Why Ricky Ponting must never be punted

Australian captain Ricky Ponting has had his doubters about whether or not he should lead the Baggy Green into this year’s Ashes series.

But after his century against England in the first test, one believes the 34 year old is still the batsman that once again holds the key to retaining cricket’s most valuable urn.

Ponting scored 150 before being bowled by England spinner Monty Panesar, but not before putting the Baggy Green in a match winning position.

The captain, alongside Simon Katich, each registered valuable tons against an England attack that clearly does not look as menacing in comparison to their 2005 unit, which featured Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and Simon Jones all in their prime.

Indeed England’s signs were not good early on, judging from the way young opener Philip Hughes scored consistently in his maiden appearance in the Ashes.

The New South Welshman looked comfortable in the middle, scoring 34 runs before being dismissed by Flintoff.

The arrival of Australian captain Ponting gave England the chance to ruffle his composure, due to the fact that Ponting has always been a slow starter.

But the combination of Flintoff and Broad did not appear to unsettle his determination to make his mark in the first Test of the series.

Broad’s active duty came to a premature end when he left the field shortly after tea to receive treatment on a right calf problem.

Although he returned to the field he did not re-enter the attack for the remaining 28 overs in the day.

Neither Flintoff nor swing bowler Anderson could make much of an impression, and with Broad seemingly ruled out of the game, captain Andrew Strauss had little option but to turn to spin pair Swann and Panesar to determine whether they could extract as much turn as Hauritz had earlier in the day.

Ponting looked comfortable throughout his trial by spin and reached 40 by pulling Swann for two to become only the fourth batsman in history – behind Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Allan Border – to reach 11,000 Test runs.

It was an achievement that did little to deter the Australian captain’s mindset of establishing a strong position alongside the patient innings of Katich.

Katich survived a strong lbw appeal from Swann on 56 when the Englishman’s delivery hit him high on the back leg and provided enough of an element of doubt for umpire Billy Doctrove to keep his finger down.

It was the luck that Katich needed to go on and claim his eighth Test century – and his first Ashes hundred – by pulling Flintoff for the single he required to reach three figures in over four hours at the crease.

Pointing followed him to the milestone off the penultimate delivery of the day, pushing Flintoff to cover to leave him only 115 short of eclipsing Border’s tally of 11,174 runs to become Australia’s leading Test run-scorer.

It was an innings that demonstrated why Ponting is still the most valuable player in Australian cricket, given the fact he produces quality when his beloved country needs it the most.

One can love him or loath him but it is clear that Ponting’s marvellous start to the 2009 Ashes series serves as a clear reminder of why he is still the key to Australia’s successes in the English summer.

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