Ricky Ponting
Ricky Ponting
Ricky Thomas Ponting, AO, nicknamed Punter, is an Australian former cricketer who was captain of the Australia national cricket team during its 'golden era'; 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. Ponting holds the incredible record of being the only cricketer in the history of Test cricket to be a part of 100...
NationalityAustralian
ProfessionCricket Player
Date of Birth19 December 1974
CityLaunceston, Australia
CountryAustralia
We'll be able to put a stronger team on the ground and we can hopefully get back to playing the way we have been over the past few weeks. If we do, we'll be very hard to beat.
I've told the guys to keep their heads up. I really believe we played a great game here.
We have played so well that the guys have really made my job fairly easy.
I think any time you lose an Ashes series, especially with the hype and build-up surrounding it and the pride we have as Australians playing against England, that's always hard to take.
As an individual, if you are not playing as well as you like, you are always putting a bit more pressure on yourself,
I think they've just slightly had the edge over Sri Lanka and I think Sri Lanka probably rely on too few players and I think South Africa have got more depth.
Ganguly is a very good leader. His return to the field brings a spring in the steps of the Indians. He is a great player.
I have made my thoughts on it (sledging) well known over the last couple of years. We are more than happy to be talking to opposition players in the field so long as it is not personal or abusive.
How much golf I actually play depends on whom you ask. My wife says I'm out there every day. If you ask me, the cricket is getting in the way of the golf.
We just tried to pick the best team we can for this game,
We just gave away too big a start,
It would be nice if we could have that showdown that everyone is looking at: the Pakistani fast bowlers against all our fast bowlers. Brett certainly hasn't been ruled out yet.
As I have seen over the last two days of this game, a lot of that fight is there but just not for long enough. If we want to win Test matches, it has to be over the four days, we have to be at our best for four days.
Brett is like he is because of his pace. If he drops back he becomes easier to hit so we addressed that last night. It's a confidence thing and about understanding the way he has to bowl. We've addressed these issues quite a few times with Brett, we did it with his one-day bowling a few years ago, and hopefully today is a step in right direction.