By Benjamin Conkey
November 12th 2008 @ 3:09am
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It’s in the spirit of the game to remove Ponting as captain
Our usually ruthless leader, Ricky Ponting, had a drastic change of heart in the final Test against India when the match was in the balance. According to Ponting, he would have gone against the spirit of the game if he didn’t put slow bowlers on to catch up to the required over-rate.
If you believe Punter, it had nothing to do with the fact that he might be suspended.
I just want to know what happened to the spirit of the game throughout the series when his team consistently lagged at less than thirteen-overs an hour?
If only he had McGrath and Warne.
Those were the days. Set an off-side field with enough men around the bat to sledge all day, have a laugh, and watch the wickets fall while the hours tick by. Instead, he played traffic cop all series by directing his fielders to different positions every over.
Needless to say, the traditionalists aren’t happy.
Allan Border was disgusted, Ian Chappell was scathing, and I’m sure Richie Benuad was shaking his head in the comfort of his lounge room.
I also wonder what Dean Jones would have thought about Michael Clarke’s use of a runner due to feeling “unwell.”
Deano fought through severe dehydration, consistently vomiting on the pitch on his way to a remarkable 210 in the famous Tied Test in 1986. He was about to retire ill when Allan Border said he might have to get a real Australian in (a ‘Queenslander’), who could handle the conditions.
If Michael Clarke was so sick, why did he bat out of position ahead of Hussey? And can you imagine what Ponting’s response would have been if Ganguly had called for a runner in his first innings for similar reasons of feeling unwell?
Ponting has always had anger management issues.
It simmers under the surface until the going gets too tough. Once again he has shown little respect for officialdom in this series, proving that his idea of the spirit of the game is one of convenience when it suits him.
Just like Warnie, he never seems to understand what he’s done wrong.
Perhaps someone should provide him with a list. It’s growing every Test series, including the calls for him to be replaced as captain. The lost series to India won’t help his cause.
The question is will Cricket Australia be bold enough to make such a move?
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To answer your question, Paul Okon is their coach. He is relatively young...
Rabbitz said | November 12th 2008 @ 6:19am | Report comment
All I ask is when did not winning the game (and the series) become the spirit of the game?
Ara said | November 12th 2008 @ 7:22am | Report comment
I have had similar thoughts on Ponting for a long time. How come Allan Border and Steve Waugh were so highly regarded by the international cricket public despite being such tough characters on-field while Ricky Ponting and his team are regarded as bullies and now bullies who cannot even deliver. Pontings team’s first instinct is to bully and sledge and when that does not work then threaten victimisation. Supposedly being called is a racist term but swearring at other teams is fine. Leading up to the India series our cricketers were bragging that they will run the old Indian cricketers off their field. In fact all the old Indian players apart from Dravid had a good series. We really helped with their motivation if they required any. In today’s paper Ponting states that they will smash New Zealand. Would it not be better to say we are looking forward to having a good series with New Zealand. These bullying tone has to be replaced by more sportsman like behaviour.
England will be happy if Ponting stays as captain as they will know they have a good chance of winning the Ashes. I am a migrant from Fiji who has supported Australia from 1981 but this team of braggarts are hard to support!
sheek said | November 12th 2008 @ 7:56am | Report comment
We should remember this - Ponting made a stupid mistake, he didn’t commit a crime. Do those of us who sit in judgement never make mistakes?
We should criticize the Aussies for their stupidity, & hope they learn from this, but not condemn them. The whole point of the exercise is this - if you don’t express your displeasure, then corrective behaviour won’t occur.
Ara, both Border & Waugh had their detractors during their captaincy tenure. Respect was grudging during their career, but has grown post-career.
I agree you shouldn’t give the opposition any more motivation than that which they can manage themselves. ‘Talking the talk’ is a dangerous strategy, if you are unable to follow through with the boast.
Harry said | November 12th 2008 @ 8:09am | Report comment
Ponting was let down by other senior players - Symonds for spitting the dummy pre series, Stuart Clarke injured (or lost his zip), Brett Lee (always in my view over-rated, he has never led a test or even one-day bowling attack with authority. Plus he has some personal issues which may well be affecting his game), Matt Hayden (took awhile to get into form, when the series was in the balance he fell cheaply). Plus we have some players in our XI who I don’t think are test standard - Cameron White and Brad Haddin. Only Hussey, Johnson, Watson, Kaitch and to a lesser extent Michael Clarke supported the captain in this most toughest of environments.
We are now seeing lots of hysterical abuse and condemnation of Ricky and an attempt to scapegoat him for the series defeat, when in fact the main reasons was our completely unpenatrative bowling attack - the worst Australian bowling attack in 20 years in my opinion, and the above mentioned failures by other senior test members.
Yes he made a mistake in not going hard for victory in the last test but I don’t think it cost us a win. Ponting is one of the greatest batsmen to ever play the game, has led Australia to two world cup wins (undefeated both times) and has an outstanding captaincy record.
England, South Africa and India would be delighted to see Ponting removed as captain. Peter Roebuck would be exultant to see the seial/series loser Kaitch installed as captain. That truly would signal the demise of Australia as the premier cricketing nation.
Michael C said | November 12th 2008 @ 8:20am | Report comment
Ah gee, the Sydney(NSW) anti Ponting media mafia are out to get there man installed at the expense of that upstart Taswegian.
remember Alan Border - - captain Grumpy. Let’s not paint him too saintly in retrospect.
Steve Waugh - - became an ultra defensive ‘ruthless’ captain,………..could hardly use him as a whacking stick on Ponting for not going outright attack.
Let’s start remember Tubby Taylor as a great captain to compare Ponting to as well………….
or let’s just move on.
The obvious point is that there was a tea break involved, there must therefore have been consultation broader than the captain alone. If we were talking about a decision taken in the heat of the battle on the field and perhaps more instinctively - then, a different story all together………..such as Pontings tantrum relativing to one sub fielder named Pratt.
old goalie said | November 12th 2008 @ 8:55am | Report comment
Cricket Australia has no guts at all
it is run by the ineffectual James Sutherland, who may be a decent administrator, but put him in a room with an Indian like Sharad Pawar and he has no chance
he reminds me of a fresh out of university young country agronomist going off to tell all the old cockies how to farm better
Pontings leadership leaves a lot to be desired but that same edginess makes him the batsman he is
Australian cricket has teetered on an uncomfortable precipice for a while now
sledgeross said | November 12th 2008 @ 8:56am | Report comment
I do think this is overboard, but not unwarranted.
Under pressure, Ponting has come unstuck a few times now in Test matches, gaffs which have potentially cost us series wins. Edgbaston and this latest mistake should have alarm bells ringing.
I do have a real problem of Australia picking skippers without too much experience. Ponting did have a few games under his belt, but I think has been found out tactically on many occasions, but has been bailed out many times by having a superior team, so his shortcomings were not as noticable. I have the same fear for Michael Clarke as well. We look through the rest of the team and who is is captain material? Hussey? Not too much captaincy experience at a high level either and in his mid 30s? Cameron White. Good young skipper, but isnt good enough to nail down a spot. Hayden, see Hussey. Katich, the best credentialled skipper in the team for his work at NSW, but in his mid 30s as well.
Rich_daddy said | November 12th 2008 @ 9:17am | Report comment
Before we overeact let’s take in account some facts.
1. India are a very good side
2. It has always been difficult to beat India on the subcontinent.
3. This is first major test series in about 15 years where Australia has not had at least 1 of their 2 greastest bowlers in McGrath and Warne playing.
4. Micheal Clarke is a metrosexual sissy (no offence), he was probably worried his moisturiser might run.
5. Dhoni’s fielding tactics were just as dull as Ponting, yet it is likely to he will be praised by the Indian media for it.
6. Steve Waugh and Alan Border’s sides you were probably find were just as ruthless as Ponting’s team, the difference is they weren’t under as much scrutiny back then and the ICC wasn;t as wet when it comes playing fairly as it is today.
Lets put things into perspective people, this is Australia worst test defeat in nearly 20 years. It is there first series defeat since the Ashes. They could have won the first test and they were competitive in the last one. Australia will be back , so let’s stop the criticising and give India the credit where it is due.
WheresTheBloodySideline said | November 12th 2008 @ 11:12am | Report comment
I agree with the assessments of Border and Waugh. Much of Border’s success could be attributed to the coaching of Simpson and Waugh, like Ponting, inherited a stable team containing several match-winners. I seem to remember one of Waugh’s teams being unable to take any wickets in a full day’s play in the Windies and still only using 4 bowlers. Taylor seemed to be able to devise successful strategies on the fly when in the field.
While not wanting to jump on the Ponting-kicking bandwagon, I thought his response was quite laughable. To suggest that he honestly thought that White was the best bowling option after tea proves how clueless he really is.
M said | November 12th 2008 @ 11:27am | Report comment
Rich_daddy,
You make some good points but the issue isn’t whether we should have lost or not. The issue is with comments like this from Ponting: “I have an obligation to try to bowl 90 overs in the day’s play…The way we were heading if the quicks had continued then we would’ve been maybe 12 overs down by the time the day ended, so they’re some of the reasons why it was that way.”
As I posted for another article on this forum…
First of all, it’s all to easy to just blame “the quicks”. Don’t you have some influence over your quick bowlers? If you notice Lee (for instance) is taking too long between deliveries, I’d hope you have enough influence/authority to get the change you need out of Lee rather than accepting Lees over rate ‘as is’ and trying to work around the problem.
Secondly, why wait until the last session in the series to take action? Set a target for a number of overs per session. If you fall short of that target, make it up in the next session (by addressing the problem, not working around it). Instead it seems you’ve ignored the issue for so long (and, as some have said, CONTRIBUTED to the issue yourself) that the molehills have accumulated into a mountain and the only resolution was the bulls**t one that was finally adopted.
Finally, forget everything I have written above because it should all be thrown out the window for the sake of winning the match/series. Talk of playing the match “in the right spirit” seems a VERY thin argument. I’m sure the Indian players and fans didn’t mind the slow over rate too much… after all it just played into their hands. It’s obvious that the Australian fans would have preferred we worry less about the over rate and more about winning the match. Your not going to tell me Lee and co. were happy about not being bowled and I’m sure the likes of Hussey and co. would have preferred not to be bowling in that situation either. So what does “in the right spirit” mean in this context? Who are you trying to appeal to? The administrators?
The issue isn’t that we lost. We were probably going to lose regardless of what Ponting did. The issue is the strangeness of the tactics employed for that final session. And the explanations we’ve received for those tactics raise more questions for me (and many, MANY others) than answers.
Greg Russell said | November 12th 2008 @ 11:42am | Report comment
Let’s be honest: Ponting’s reaction to the over-rate in Nagpur is only a story because there is nothing else happening at the moment, and so it is being used by the media to fill the vacuum. It is a non-story. Gideon Haigh has hit the nail on the head in writing:
“Indeed, Ponting might well have lost Australia the Test, but if so, he did it on the first day, when he lost the toss; ditto Mohali. It’s no fluke that Australia’s best performance during the series came the only time they won the toss. The way the Australian bowlers that Ponting didn’t use have been described, meanwhile, you’d think he had Ray Lindwall, Dennis Lillee and Glenn McGrath at his disposal. In fact, the pace attack at Ponting’s disposal had taken five wickets for the match, and on tour had paid 45 runs per wicket.”
eric said | November 12th 2008 @ 11:44am | Report comment
Fair go Ben. Replace Ponting with whom? I’m sure Ponting has learnt a lesson about getting into a predicament where he couldn’t use his top bowlers. They just need to get better organised and get on with it. Changing captains would do far more harm than good.
Why don’t you have a look at the video of Dhoni’s appealing for half-volley catches, and write an article suggesting he resign as captain. Good luck.
Brett McKay said | November 12th 2008 @ 11:53am | Report comment
Greg, do have a link to the full Gideon Haigh article?? It sounds like a voice of reason that is seemingly, conveniently some might say, being overlooked in the mainstreem media..
chemosa said | November 12th 2008 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
This time 6 months ago you would probably have been praising Punter for his ability, and captainship.
So either you have a short memory span, simply don’t like him ( not from N.S.W. ), or are entirely aware of the conversation that took place at the break, Ponting wasn’t putting his feet up when play started without him.
Judging him on one afternoon of cricket, that probably made no real difference any way, is more than harsh.
Look at his win / draw / loss ratio, and if there isn’t a more positive captain going around I would be surprised.
Steve Waugh would still be trying to occupy the pitch if Australia were batting, especially if he was in or yet to bat on a pitch like that.
It is said that Ponting insisted on playing Krejza, any credit for that?, and what if Cameron White had done what he get’s paid very well for. Can he even spell the word spin?
ohtani's jacket said | November 12th 2008 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
Border and Waugh had people’s respect because they were hard. Ponting comes across like a tool. I have no doubts about how committed he is to the Australian side, but he ain’t no Border or Waugh.
Harry said | November 12th 2008 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
As the good Ohtani demonstrates above, add NZ to India, England (especially), South Africa to the list of agitators that would like Ponting removed. Border was captain when we lost at home to … New Zealand (in 85). Oh the horror.
Harry said | November 12th 2008 @ 4:48pm | Report comment
Very good NZ side though with Hadlee and Rusty’s cousins in it.
stoffy said | November 12th 2008 @ 5:11pm | Report comment
This is preposterous and obscene. Ricky Ponting made a mistake. Ricky Ponting is also the captain with an amazing record and he has led the team through a number of years, arguably some of Australia’s best. Ian Chappell would of course bury his nose in it because Ponting stands far above him in the respects to successful captains. The man needs to learn his limits, he retired from the game some 28 years ago and yet he stills has an input as if he is still playing.
For goodness sake gentlemen we should be supporting our Australian captain, not labeling him as having anger management issues, what’s that got to do with anything.
You know whats in the spirit of Australian cricket, supporting our nation through thick and thin, i find it rather disturbing hearing past greats as well as the public slamming Ponting into the turf. We lost a test because of a slight tactical error. It’s obvious we are so caught up in winning, loosing is not an option.
Despicable Australia!
kenikenipat said | November 12th 2008 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
I’m no Peter Roebuck, Mark Waugh or Benjamin Conkey, but the reason Clark went in before Hus was so he could stand and deliver and make quick runs. At the time they were going at about 5/5 and a half an over and were still trying to win the game. If he went the tonk (by test standards) he wouldn’t have to take too many runs and just score boundaries, thereby working with his illness. If he came in later he may have had to grind it out all day to save a lost test. So they swapped Hus to do play that role.
Benjamin Conkey said | November 12th 2008 @ 5:29pm | Report comment
This is not just about Ponting’s terrible decision making in the Fourth Test. This is about his overall character, especially as I mentioned towards officials and opponents, including:
* The 2005 Ashes where he shouted abuse as he strode off the pitch after being dismissed by a subsitute fielder
* 2006 against Bangladesh where he was fined 25% of his match fee for intimidating the on-field umpires to use the third umpire
* Claiming a catch off Dhoni that touched the ground last summer, then firing up at an Indian journalist for bringing it up..when everyone had their doubts about the catch (his team-mates didn’t even appeal).
Then you have the latest series where he argued with the umpire when there was four overthrows. Who cares if the umpire got it wrong..it’s his decision. Where’s the respect?
Whatever you want to say about former captains at least they respected umpires.
Cricket Australia turned a blind eye to Ponting’s antics in the past because Australia kept winning. Yes we are laying the boot into Ponting now. But that’s only natural. The truth is the rest of the world was fed up years ago. It’s only been these two series against India that Australia is starting to wake up to Ponting’s unacceptable behaviour as captain.
I say it again. This is not just about captaincy. If captaincy was all that mattered, then Shane Warne would have been captain a long time ago. Instead he was stripped of the vice-captaincy role because of his behaviour. Admittedly that was more off-field, but he still missed out because the cricket board didn’t want the game’s reputation to suffer.
stoffy said | November 12th 2008 @ 5:46pm | Report comment
If it’s not about the decision making in the Fourth Test, why bring it up then? I agree he’s not perfect, he takes great pride when donning the Baggy Green which on the odd occasion can lead him to overreacted or wrongfully dispute. That’s not acceptable and i agree, but that’s not the issue, people haven’t spoken against him in the past like we are now, it’s been brought on by the Fourth Test antics.
jam said | November 12th 2008 @ 6:02pm | Report comment
stoffy - you’ve hit the nail on the head when you mention a tactical error. Ponting’s tactical errors have a habit of coming at crucial times. Didn’t you notice the way shane warne had to hold his hand and explain to him how to set an attacking field to take wickets in the 2005 ashes?
Ponting can’t even read from a cue card in his suisse vitamins tv ads without sounding like a moron. He simply doesn’t have the tactical cricketing brain to be a captain of the calibre of waugh or taylor or even border. This has been glossed over by the fact that while warne and mcgrath were there, he was spoilt with an embarrassment of riches in his teams. no wonder he had such a good winning record. they need hussey or katich, who are easily more cunning cricketers with a far better never give up temperament. if something isn’t done he’ll keep making these moronic tactical errors and we’ll lose important series again.
remember it was gilchrist who captained australia to victory in india, not ponting. that was no coincidence.
more on the theme of this thread, i loved all the talk on the cricket show a few years ago about how he had reformed after that incident at the bourbon and beefsteak in kings cross. it was like the republicans saying nixon was now good old richard nixon, not tricky dick as he had been known. that incident is something you’d expect of one of the current crop of league players, but it was far below the level of future australian captain. then again, so too are mark taylor’s fujitsu ads.
he really has to be the worst ambassador for the game we’ve ever had. he turns pretty much every other cricketing nation against us and and his reluctance to do anything about the level and frequency of sledging and intimidation getting out of hand has caused a feeding frenzy in the press again. the thing about waugh and border was they knew how to leave the aggro on the pitch and not get personal, ponting doesn’t. for that reason as well it’s in the spirit of the game to remove ponting as captain.
Stoffy said | November 12th 2008 @ 7:00pm | Report comment
Jam although you put forward a valid point i still can’t understand the sudden outburst against him. We were only months ago praising him, commentators on numerous occasions praised Ponting on this tactics, he must be doing something right to have a formidable record as he does. I never really had the opportunity to see the other Australian captains in live situations as I’m on 16.
I do grasp the situation, there’s no need to continuously use evidence against Ponting to display your point. Your portraying him as a fool. Tell me Jam, have you’ve always been this pessimistic towards Ricky Ponting?
Under Ponting we were the greatest cricketing nation for along period of time, the crown has since began to slip and Ponting gets the blame. Is it just a coincidence that your dislike for Ricky Ponting as captain has escalated during Australian sudden fall from the top, it would appear so. Is it just a coincidence that When Ponting makes one slight error people jump on him with past evidence that should have precisely stayed in the past. And i ask u why do u expect Ponting to be like Waugh, Taylor and Allen Border, they were all so very different and all had a knack of claiming results. If every captain had to model those of the past, whats the point being an individual. Ponting has brought his own unique captaining strategy to table and it has worked a treat.
Don’t you keep giving evidence of the past that frames Ponting of doing wrong, we live in today and we play today. Your simply digging up useless ammo in attempt to make Ponting appear worse than he is.
He is an icon of the game, he will go down in history as a great batsman and fielder and i can assure you he will be remember as a great captained regardless of the comments placed wrongfully against him!
ohtani's jacket said | November 12th 2008 @ 8:06pm | Report comment
Stoffy there were criticisms of Ponting’s captaincy after Australia lost the Ashes and again during the Indian tour last summer. Nobody’s denying that he wears his baggy green on his sleeve, but there’s a reason why they call him GW.
chemosa said | November 12th 2008 @ 9:14pm | Report comment
I had hoped common sense would have prevailed, but Benjamin Conkey, seems to have a thing about Punter.
I offer these points for consideration,
1. 2005. The sub-fielder who took the crucial catch was allowing a fast bowler a shower and freshen up before his next spell, this led to a rule change that Mr. Conkey, means, the time you are off the field means for the same time you cannot bowl.
2. 2006. It was an on field issue which an umpire took exception to, Punter made his point & moved on. He got fined because of the petulance of the umpire involved.
3. The Dhoni catch, that you say touched the ground,, that may well be, if you are actually the person who takes the catch?, quite often you are not sure yourself. You say that ” his teammates didn’t even appeal “.
Perhaps they had more respect for him than you obviously have, perhaps it was so obvious at ground level they didn’t need to appeal, no one appeals when somone is bowled.
4. The rest of the world, you say, that’s speaking for a lot of people, “were fed up with him years ago “, based on what, jealousy, abilty, being Australian.
Perhaps you should remember those captains who walked of fthe ground because they didn’t like a decision, and in the 3rd test India’ s threat to play Gambhir anyway, similar to a match in S.Africa not far back.
5. Shane Warne would have been a great Captain, he lacked one thing which Ponting has in spades, on-field and off, RESPECT , a team that is required to be together for large amounts of time, need to trust those around them.
I’m sure that Warnie did not do anything to deliberately cause problems amongst the team, but those close to the situation, obviously players, coaches etc., and more importantly Wives and Girlfriends, partners,would not be impressed if they knew what he was up to. They would all have known his wife quite well, some better than others.
If based on one afternoon of cricket, acting on a decision that may not have been totally his, are you privy to what went on during the break ?, then I think your points are very shallow.
I re-iterate part of a point I made earlier, If Cameron White had managed to spin a ball or get a couple of wickets, this issue would never have arisen, you would have had to wait for the next time Punter may make a mistake.
bennalong said | November 13th 2008 @ 12:24am | Report comment
The problem with Ponting’s decision to bowl to lift the over rate is that it’s incomprehensible in the context of the test.
It doesn’t matter what he swears to, I can’t understand or, more tellingly, believe him
Incomrehensible ! ! !
Rowdy said | November 13th 2008 @ 2:14am | Report comment
“4. The rest of the world, you say, that’s speaking for a lot of people, “were fed up with him years ago “, based on what, jealousy, abilty, being Australian”
Ah yes, the “You’re only jealous” gambit, beloved around the world of people who really only appreciate the Spirit of cricket when it’s applied to others.
Believe me, plenty of people have been fed up with the behaviour of the Aus team for a number of years now, and it’s nothing to do with jealousy. Quite a few of those people are Australian.
sledgeross said | November 13th 2008 @ 8:07am | Report comment
Who has actually praised Pontings tactics? I dont remember anyone actually saying he is a strategic genius. He has made a habit of choking in big matches.
What Aussies dont like is people who hide. Punter probably lost the respect of the “punters” when he claimed he was obligated to act in the spirit of the game and bowl 90. Fair dinkum! Everyone knows its a load of excrement. Since when did he show any interest in the spirit of cricket? If Punter had just said look, I stuffed up but Ive learnt from it, we wouldnt be talking about it so much. he didnt, and we expect more accountability from our cricket skipper.
stoffy said | November 13th 2008 @ 8:33am | Report comment
During the last Ashes series Ponting was praised for his field placings and use of bowlers!
sledgeross said | November 13th 2008 @ 8:39am | Report comment
Dont actually remember that mate, I thought they were statements rather than praise!
chemosa said | November 13th 2008 @ 8:41am | Report comment
Rowdy, I accept that a minority of Australia & some of the rest of the world, most of whom would not know who Ricky Ponting is, have what appears to be your opinion.
Why are those of that mindset determined to lay the blame on Punter?
Were, I and G Chappel , S Waugh, and M Taylor any different, I am a proud Australian and so is Ricky Ponting with the support of his players, who to a man have backed him, knowing all the facts.
Were the Indians playing in the spirit of the game when setting a 1 / 8 field earlier in the same match ?
1 / 9 seeing the keeper knew where the ball was going to be bowled.
The only reason there was a result was because R Ponting, the same one you wish to denigrate, went for an extremely unlikely win. He could have instructed the team to see the game out, but he did not.
eric said | November 13th 2008 @ 8:45am | Report comment
I’m right with you Chemosa. Ben, I think you’re falling into the Roebuck double standard category. I hope you don’t have his other tendencies.
You talk about spirit of cricket. Where was the spirit when Ponting was run out by a specialist fielding substitute, not by any means a genuine 12th man, who was giving a bowler a spell? The England coach then taunted Ponting from the balcony as he left the field.
Where was the spirit when Pakistan refused to take the field after being caught ball tampering?
Where was the spirit when India threatened to go home after Harby was caught racially abusing Symonds?
Where was the spirit when India threatened to play Gambir despite a suspension?
Where is the spirit when Dhoni keeps appealing for half-volley catches, and the whole team shows dissent when the appeal is rejected?
Are you expecting Ponting to single handedly change the way Test cricket is played? I say single handed because CA didn’t support him on the Harby case last year. They insisted that any racial incidents get reported, then left the team out to dry under pressure from India.
Which team was fined for giving a send off in the recent series?
The other thing is that if you want Ponting gone, who is better? Hussey has never captained anything that I’m aware of, and Katich, a fringe selection, didn’t exactly handle that journalist too well the other day.
M said | November 13th 2008 @ 10:44am | Report comment
You know I have some very good friends from the US who are always very VERY reluctant to say a bad word about their president, no matter how bad he is or what he does. It’s a generalisation I know - not all yanks are like this - but in general they consider bad-mouthing their own president incredibly unpatriotic.
We have no (or much much less) compunction regarding our PM in Australia.
But most of us DO seem to have similar tendancies towards our sporting heroes. Particularly our cricket captains.
I think most of us WANT to like them. We turn a blind eye to their foibles for as long as we can. In our heart of hearts we know that if similar behaviours were displayed by sportsmen from another country, we wouldn’t be defending them half as hard.
But sometimes, finally, like George W Bush, enough straws accumulate that the camels back is broken. All that pent up resentment floods out. And all those who remained silent suddenly speak up.
That’s the case with me anyway.
El Capitan said | November 13th 2008 @ 11:30am | Report comment
Eric,
Lets not forget Aust spirit for “that underarm bowl”.
True that Ponting has coped some flack, but really, a p*ss poor excuse like to bowl 90 overs when the team is at 6 down? Come on, he’s clutching at straws at that one. I agree with sledgeross, if he just said that he stuffed up, all would have been forgiven, but a lame excuse like that is not on.
I would have expected him to bowl the ordinary bowlers after the break if India were 2 or 4 down, but not 6 down. Thats getting into the tail.
No I think Ponting and the Australian team is getting to the public. As most Aussies like to do is back underdogs. As soon as Australia got over the hurdle of the West Indies, and India, for countries to win in, the public has switched off. It was briefly revisited when England won the Ashes and interest picked up when they toured, as a series that might have a fight on its hands, but it quickly slumped back when they lost 5 nil.
No one wants to see a one sided match, but then again most Australians don’t want to be losers.
eric said | November 13th 2008 @ 9:01pm | Report comment
OK El Capitan, Ben Conkey wasn’t born when that happened. Why don’t you mention Sarfraz Narwaz when he successfully appealed against Andrew Hilditch for “handling the ball”, when Hilditch only politely passed him the ball at the non-strikers end. Why don’t you mention the West Indies running out our batsman as he headed for the pavilion when he thought play was over. How about when Dean Jones walked, believing he was out, and the Windies ran him out. Why don’t you go back to Jardine. We should try and keep it contemporary.
Clearly you think Ponting should have higher standards than all the above perpetrators. He’s not a paedophile, he made some dubious decisions on the cricket field. Nearly as silly as Graeme Smith setting Australia a small target to win in a recent series. He’s still captain of SA!
I’m sure Ponting will learn.
As for being critical of the team, what on earth did they do wrong on this tour as far as behaviour goes? Nominate one incident that brought discredit to Australia. OK, Watson was adjudged the minor offender in the Gambir thing. Even Richie Benaud, who it seems is the person Ponting should be, said “show me a fast bowler without a temper, and I’ll show you a medium pacer”. But name another incident.
eric said | November 13th 2008 @ 9:04pm | Report comment
But wait, there’s more. What about Tony Greig’s deliberate beam balls?
sledgeross said | November 14th 2008 @ 7:38am | Report comment
Eric, I couldnt give a sh*t about what other crappy countries have done in the past, its not about petulent fingure pointing, because we would just be like the Indians then. There is nothing wrong to have high expectations, but as I said before, Ponting does stuff up when the pressure is on. I dont think he should be sacked, but the diatribe about playing in the right spirit is a falsehood. If you do bugger up, you should be man enough to admit it.
El Capitan said | November 14th 2008 @ 8:24am | Report comment
eric,
all your points are at other nations who don’t play in the “spirit” of the game. aust are not as clean as they try to indicate.
Sam said | November 14th 2008 @ 11:23am | Report comment
Wow, I never thought I’d see the day when an Australian called for the skipper’s head. Being an Indian, the best part about winning the series has been the intense pressure on Ponting as a result. Seeing him squirm and fidget in press conferences when he is under the pump is just what he deserves. Several people have already made the comment, but other Australia captains were actually very well respected, despite their ruthless attitudes. In addition to this, Border, Waugh and Taylor were all actually fairly intelligent individuals, who could see the bigger picture, and realise that if they did make certain decisions that could be seen as negative, that there would be consequences. As a result they were quick to justify their actions. Ponting has no tact, no guile and still after 5 or 6 years as captain, has no idea how to take criticism or handle situations that begin to intensify or put pressure on himself or the team. His conduct in the Sydney test was disgraceful, and the vice-captain Clarke’s wasn’t much better. Give it to Hussey, a tough and fierce competitor who is very respectful of the game (you will often see him do press conferences when there are tricky issues surrounding the team)
jam said | November 14th 2008 @ 2:15pm | Report comment
stoffy, sorry for the delay but i think Sam said pretty much what i wanted to about how the australian cricket captain should be a respected intelligent individual like border, waugh and taylor. Remember he’s a huge role model for kids playing cricket across the country. The last thing we need is someone who throws tantrums like lleyton hewitt and is a bad sport in the public eye.
i understand that you have grown up with ponting as your hero and don’t like seeing him rubbished.
I agree, he is an outstanding batsman, but he’s still a spoilt brat who really needs to grow up soon if he ever will (he’s almost 34).
challa said | November 24th 2008 @ 4:59pm | Report comment
What mistake? I was at the ground and in my humble opinion (and Sunny Gavaskar’s) who I was sitting with… it didnt look to me that India were about to crumble.
Ponting made the right choice in trying to speed up the over rate. Consider the comments that would have been made if he had copped a suspension!
Love the double standards. Keep playing the man and not the ball, thats a real class act.
challa said | November 24th 2008 @ 5:08pm | Report comment
ARA - youre an idiot if you believe what the Indian papers say, they are so full of made up stuff.
The FACT is this - Ponting is the GREATEST captain this country has ever known. That is a fact. Eat it, get over it, and put your 3rd grade country notions of how to behave to one side.