a decade. Prior to the Ashes defeat, Australia's dominance had prompted the ICC to organise a series against a World XI, immediately after the Ashes. Following the Ashes defeat, Australia were expected to struggle against the World XI, but bounced back to whitewash them 3–0 in the ODIs; they also won the only Test easily, Ponting scoring 46 and 54. However, the series was also criticised due to the apparent lack of collective desire of the World XI, who were regarded more as a collection of individuals. Following the Ashes defeat, and the pivotal role played by English all rounder Andrew Flintoff
Andrew Flintoff
Andrew "Freddie" Flintoff MBE is a former English cricketer who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club, England and the Indian Premier League team Chennai Super Kings. A tall fast bowler, batsman and slip fielder, Flintoff according to the ICC rankings was consistently rated amongst the top...
, which allowed England to field five frontline bowlers, Australia decided to adopt this strategy. Thus Damien Martyn
Damien Martyn
Damien Richard Martyn is a former Australian cricketer. He played for the national team sporadically in 1992–1994 before becoming a regular ODI player in 1999–2000 and a regular Test player in 2001 until his retirement in late 2006...
, a specialist batsman who struggled in England, was dropped, and Watson brought into the team to bat at No. 7 behind Gilchrist and bowl regularly. Watson was injured in his second Test in the role, but the policy was continued, although his replacement Andrew Symonds struggled and averaged less than 20 with the bat and more than 35 with the ball, without taking many wickets, for over a year. Despite this, the policy was persisted with.
Twin centuries in 100th Test
Ponting was in a rich vein of form against the South Africans. After scoring 71 and 53 in the drawn First Test in Perth, Ponting scored 117 on Boxing Day in the Second Test at the MCG. Australia won the match and Ponting scored 120 and 143 not out to end the series and start the New Year with a dramatic win in the Third Test at the SCG. South African captain Graeme Smith
Graeme Smith
Graeme Craig Smith is a South African cricketer and captain of the South African cricket team Test Match side, having succeeded Shaun Pollock after the 2003 Cricket World Cup...
declared on the final morning of a rain-curtailed match and tried to open up the game in a bid to equal the series. He left Australia a target of 287 runs in 76 overs, and Ponting made 143 not out in only 159 balls to secure an eight-wicket win. It was the first time anyone had scored two centuries in their 100th Test and Ponting was named man of the match and man of the series. He had scored 515 runs at 103.00.
Australia's first Champions Trophy victory
In 2005, Ponting began using cricket bats with a graphite covering over the wooden blade of the bat, as did other players contracted to Kookaburra SportKookaburra Sport
Kookaburra is an Australian sports equipment company, specialising in cricket and hockey equipment, named after the Australian kingfisher. The company notably manufactures the most widely used brand of ball used in One-day internationals and Test cricket....
. This was ruled by the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
to have contravened Law 6.1, which states that bats have to be made of wood, although they may be "covered with material for protection, strengthening or repair not likely to cause unacceptable damage to the ball". Ponting and Kookaburra agreed to comply, before the series against South Africa.
Australia continued their run in South Africa even in the absence of McGrath for family reasons. Ponting scored 103 and 116 in the Second Test in Durban, making it three Test centuries in consecutive innings at the ground. He ended the series with 348 runs at 58.00. On 12 March 2006, Ponting scored 164 in only 105 balls in the 5th ODI against South Africa
Australia in South Africa, 5th ODI, 2006
The 5th One Day International cricket match between South Africa and Australia was played on 12 March 2006 at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. The match broke many cricket records, including both the first and the second team innings score of over 400 runs. Australia won the toss and elected to...
in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, as Australia made a record total of 434 for 4, only to be beaten by South Africa's 438 for 9. At the end of the match Ponting was jointly awarded Man of the Match with Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Gibbs
Herschelle Herman Gibbs is a South African cricketer, more specifically a batsman.Gibbs was schooled at St Joseph's Marist College and then Diocesan College in Rondebosch...
. Ponting was not happy with the performance and once in the dressing rooms delivered "the biggest spray" he hoped to do while captain of Australia.
The Australians moved on to their maiden Test tour of Bangladesh thereafter, and narrowly avoided an ignominious loss in the First Test at Fatullah. After the home side took an unexpected first innings lead, Ponting scored an unbeaten 118 in the second innings to guide his team to a three-wicket win. He scored 52 in the Second Test as Australia won by an innings and took the series 2–0.
Australia won the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy
2006 ICC Champions Trophy
The 2006 ICC Champions Trophy was a One Day International cricket tournament held in India from 7 October to 5 November 2006. It was the fifth edition of the ICC Champions Trophy...
in India, finally winning the ODI tournament that had eluded them despite their World Cup success. After the final in Mumbai, Ponting drew some criticism for appearing to ask BCCI president and Indian cabinet minister Sharad Pawar
Sharad Pawar
Sharadchandra Govindrao Pawar , popularly known as SAHEB , is the president of the Nationalist Congress Party which he founded in 1999, after separating from the Indian National Congress...
to "leave the podium" and pointing towards the exit with his finger, while his team-mate Damien Martyn
Damien Martyn
Damien Richard Martyn is a former Australian cricketer. He played for the national team sporadically in 1992–1994 before becoming a regular ODI player in 1999–2000 and a regular Test player in 2001 until his retirement in late 2006...
pushed him gently in the back so that his team could commence celebrations. The issue, while minor, was solved when Ponting issued a formal apology to Pawar.
Ashes regained and 10,000 ODI runs at 2007 World Cup
In November 2006, the England cricket team again took on Australia in the first Test of a five Test series that was widely expected to be a tremendous contest between Australia, the top team on the world cricket rankings, and the England team, whose aggregated results over the last few years had it standing second in the rankings. Despite Australia this time having the advantage of playing on its own soil, the England team that had wrested the Ashes from the Australians was expected to be highly competitive.Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Ponting top-scored in Australia's first innings with 196 runs, and he followed this up with 60 not out in the second as Australia took the initiative with a commanding win. In the Second Test in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Ponting top-scored with 142, helping Australia to a total of 513 in response to England's 6/551. Australia went on to win the match by six wickets after a last day English collapse, Ponting making 49 in the chase. At the conclusion of the match, Ponting's batting average peaked at 59.99. The Third Test played at the WACA Ground
WACA Ground
The WACA is a sports stadium in Perth, Western Australia. WACA are the initials of its owners and operators, the Western Australian Cricket Association....
saw another win to Australia by 206 runs to reclaim the Ashes; Ponting made 2 and 75. The 15 months they had been in English hands was the shortest period either nation had held the urn. Further wins in Melbourne and Sydney, made Ponting's team the second team (after Warwick Armstrong
Warwick Armstrong
Warwick Windridge Armstrong was an Australian cricketer who played 50 Test matches between 1902 and 1921. An all-rounder, he captained Australia in ten Test matches between 1920 and 1921 and was undefeated, winning eight Tests and drawing two...
's Australian team in 1920–21) to win an Ashes series 5–0, and that against what had been thought to be a formidable enemy, the second strongest cricketing team in the world. Ricky Ponting was awarded Man of the Series for the 2006–07 Ashes series after scoring 576 runs at an average of 82.29 including 2 centuries and 2 half centuries.
Australia then started the ODI series well, qualifying in first place for the final. However, they stumbled and lost 2–0 to England in the finals. Ponting was then rested for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy ahead of the World Cup, and in his absence, the Australians were whitewashed 3–0, leading to suggestions that his team had slumped just ahead of the most important ODI tournament in world cricket.
Australia left for St Vincent, Australia's venue for its two warm-up matches against Zimbabwe and England on 28 February without Brett Lee because of ankle damage. In the first warmup game against Zimbabwe, Ponting scored just 2 in Australia's 106 run victory. In Australia's second and last warm up game, this time against England, Ponting again failed to make an impact, scoring just 7 before he was bowled by off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple
Jamie Dalrymple
James William Murray "Jamie" Dalrymple is a Kenyan-born English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and off-spin bowler....
.
Australia started its official World Cup campaign with three group matches played at Warner Park
Warner Park
Warner Park is a community park on the northeast side of Madison, Wisconsin near Lake Mendota. It is the annual home for the largest fireworks show in the Midwest, Rhythm and Booms....
, St Kitts. Ponting himself started his campaign successfully with an innings of 113 from 93 deliveries that included five sixes, as Australia were dominant in 203 run victory against Scotland. Ponting later wrote Despite scoring just 23 in the next match against the Netherlands, Australia still amassed 358 and proceeded to bundle out the Dutch for 129 in 26.5 overs. In the lead up to Australia's last group stage match against pre-tournament number one ranked team South Africa; former South African batsman Jonty Rhodes
Jonty Rhodes
Jonathan Neil "Jonty" Rhodes is a former South African Test and One Day International cricketer who played for the South African cricket team between 1992 and 2003.Rhodes was born in Pietermaritzburg, Natal Province, South Africa...
claimed that Australia were not as good fielding side as the South Africans. Winning the toss and batting first, Australia amassed 377/6—their highest score in World Cups. Matthew Hayden scored 101 from 68 deliveries and reached three figures in only 66 deliveries, and in doing so, scored the fastest Cricket World Cup century in history. Ponting also scored 91 from 91 balls, and became the seventh player to score 10,000 ODI runs. Despite South Africa being 160 without loss in the 21st over, bringing back memories of their record run chase in Johannesburg a year earlier, South Africa crumbled, losing 9 wickets for just 74 runs. At the post-game media conference, Ponting was critical of Kallis' innings (48 from 63).
2007 Cricket World Cup Super Eight stage
The Super Eight stage of the 2007 Cricket World Cup was scheduled between 27 March 2007 and 21 April 2007, and determined the four qualifiers for the semi-finals of the tournament...
with their first match played at the new Antigua Recreation Ground
Antigua Recreation Ground
Antigua Recreation Ground is the national stadium of Antigua and Barbuda. It is located in St. John's, on the island of Antigua. The ground has been used by the West Indies cricket team and Antigua and Barbuda national football team...
in Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. Ponting stated that he was not very impressed with the outfield labelling it "ridiculously sandy".
The Australian captain was run out when on 35, with his team amassing 322 mainly thanks to 158 from Hayden. In a match spread out over two days, Australia comfortably defeated the home side by 103 runs. In their next match, Australia come up against lowly Bangladesh in another ran interrupted affair. This time the match was shortened to 22 overs a side as the stadium failed to handle the rain that fell before the rain. In the end Australia won by 10 wickets with Ponting not getting a chance to bat.
Ponting's men had an eight day break before their match against England again in Antigua. Despite Kevin Pieterson's century in England's innings, Ponting scored a half-century guiding Australia to a seven wicket victory.
After not getting a bat in Australia's rout of Ireland in Barbados on 13 April, Ponting steered Australia to victory in their next match against Sri Lanka in Grenada, with 66 not out. Grenada was again the venue for Australia's final super eights battle, this time against New Zealand. Again amongst the runs, Ponting produced a fluent 66 that included seven boundaries, with his team wrapping up their biggest victory of the tournament. Before the Sri Lankan match, reports came out describing the pitch as a "compost heap", although Ponting disagreed, even though he described the square as "patchy".
With his men now firm favourites for the tournament, they again came up against South Africa in the Semi-Final. Surprisingly to some, South African skipper Graeme Smith elected to bat on a pitch that appeared to have something in it. South Africa, who were reeling at 27/5, ended up posting 149. Ponting's description of the performance was, "they were all trying to play the innings of their life in the same game, but they were cut down, one after the other. Instead of swimming between the flags, they drowned down the wrong end of the beach. Smith and Jacques Kallis were too aggressive much too quickly..."
Although Ponting struggled to trouble the scorers with 22, Australia easily dispatched South Africa by 7 wickets, inside 32 overs.
Sydney Test controversy
The 2007–08 started a new era for Australia, as McGrath and Warne had both retired at the end of the previous Ashes series. The pair had taken more than 1250 Test wickets between them, and the only three Test defeats that Australia had suffered under Ponting, once against India in Mumbai in 2004 and the two against England in 2005, had all occurred when one of the two were injured. Now that both had gone, critics wondered whether Australia and Ponting could maintain their success with their two main strike weapons absent. Australia had not played a Test since the Ashes, while being involved in 32 ODIs and eight Twenty20 Internationals. The period started well for Australia; winning the first Test against Sri Lanka in Brisbane by an innings and 40 runs. Ponting struck 56 from 84 balls (seven fours) in Australia's total of 551. The Second Test in Hobart, saw Ponting score 31 (66 balls) and 53 not out (2 fours and a six) in front of his come crowd, as Australia wrapped up the series 2–0. Ponting scored 140 runs at 70 and took three catches.However, the series against India was much harder-fought. Australia won the First Test easily, by 337 runs, but the matches thereafter were more difficult. The Second Test
Second Test, 2007-08 Border-Gavaskar Trophy
The Second Test in the Indian cricket team's tour of Australia for the 2007–08 summer was a controversial Test cricket match played over five days at the Sydney Cricket Ground from 2 to 6 January 2008...
was closely fought and ended in Australian victory minutes before the end of play. This saw Australia equal the world record of 16 consecutive Test wins; Ponting, was part of Steve Waugh side that set the previous record in 1999–2001. However, the cricket was overshadowed by player conduct issues.
After the match ended the stadium erupted in cheering as the Indians walked off the field, and the Australians celebrated their record-equalling win. The Australians revelled in their victory, praising Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (cricketer)
Michael John Clarke is an Australian cricketer. He was appointed captain of the Test and ODI teams on 30 March 2011. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler...
. In an interview live at the ground, Ponting also asked Clarke to tell the commentator Tony Greig
Tony Greig
Anthony "Tony" William Greig is a former English Test cricketer and currently a commentator.Born in Queenstown, South Africa, Greig qualified to play for England by virtue of his Scottish father. He was a tall batting all-rounder who bowled both medium pace and off spin. He became captain of the...
that the declaration
Declaration and forfeiture
In the sport of cricket a declaration occurs when a captain declares his team's innings closed and a forfeiture is when a captain chooses to forfeit an innings. Declaration and forfeiture are covered in Law 14 of the Laws of cricket...
was timed exactly right. Adam Gilchrist was also reported as asking the question, "How about that declaration, Tony Greig". The Australian Team did not shake hands with Indian Players on the field, especially Kumble who was waiting there after the fall of the final wicket. Though the Australian and Indian teams shook hands before heading into the dressing rooms later, but Kumble, who was batting at the end of the match, showed his displeasure by not shaking hands with the umpires. India expressed their resentment by boycotting the Post-Match presentation ceremony.
In the post-match press conference, Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian Test cricket team. He is a right-arm leg spin bowler and a right-hand batsman. He is currently the leading wicket-taker for India in both Test and One Day International matches...
summed up his view of the game by stating, "Only one team is playing in the spirit of the game" – a statement that alluded to Australian captain Bill Woodfull
Bill Woodfull
William Maldon "Bill" Woodfull OBE was an Australian cricketer of the 1920s and 1930s. He captained both Victoria and Australia, and was best known for his dignified and moral conduct during the tumultuous bodyline series in 1932–33 that almost saw the end of Anglo-Australian cricketing ties...
's leaked private admonishment of English manager Sir Pelham Warner during the 1932/33 Bodyline series
Bodyline
Bodyline, also known as fast leg theory bowling, was a cricketing tactic devised by the English cricket team for their 1932–33 Ashes tour of Australia, specifically to combat the extraordinary batting skill of Australia's Don Bradman...
. Chetan Chauhan
Chetan Chauhan
Chetan Pratap Singh Chauhan is a former cricketer who played 40 Test matches for India...
, India's team manager said his players were "agitated and upset by... the incompetent umpires here... [and hoped] that they will not officiate again in the series". Ponting was questioned over the wrong decision, the racism row, and especially the wicket of Ganguly during which he held his finger up to indicate to Mark Benson
Mark Benson
Mark Richard Benson is a former International cricketer and a retired ICC Elite Panel cricket umpire - he played for England in one Test match and one One Day International in 1986....
that Ganguly has been caught. Ponting was aggressive towards the Indian journalists, lashing out at them for "questioning my [Ponting's] integrity". The Australian players faced much questioning as a result of the fallout of the incident. The Australian team maintained that they play hard but fair. Pace bowler Brett Lee
Brett Lee
Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
outlined the competitive spirit in the team while Ponting insisted that the only player to have been outside the spirit of the game was on the Indian side. In regards to the racism issue, Ponting denied he did anything wrong by singularly reporting Harbhajan Singh for being abusive. Ponting stated that he was obligated to refer any incidents of racism to officials as it is widely agreed that racism is unacceptable anywhere in the world. "When I heard what had taken place with Andrew [Symonds] I immediately informed the umpires and then left the field at the end of the over to inform our team manager, which is what we are instructed to do," Ponting said. He clarified his point further, "making this report is not something I wanted to do but something I had to do. I had nothing to gain personally from taking this action. I was doing the right thing by the game. After criticism of the Australian team in multiple media continued, a shocked Ponting promised to ensure that his World champion side’s conduct is not seen to be arrogant in future matches.
The Indian players released few statements about the issue. Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble
Anil Kumble is a former Indian cricketer and captain of the Indian Test cricket team. He is a right-arm leg spin bowler and a right-hand batsman. He is currently the leading wicket-taker for India in both Test and One Day International matches...
wrote in his column in the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....
that Ponting was not willing to listen to his pleas that the issue should remain on the field. Kumble claimed that he knew through experience that such an allegation would have major ramifications both on and off the field. Both teams have expressed hope that this issue would not overshadow the cricket. The English Australian
English Australian
English Australians, also known as Anglo-Australians are Australians of English descent, are the single largest ethnic group in Australia and the largest 'ancestry' identity in the Australia Census after "Australian"...
journalist and former captain of Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club
Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset...
, Peter Roebuck
Peter Roebuck
Peter Michael Roebuck was an English cricketer who achieved later renown as an Australian newspaper columnist and radio commentator. A consistent county performer with over 25,000 runs, and "one of the better English openers of the 1980s", Roebuck captained the English county side Somerset...
, a columnist in the The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald
The Sydney Morning Herald is a daily broadsheet newspaper published by Fairfax Media in Sydney, Australia. Founded in 1831 as the Sydney Herald, the SMH is the oldest continuously published newspaper in Australia. The newspaper is published six days a week. The newspaper's Sunday counterpart, The...
, branded Ponting as "arrogant" and insisted that be stripped of the captaincy.
In the early part of the Test series against India, Ponting continued to struggle against Harbhajan, falling to him three consecutive times in the first two Tests. On the third occasion, Ponting was again caught at bat pad, from the first ball that Harbhajan bowled to him, prompting the bowler to celebrate raucously. Harbhajan missed the Third Test and upon his return in the fourth Test, Ponting broke through for his first Test century against India in matches involving Harbhajan, scoring 140. However, the second half of the series was less successful for Australia as a team; India won the Third Test, ending the Australian streak and denying Ponting a world record 17th successive win, and the Fourth Test was a high-scoring draw. The Adelaide Test aside, Ponting had an otherwise unproductive season, scoring 268 runs at 38.28.
In the Commonwealth Bank series, Ponting struggled until Australia's last round robin match against India where he and another poor performing Australian batsmen, Andrew Symonds put on a 100 run partnership with Ponting making a hundred and Symonds making 50. Australia won two of their three round robin matches against the Indians, but the tables were turned in the finals, which the tourists won 2–0.
Third Australian to score 10,000 Test runs
The tour of the West Indies was the first overseas Test series for Australia in 25 months, and the first for Ponting's new look bowling attack. In five previous Test series in 1999 and 2003, he averaged 98.71, with four hundreds. He also averaged 42.80 in 25 ODIs from four tours—1995, 1999, 2003 and the 2007 World Cup. After eight months of consecutive cricket from the World Twenty20, Ponting was surprised about how good he was feeling, despite believing that he would be weary from the amount of cricket he had played.In the only warm up match before the series—against a Jamaican XI, the Australians drew controversy from various sections of the media as they chose to wear a sponsors cap over the traditional Baggy Green cap. This was because wicket–keeper Brad Haddin did not want to receive a Baggy Green as he was yet to play in a Test. The rest of the team decided they wanted to look uniform although they wore their Baggy Greens in Jamaica's second innings. Ponting scored 17 in the first innings and 20 not out in the second, as a storm prevented an Australian victory.
After winning the toss and electing to bat in the First Test in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
, Ponting recorded his 35th Test century, before he was eventually dismissed in the final session of the opening day for 158 from 224 balls (16 fours and a six). Despite forcing their way back into contention, the West Indies were defeated by 95 runs. In the Second Test, Ponting became the seventh player and third Australian to score 10,000 Test runs. It took Ponting 118 Tests and 196 innings' to achieve the feat, one slower than Tendulkar and Lara. He was dismissed in the following over for 65, scored in 123 balls. Despite his many achievemnets, Ponting gained more joy out of team victories, "I am more proud of how many winnings teams I've played in rather than how many runs I've scored," he said. "The one-on-one contests of the game of cricket is what keeps me going. Milestones and stats have never been anything that's motivated me about the game." Ponting scored 38 (48 balls) in Australia's second innings, as the match ended in a draw. In the final Test in Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
, he made just 18 and 39; however, Australia comfortably accounted for the home team, winning by 89 runs.
The Australian captain ended the series with 323 runs at 53.83. Although Australia won the three–Test series handsomely, with a 2–0 margin, they were to face stronger opposition overseas, in the next year. Difficulties were also beginning to appear in the spin department. MacGill, who had taken over 200 wickets in his career despite playing only sporadically due to the presence of Warne, suffered a loss of form and decided to retire during the series. Brad Hogg
Brad Hogg
George Bradley "Brad" Hogg , is an Australian cricketer currently listed with the Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League. He is a left-arm chinaman bowler, and a capable lower-order left-handed batsman, as well as an excellent fielder....
, the regular ODI spinner had also retired prior to the series, and Beau Casson
Beau Casson
Beau Casson is a former Australian cricketer who played for Western Australia and New South Wales, in a career spanning from 2002 to 2011, and has represented Australia at Test cricket. Primarily a left arm wrist spinner, Casson is also capable with the bat and has a highest First-class score of 99...
made his debut in the final Test.
After not batting in Australia's Twenty20 loss in Bridgetown
Bridgetown
The city of Bridgetown , metropolitan pop 96,578 , is the capital and largest city of the nation of Barbados. Formerly, the Town of Saint Michael, the Greater Bridgetown area is located within the parish of Saint Michael...
, Ponting was rested for the List A 50-over game against the University of West Indies Vice Chancellor's XI. He returned for the first three ODIs and scored just 87 runs at 29.00, notching up his 300th ODI during the 2nd match. Ponting scored 69 in the third match, before returning home because of a wrist injury. Under the captaincy of Michael Clarke in the final two games, Australia swept the series 5–0.
Mixed team performances
In 2008, Ponting led the Australians back to India, and Ponting had not led an Australian team to victory there, as he missed the first three Tests of the 2004 tour due to injury. Adam Gilchrist led the Australians to a 2–1 victory, however Australia lost the fourth and final Test in MumbaiMumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
when Ponting returned. It was Australia's first Test series win in India since 1969–70, in which he made 11 and 12, on a controversial pitch.
Ponting was also under pressure following the spiteful confrontations during the Indian tour of Australia earlier in the year, and only scored 17 runs at 3.40 in 2001. Ponting acknowledged that he was keen to rectify his poor Test batting record in India. Australia's attack was also to come under the microscope; in a traditionally spin-dominated country, they only had the uncapped Bryce McGain
Bryce McGain
Bryce Edward McGain is a professional Australian cricketer who currently plays for Victoria. McGain made his first-class debut in 2002 against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground. However, due to other Victorian spinners—Shane Warne and Cameron White—he was unable to hold down a place in...
, Jason Krejza
Jason Krejza
Jason John Krejza is an Australian cricketer. He also plays for the Tasmanian Tigers and Leicestershire. Krejza's father was a association football player from Czechoslovakia and his mother was born in Poland...
, and White, who was no longer a regular bowler in domestic cricket. Australia's tactics were questioned from the outset. McGain was sent home injured and Krejza was heavily attacked by India's younger batsmen in a tour match, conceding 0/199 in 31 overs. Krejza was then omitted from the first three Tests, even though Ponting publicly claimed his confidence in his bowler. White played at No. 8, a specialist bowler's position, even though he played mostly as a batsman in first-class cricket. Although Ponting frequently extolled White in public, he often opted to use the part-time left arm orthodox spin of Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (cricketer)
Michael John Clarke is an Australian cricketer. He was appointed captain of the Test and ODI teams on 30 March 2011. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler...
more often and before White.
In the First Test on a turning pitch in Bangalore, Ponting brought up his first Test century in India, 123 on the first day, although he eventually fell leg before wicket to Harbhajan. After the innings Ponting said, "Today is one step in the right direction. It was nice to get some runs out there and put the team in a good position. But one innings doesn't make a tour." The other tours I've had here, apart from the last Test I played, I've batted at six, always coming in against spin and when the wicket has worn. One thing that stands out in my career is whenever I've been in early, with the team in a bit of trouble, I've managed to make runs." Australia had the hosts seven wickets down in their first innings, still more than 320 runs in arrears, but India recovered to salvage a draw after a rearguard effort.
In the Second Test in Mohali. Australia were defeated by 320 runs and Ponting was criticised for using part-timers against the free-scoring Indian batsmen in the second innings, because of a slow over-rate, which is penalisable by a fine, or in severe instances, a ban to the captain. This meant that he was not able to use pace spearhead Brett Lee
Brett Lee
Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
significantly. A long discussion between Lee and Ponting prompted media allegations of a team rift.
The Third Test in Delhi saw a flat pitch, where India scored 7/613 in its first innings. Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir is an Indian cricketer, a batsman. He has been a member of the Indian national cricket team since 2003 and 2004...
and VVS Laxman both scored double centuries, and Ponting resorted to bowling himself for two overs. Ponting amassed 87 in Australia's first innings score of 577. The match ended in a draw and Australia needed to win in the Fourth Test in Nagpur to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
With Australia needing to win the Fourth Test, Krejza was called in and took 12 wickets on debut. On the fourth afternoon of the Fourth Test, the Indian batting collapsed, and Australia had an opportunity to bowl them out and chase a target of around 250–300 after the tea break. However, the Australians were a long way behind on their over rate, so in order to avoid a one match suspension, Ponting chose to bowl their part-time
All-rounder
An all-rounder is a cricketer who regularly performs well at both batting and bowling. Although all bowlers must bat and quite a few batsmen do bowl occasionally, most players are skilled in only one of the two disciplines and are considered specialists...
spinners and medium pacers such as Michael Clarke
Michael Clarke (cricketer)
Michael John Clarke is an Australian cricketer. He was appointed captain of the Test and ODI teams on 30 March 2011. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler...
, Cameron White
Cameron White
Cameron Leon White is an Australian cricketer and current Australian Twenty20 captain. A powerful middle order batsman and right-arm leg-spin bowler, White made his first-class cricket debut as a teenager in the 2000–01 season for the Victorian Bushrangers as a bowling all-rounder...
and Mike Hussey (who were all unsuccessful in capturing a wicket), as they took less time. In the meantime, captain MS Dhoni and Harbhajan both added half centuries. This drew strong criticism from many commentators
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
, who suggested that their Faster bowlers
Fast bowling
Fast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
, who had been responsible for the collapse, could have bowled from a shorter run-up. When the fast bowlers were reintroduced, the last four wickets fell quickly. This left Australia with 382 runs for victory and they lost by 172 runs to cede the series 2–0. In the first innings, Ponting became Harbhajan's 300th Test wicket. He ended the series with 264 runs at 37.71. While below his career standards, it was substantially better than his previous Test efforts in India.
Ponting escaped from India with a fine for slow over rates. He failed to redress the matter during the subsequent home series against New Zealand, when match referee Chris Broad
Chris Broad
Brian Christopher Broad, usually known as Chris Broad is a former England Test cricketer and current Test official. An opening batsman, Broad had a 25-match long international Test career during which he hit six centuries, together with 34 One Day International matches with a respectable over 40...
dealt a second successive fine for being three overs behind in the First Test: Ponting was stripped of thirty per cent of his A$12,750 match fee, twice the punishment of his team-mates in accordance with International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
rules for captains. Australia were largely untroubled by New Zealand, sweeping both Tests. Ponting scored only 100 runs at 33.33.
In the first Test in Perth, starting in December, Ponting again had to reduce his reliance on his preferred pace bowlers, and rely more on spinners due to a slow over rate. His persistent problems with the over rate have prompted some commentators to criticise him for spending too much time during the match conferring with bowlers. In the first innings he scored a duck, and managed 32 in Australia's second innings. Ponting's inexperienced attack had trouble penetrating the opposition batsmen, and South Africa made 4/414, the second highest successful runchase in history to win by six wickets on the final day.
Ponting experienced a form slump for much of 2008, albeit in comparison to his usually high standards. However he again exceeded 1,000 runs in the calendar year. Ponting scored his 37th century in the first innings of the Second Test against South Africa on Boxing Day, and followed that with 99 in the second innings, seemingly a lone stand against the South African bowling attack. The tourists won the match by nine wickets to win the series. Australia thus lost their first home Test series since 1992–93. "We've had an amazing run as a team," Ponting said after the match. "We have dominated world cricket for a long period of time. I'm still very positive and very sure that with some of these younger guys coming on that in a few years' time we can get back up there and be dominating world cricket once again. It's disappointing when you lose any series. This one I think is probably no different. The only fact that's different is that we've probably been in very strong winning positions in both of the Test matches and when we've needed to put the last couple of nails in the coffin we haven't been able to do that. The gap between our best cricket and our worst cricket has been too big. We have to make that smaller if we want to win the next Test and if we want to stay in the top group of Test-playing nations."
Australia lost the series 2–1, the first time South Africa had won a Test series against Australian since 1970, and the first on Australian soil. Ponting totalled 285 runs at 47.50 for the series.
With the retirement of experienced opening batsman Matthew Hayden—who was replaced by the uncapped 20 year-old Phillip Hughes—the Australian team that toured South Africa in February, March and April 2009 was its most inexperienced since since the defections to World Series Cricket
World Series Cricket
World Series Cricket was a break away professional cricket competition staged between 1977 and 1979 and organised by Kerry Packer for his Australian television network, Nine Network. The matches ran in opposition to established international cricket...
. This was further compounded by the loss of Andrew Symonds to injury, who was replaced by the uncapped Marcus North
Marcus North
Marcus James North is an Australian cricketer, who scored centuries on both his Test and Ashes debuts. He has also played for the Australian Cricket Academy, Western Australia, Australia A, Durham, Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Lancashire and Hampshire.He is a left-handed batsman and right arm...
. The bowling attack also required major changes, due to the injuries to Brett Lee
Brett Lee
Brett Lee is an Australian cricketer.After breaking into the Australian Test team, Lee was recognised as one of the fastest bowlers in world cricket...
and Stuart Clark
Stuart Clark
Stuart Rupert Clark is an Australian International cricketer who plays domestic cricket for the New South Wales Blues. He plays as a right-arm fast-medium bowler...
. Subsequently, paceman Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson (cricketer)
Mitchell Guy Johnson is an Australian cricketer. He is a left-arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman. He was awarded the International Cricket Council's 2009 "Cricketer of the Year" award, the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy.-Career:...
was the only bowler with more than four Tests heading into the series. Of the First Test team, Hughes, North, Ben Hilfenhaus
Ben Hilfenhaus
Benjamin William Hilfenhaus is an Australian cricketer who plays for the Tasmanian Tigers in Australian domestic cricket. Hilfenhaus plays club cricket for Tasmania University Cricket Club. Prior to turning fully professional, he worked as a bricklayer as well as playing cricket...
, Peter Siddle
Peter Siddle
Peter Matthew Siddle is an Australian Test cricketer. He is a specialist right-arm fast-medium bowler who plays for Victoria and the Australia national cricket team.-Early life and career:...
and Andrew McDonald
Andrew McDonald (cricketer)
Andrew Barry McDonald is an Australian Test cricketer who plays for the Victorian Bushrangers, and who made his Test debut in Sydney on 3 January 2009, against South Africa. McDonald also represented Australia at under 19 level and has played for the Prime Minister's XI...
had only five Tests between them, with the former three making their debut. Ponting's team took the series 2–1, so Australia maintained their No. 1 Test ranking. Ponting was praised for cobbling together an unexpected win, as South Africa were thought to be stronger on home soil. He scored eighties in the first two Tests, ending with 210 runs at 35.00.
Second Ashes series loss as captain
After losing their opening match of the 2007 World Twenty20 to Zimbabwe, Ponting's men were looking for a more positive start to the 2009 edition in England. They opened their campaign in early June against a West Indian outfit that had recently been whitewashed 2–0 in the Test series against England. However, Ponting made a second ball duck in Australia's seven wicket defeat. They played Sri Lanka in their next match, this time at Trent BridgeTrent Bridge
Trent Bridge is a Test, One-day international and County cricket ground located in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England and is also the headquarters of Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club. As well as International cricket and Nottinghamshire's home games, the ground has hosted the Finals Day of...
in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
. Ponting hit five boundaries on his 25 before he was bowled trying the run-rate, before Sri Lanka won by six wickets. The defeat consequently eliminated Australia from the tournament.
In Australia's two drawn warm-up matches ahead of the 2009 Ashes
2009 Ashes series
The 2009 Ashes series was that year's edition of the long-standing and storied cricket rivalry between England and Australia, and was part of the Australian cricket tour of England in 2009. Starting on 8 July 2009, England and Australia played five Tests, with England winning the series 2–1...
, Ponting struggled to adjust to the English conditions, somewhat, with 71 in the first match being his highest score. Nevertheless, he started the Ashes series strongly, scoring 150 in the First Test in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. In his 38th hundred and eighth Ashes century, the Australian number three batsman became just the fourth man to score 11,000 runs in Test cricket. He later revealed he had tightened his technique to suit English conditions. Despite his performance, Australia were unable to force a victory, with England's last pair, Monty Panesar
Monty Panesar
Mudhsuden Singh Panesar, known as Monty Panesar , is an English cricketer who currently plays for Sussex. A left-arm spinner, Panesar played Test and one-day cricket for England until 2009. In English county cricket he played for Northamptonshire until 2009...
and Jimmy Anderson
James Anderson (cricketer)
James Michael "Jimmy" Anderson is an English cricketer. He plays first-class cricket for Lancashire County Cricket Club and since bursting onto the scene in 2002/03, before his first full season of county cricket, Anderson has represented England in over 50 Test matches and over 100 One Day...
, surviving 66 deliveries before the match was drawn. He drew critiscm for failing to bowl fellow Tasmanian and fast-bowler Ben Hifenhaus, while the pair were at the crease. Ponting could only manage two and 38, as Australia were defeated in the second Test at Lords—their first Test defeat at the venue since 1934. In the Third Test at Edgbaston
Edgbaston Cricket Ground
Edgbaston Cricket Ground, also known as the County Ground or Edgbaston Stadium, is a cricket ground in the Edgbaston area of Birmingham, England...
, Ponting became the highest Australian run-scorer in the history of Test cricket on 31 July, overtaking former Australian captain Allan Border
Allan Border
Allan Robert Border AO is a former Australian cricketer. A batsman, Border was for many years the captain of the Australian team. His playing nickname was "A.B.". He played 156 Test matches in his career, a record until it was passed by fellow Australian Steve Waugh...
's total of 11,174 in his first-innings score of 38. The match was eventually drawn, partly due to poor weather, though Ponting could only add five further runs to his tally in the second-innings.
In the first three tests, spinner Nathan Hauritz
Nathan Hauritz
Nathan Michael Hauritz is an Australian cricketer who has represented Australia in Tests, One-dayers and Twenty20 Internationals. He is mainly noted for his off spin bowling....
had taken 12 wickets and had been unexpectedly successful given Australia's struggles to find a reliable spinner. Ponting captained the Australians to an innings and 80 run victory at the Fourth Test at Headingley
Headingley Stadium
Headingley Stadium is a sporting complex in the Leeds suburb of Headingley in West Yorkshire, England. It is the home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, rugby league team Leeds Rhinos and rugby union team Leeds Carnegie ....
, with Hauritz omitted on a pace-friendly wicket. He struck a commanding 78 from 101 balls as Australia bowled England out and took the lead on the first day. Hauritz was again left out for the Fifth and final Test at The Oval
Kensington Oval
The Kensington Oval is located to the west of the capital-city Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. "The Oval" is one of the major sporting facilities on the island and is primarily used for cricket...
, as Australia opted to retain the team that had won so convincingly at Headingley, despite the fact that the pitch was very dry and favourable to spin. England, coincedentely, went on to win the Test by 197 runs and took the series 2–1. When Ponting was run-out for 66, Australia's hopes of achieving the record 546-run target to retain the Ashes, was ended. He therefore became only the third Australian captain to lose the Ashes twice. Despite not being a selector, Ponting was heavily criticised for Australia not playing Hauritz and his apparaent reluctance to put faith in his spinners. He was questioned, particularly on Australia's recent habit of often not playing a specialist/regular spinner. Instances of these were the first three Tests in India, the omission of Krejza for the First Test against New Zealand immediately after taking 12 wickets on debut, and opting for no spinner in the first two Tests in South Africa.
Australia came into the Champions Trophy
ICC Champions Trophy
The ICC Champions Trophy is a One Day International cricket tournament, second in importance only to the Cricket World Cup. It was inaugurated as the ICC Knock Out tournament in 1998 and has been played every two years since, changing its name to the Champions Trophy in 2002...
ranked second in ODIs; along with being the events reigning champions. They opened their campaign against an undermanned West Indian outfit who were without prominent players because of an industrial dispute. On a "lively pitch" with early morning "demons", Ponting top-scored with 79, after reaching his half-century in 63 balls. He hit opening bowler and future nemesis, Kemar Roach
Kemar Roach
Kharab Andre Jamal Roach is a Barbadian cricketer. He played in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka and has represented the West Indies in Test and One Day International cricket...
, for four boundaries in the seventh over of the match, and scored a six and two fours against the fast-bowler when he was reintroduced into the attack in the 21st over. The innings set up Australia's comfortable 50-run victory. In the ninth match of the tournament, Australia played India in Centurion
Centurion, Gauteng
Centurion is an area with 279,430 inhabitants in Gauteng Province of South Africa, located between Pretoria and Midrand . Formerly an independent municipality, with its own town council, it is now part of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality...
, and reached 4/234 in the 43rd over, before rain intervened, causing the match to be abandoned. Ponting shared an 88-run stand with Hussey and an 84-run partnership with Paine, in his innings of 65 from 85 deliveries, before being run out. The result meant Pakistan qualified for the semi-final; however, Australia needed to defeat Pakistan in their third and final group match for a place in the other semi; a feat they achieved. Though, when Ponting was dismissed for a patient 32 in pursuit of low total, Australia collapsed, before winning by two wickets.
Australia defeated England by nine wickets in their semi-final, with Ponting scoring an unbeaten 111 from 115 deliveries (12 fours and one six); his 28th ODI century. During the innings, Ponting became the third batsman to score 12,000 ODI runs and was also involved in a record 252-run partnership with Watson—Ponting's seventh double-century stand for Australia in the format; the only player to achieve this feat. Despite Ponting's score of only one in the final in Centurion against New Zealand, Australia won the by six wickets—their second consecutive Champions Trophy victory. Ponting was presented with the golden bat award for most runs in the tournament—288 at an average of 72 in four games—and also received the man-of-the-series award, before praising his young side for the title defence.
Australia proceeded to tour India for seven ODIs starting in mid-October and ending in early November. In the opening match, Ponting top-scored for Australia with 74 from 85 balls (eight fours and two sixes), as his team narrowly escaped defeat. Ponting made just 12 in India's comprehensive victory in the second match, while he scored a slow 59 from 93 balls (four boundaries) in another Indian victory in the third match. The Australian captain stuck a more fluent innings of 52, scored in 59 deliveries and included five fours and a six in the following fixture. Australia amassed their biggest total of the series in the fifth match, with Ponting contributing a run-a-ball 45. A slow, low, turning wicket was presented to the teams for the sixth ODI in Guwahati
Guwahati
Guwahati, Pragjyotishpura in ancient Assam formerly known as Gauhati is a metropolis,the largest city of Assam in India and ancient urban area in North East India, with a population of 963,429. It is also the largest metropolitan area in north-eastern India...
. Ponting fought his way to 25 from 57 balls, before falling to Harbhajan, as Australia comfortably chased down India's total of 170 with six wickets remaining. The final match in Mumbai was subsequently washed out after a cyclone formed over the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
which is near the city; securing a 4–2 series victory to the injury depleted Australians. Their campaign was disrupted by injury from the start, with four first-choice players—Nathan Bracken, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin and Callum Ferguson—all back in Australia. The team became more foreign in the matches to follow, as Brett Lee, James Hopes, Tim Paine, Peter Siddle and Moises Henriques were all sent home. "It's probably one of the best one-day series I have ever been involved in, with all the injuries and setbacks at the start of this tour," Ponting said. He ending the series with 267 runs at 44.50.
Troubles against the short ball and Player of the Decade
Rodney Hogg
Rodney Malcolm Hogg is a former Victorian, South Australian and Australian cricketer. He was a fast bowler. Hogg played in 38 Tests and 71 ODIs between 1978 and 1985. In Tests he took 123 wickets at an average of 28.47.-Career:...
voiced that he should be sacked as captain and replaced with New South Wales leader Simon Katich. He said the team had become a "boys club" and was not preparing adequately for the future. However, former Australian Test opening batsman Justin Langer labelled Hogg's comments as "rubbish", something that was backed by Katich.
In the First innings of the Third and final Test, Ponting was immediately greeted with short pitched bowling. After mis-timing a pull-shot from Roach on his first ball, Ponting was struck on the elbow from the following delivery. Despite battling through obvious discomfort, Ponting eventually retired hurt on 23 from 25 balls—the only time he had taken such action in his International career. Nevertheless, he did manage to hit two fours and a six from short deliveries in Roach's 12th over. The following morning, Ponting admitted he was "embarrassed" to retire hurt, but "wouldn't have been able to hit the ball off the square." Michael Clarke replaced Ponting at his number three batting position, as the Australia captain did not want to risk further damage to his elbow tendon injury ahead of the Boxing Day Test against Pakistan in Melbourne. Nevertheless, Australia collapsed and he eventually came to the wicket at number nine, with Australia at 7/125. The West Indian bowlers once again bowled short deliverers to Ponting until he turned one such delivery to short-leg and was dismissed for two.
After spending time in a hyperbaric chamber to increase the speed of his recovery from the elbow injury, Ponting recovered sufficiently to play in the Boxing Day Test. Despite still being inconvenienced by the injury, he scored 57 at close to a run-a-ball, before being dismissed to another short pitched delivery for 12 in Australia's second innings. The home side went onto with the match comfortably, with Ponting overtaking Shane Warne's record of 91 Test victories and surpassing Steve Waugh as crickets most successful Test captain. "We all play to win games of cricket and be involved in a team that wins a lot of games of cricket. They are things I am very proud of," Ponting said. Ponting scored 853 runs at 38.77 in 13 Tests in 2009, and scored only one century and seven half-centuries. Nevertheless, his ODI form was more convincing, topping the run-scoring list with MS Dhoni. His 1,198 runs were scored at an average of 42.78, including two centuries and nine half-centuries in 29 matches. Ponting was criticised for choosing to bat on a green pitch for the Third Test. Australia were dismissed for 127, and Ponting was once again dismissed from a short ball, this time for a first-ball duck, and many sections of the media called for him to stop playing the hook and pull shots. He fell for only 11 in the second innings, and when Australia lost their eighth wicket, they were only just over 50 ahead. However, a 123-run ninth-wicket partnership between Michael Hussey and Peter Siddle rescued the home-side, helping them win by 36 runs. After being dropped on zero, Ponting scored his fifth double-century in the Third and final Test in Hobart. His innings helped Australia complete a 3–0 series victory.
In the following five ODIs, Ponting could not continue his Hobart form, scoring 125 runs at 25 in the series, boosted by a half-century in the final match. Though, his performances improved in the five ODIs starting soon after against the West Indies. He was named man-of-the-series thanks to his 295 runs at 73.75, including two-half centuries and his 29th and first ODI century in Brisbane during the fourth match.
Approach to cricket
He is an aggressive competitor, as manifested in his on-field conduct. According to former Australian captain Allan Border, what you see with Ponting is what you get, and "he wears his heart on his sleeve". Border also noted that Ponting has an abundance of determination, courage and skill.However, his competitive attitudes can push the boundaries. In early 2006, in the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy
Chappell-Hadlee Trophy
The Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in cricket is an annual ODI series between Australia and New Zealand. It is named after legendary cricketing families from the two countries, the Chappell brothers of Australia and Walter Hadlee and his three sons, , of New Zealand.The trophy is currently held by...
, Ponting had an on-field argument with umpire Billy Bowden
Billy Bowden
Brent Fraser "Billy" Bowden is an international cricket umpire from New Zealand. He was a player until he began to suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and took up umpiring...
over signalling a no-ball because not enough players were within the inner circle. In mid 2006, during a tour of Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, Ponting was accused of "badgering the umpires until he got what he wanted".
During the 4th Test of the 2010/11 Ashes series, Ponting was once more involved in an on-field argument with umpires. The altercation had begun after Aleem Dar
Aleem Dar
Aleem Sarwar Dar is a retired Pakistani first-class cricketer and a member of the ICC Elite umpire panel. He won three consecutive ICC Umpire of the Year awards 2009, 2010 and 2011, after being nominated twice in 2005 and 2006. Aleem Dar and Simon Taufel are the only umpires to have received the...
had turned down an appeal for caught-behind. After consulting wicket-keeper Brad Haddin who had initially gone up for the appeal, Ponting opted to have the not-out decision reviewed. Replays showed the batsman, Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Pietersen
Kevin Peter Pietersen, MBE is a South African-born English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional off spin bowler who plays for England and Surrey...
, was indeed not-out and the original decision was upheld by third-umpire Marais Erasmus
Marais Erasmus
Marais Erasmus, , is a current South African cricket umpire from Cape Province and member of the ICC Elite Umpire Panel....
. Following the upholding of the decision, a number of Australian players, led by Ponting argued with Dar for over a minute, before continuing the confrontation with Pietersen and the other on-field umpire Tony Hill
Tony Hill (umpire)
Anthony Lloyd Hill , commonly known as Tony Hill, is an international cricket umpire from New Zealand. He is currently a member of the Elite Panel of ICC Umpires....
. Following the end of the days play, Ponting was summoned by match referee Ranjan Madugalle
Ranjan Madugalle
Ranjan Senerath Madugalle is a former Sri Lankan cricketer who became a match referee in 1993. He was educated at Trinity College, Kandy, and Royal College, Colombo....
regarding the incident. During the hearing, Ponting pleaded guilty to a Level 1 offence under article 2.1.3 (h) of the ICC Cricket Code of Conduct
ICC Cricket Code of Conduct
The ICC Cricket Code of Conduct is a regulation regarding the conduct of professional players in the sport of cricket. Traditionally, cricket requires "gentlemanly" conduct from all players...
, which relates to "arguing or entering into a prolonged discussion with the umpire about his decision". As a result, Ponting was fined 40% of his match fee, which accounted to around $5,400.
Ricky Ponting is widely regarded as one of the greatest competitors the game has ever seen and this was testified by the South African captain, Graeme Smith, describing Ricky Ponting as the toughest competitor he had ever played against
Batting
Ponting is an aggressive right-handed batsman known for playing a wide repertoire of shots with confidence. However, he is sometimes technically questioned for shuffling across his stumps and being trapped leg before wicket, and thrusting his bat away from his body—especially early in his innings. Despite being widely renowned as the best player of the hook and pull shots in the world, Ponting is equally adept on both the front and back foot. Nevertheless, during the latter stages of his career, the hook and pull shots have often been the cause of his dismissal; though, he has vowed to continue to play them.He has been perceived to have trouble against quality spin, especially against Indian off spinner Harbhajan Singh, who has dismissed Ponting on 13 occasions in International cricket, as of August 2010. Ponting has a tendency to rock onto the front foot and thrust his wrists at spinning deliveries, resulting in many catches close to the wicket. Ponting rarely employs the sweep shot against spin, something considered unusual for a top-order batsman. Instead, he looks to use his feet to come down the wicket, or play off the back foot through the off-side.
Former West Indian captain, Viv Richards
Viv Richards
Sir Isaac Vivian Alexander Richards, KNH, OBE is a former West Indian cricketer. Better known by his second name, Vivian or, more popularly, simply as Viv or King Viv Richards was voted one of the five Cricketers of the Century in 2000, by a 100-member panel of experts, along with Sir Donald...
, who was rated as the third best Test cricketer in a 2002 poll by Wisden, said Ponting was his favourite current-day player to watch, slightly ahead of Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is an Indian cricketer widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket...
.
Bowling and fielding
A right-arm bowler, Ponting rarely bowls, although he has notably dismissed West Indian batsman Brian Lara in an ODI match and former England captain Michael Vaughan in an ashes test match in 2005. He is, however, rated one of the best fielders in the world. He usually fields in the slips, cover and silly point. He is also a dangerous man on the field when it comes to run-outs, he has a good eye and throws very accurately, often running batsmen out with direct hits.Captaincy
Ponting has often been criticised for his lack of imagination in his captaincy, though many players who played under him say he is a good leader. According to former Australian opening batsman Justin Langer, "He is quite inspirational as a leader and I just never get all the detractors he has. Whether it's in the fielding practice, the nets, the way he holds himself off the field—every time he speaks, these young guys just listen, they hang on every word he says."Books
Throughout his career in international cricket, Ponting has been involved in the writing of a number of diaries on Australian cricket, which depict his experiences during the cricketing year. The books are produced with the help of a ghostwriterGhostwriter
A ghostwriter is a professional writer who is paid to write books, articles, stories, reports, or other texts that are officially credited to another person. Celebrities, executives, and political leaders often hire ghostwriters to draft or edit autobiographies, magazine articles, or other written...
.
External links
- Player Profile: Ricky Ponting from CricketArchiveCricketArchiveCricketArchive is a website that aims to provide a comprehensive archive of records relating to the sport of cricket. It claims to be the most comprehensive cricket database on the internet, including scorecards for all matches of first-class cricket , List A cricket , Women's Test cricket and...
- Player Profile: Ricky Ponting from CricinfoCricinfoESPNcricinfo is believed to be the largest cricket-related website on the World Wide Web. Content includes news,articles, live scorecards,live text commentary and a comprehensive and searchable database called 'StatsGuru', of historical matches and players from the 18th century to the present...