Why do we turn on stars like Ponting so quickly?
Columnist By Luke Doherty, 25 Jan 2012 Luke Doherty is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Australian Cricket, Cricket, Ricky Ponting, Test cricket
Is Ricky Ponting back to his best? (AAP Image/Ben Macmahon).
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Thousands saluted Ricky Ponting as he reached his century at the Adelaide Oval yesterday, and many more did the same in their lounge room, office, train carriage and bus seat.
Whether it was through 140 of the best characters you could muster in cyber space or verbally voicing your approval to anyone who’d listen to you say “I never doubted him”, the goodwill was flowing.
So, where has the anti-Ponting sentiment that was so strong before this series gone?
Is there anyone who’d still dare demand the skipper walk away?
It didn’t take long for the former captain to be asked during the post match news conference if this was going to be his final test for Australia.
Former Australian paceman Geoff Lawson, in his role as a commentator on radio, even speculated that the spherical nature of Ponting’s celebration in-front of the re-converted faithful in the city of churches was a sign that the end may be near. A final goodbye, maybe?
Ponting quickly shot down any suggestion that he was about to retire and it now seems certain, barring a brave decision by the selection panel, that he’ll continue his test career in the Caribbean sun against the West Indies.
Before his heroics in Sydney and Adelaide everyone seemed to have Ponting pegged. His feet weren’t moving as quick as his head was falling across the line and it was almost part of everyday conversation to mention how “he had to go” before his legacy was tarnished any further.
Australia’s best batsman since Sir Donald Bradman has now made expert and casual observer alike shovel down huge portions of humble pie.
It begs an important question: Do we judge athletes too quickly?
Mike Hussey was also deemed useless and now he’s once again integral to the middle order.
Michael Clarke was a pretty boy without the guts to lead Australia back to the top and now he’s respected around the country and the world.
It seems verdicts in the court of public opinion are constantly changing, not just in cricket, but in all sports. Opinion has a strange way of becoming fact.
Bernard Tomic went from teenager with an attitude problem to the hope of a nation while Lleyton Hewitt was too old and slow, but now he’s a fighter with the heart of a lion again.
Samantha Stosur has been written off by pretty much everyone as fragile again, but she no doubt has the talent to win another major tournament. When that day comes you can bet the whole country will be right behind her.
Cadel Evans was also too slow in the mountains to win the Tour de France. Runner-up was the best he could ever hope for. Oops.
Why do we do it? Our first reaction seems to be to grab the red pen and scribble out the names of our champions until they’re no longer visible.
It’s a strange reaction from a country so patriotic and proud and i’m just as guilty as anyone else.
Will 2012 be any different?
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You can follow Luke Doherty on Twitter @Luke_Doherty and on Sky News Australia.
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- Explore:
- Australian Cricket, Cricket, Ricky Ponting, Test cricket
January 25th 2012 @ 12:55am
AndyMack said | January 25th 2012 @ 12:55am | Report comment
Agree, good article. We do turn too quick on our stars, its not a great trait. Some of the comments about Tomic and Stosur (even from respected Roar columnists) have been very disappointing. Although with Ponting, it must be said he did have poor form for 2 years so, might be a bit rich to say people turned on him “so quickly”. Great that he silenced a few people though, love ya work PUNTER!!!!
January 25th 2012 @ 1:47am
Vas Venkatramani said | January 25th 2012 @ 1:47am | Report comment
Luke, given you work at Sky News and (supposedly) have good links to other members of the sport media fraternity, I think you’ve asked a rhetorical question.
If the need for constant 24-hour gossip fashioned as news wasn’t craved by the public, people like you would either not have the job you do, or would be paid far less for it.
The day the media dies is the day when people decide ignorance is bliss.
January 25th 2012 @ 8:45am
Chris said | January 25th 2012 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Ha ha – he shoots, he scores!
January 25th 2012 @ 8:48am
Australian Rules said | January 25th 2012 @ 8:48am | Report comment
I’m not sure I agree Vas.
The frantic 24 hr media cycle is a symptom/product of the high-speed information age, created by the media AND the consumer. The public do lose some control in this process: that is, the more it gets fed, the hungrier it is for more.
I don’t necessarily think that’s what we’re talking about here. In other words, I blame the public more than the media for the treatment Ponting has received of late.
Ponting was short of runs for a while and looked increasingly tired with the captaincy. That’s no big deal, it happens. He relinquished the captaincy (rare indeed in Aust cricket) and played on.
However, the almost incessant vitriol which people seemed to turn on Ponting was extraordinary. Clarke (prior to 329*) got the same treatment. We are so hard on our elite sportsmen. We demand they provide gold medals on cue, rubbish them if they don’t, and critique their perceived graciousness and humility after the event with a microscope.
Ponting is genuinely a legend of the game, our best since Bradman and probably better than any batsmen produced by NZ, S.A, Pakistan, S.L and yes, England. Yet we don’t treat him as a modern great, instead we deride and criticise him for every failure. I’m not sure what’s that’s about.
Returning to your point: I don’t believe the calls for Ponting’s sacking has merely been the media engaging in healthy banter and discussion. The public has been driving this one – and it’s had an unforgiving mob feel to it. Such a great Australian player deserves more.
January 25th 2012 @ 9:56am
Brendon said | January 25th 2012 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Australian Rules, theres a double standard though. Look at the way Simon Katich was turned into a martyr despite that his form was dropping rapidly when he was dropped plus he was getting old.
The same arm chair idiots were demanding Ponting and Hussey be dropped for being too old while at the same time demanding Katich be brought back into the test team.
Plus never stand between an Aussie and a whinge. We are World Champion complainers. Its just part of our culture to criticise and deride everything. Politics, sport, science, entertainment etc. Its more than just tall poppy.
People are not rational. They base their opinions and ideas on emotion and personal feelings.
January 25th 2012 @ 11:15am
Disco said | January 25th 2012 @ 11:15am | Report comment
Up until the start of this series Australia had lost 8 out of its previous 12 Test matches. Here lies the source of calls for consistently under-performing players to be dropped.
January 25th 2012 @ 1:34pm
Brendon said | January 25th 2012 @ 1:34pm | Report comment
8/12? I dont think so. We have not lost a series since the Ashes. Post Warne/McGrath retirement we have only lost again England (twice) India (twice, both times in India) and South Africa once.
At the moment the only team that currently holds a current series win over us is England. We hold the Trans-Tasman, Frank Worrell trophy, Warne-Muralitharan trophy and we now have the Border-Gavaskar trophy back. If there were trophies between us, South Africa and Pakistan we would hold those too.
The only trophy we dont hold is the Ashes (Yes, I know its technically not the trophy that is played for)
January 25th 2012 @ 2:23pm
Disco said | January 25th 2012 @ 2:23pm | Report comment
My apologies – I totally forgot about the Sri Lanka series! 8 out of 15 Tests then.
Prior to that SL series, Australia had lost 6 out of previous 8 Tests.
Point is results were poor, Ponting’s form was mediocre for two years and and highlighting this had nothing to do with whingeing.
There’s been some notable improvements on show against a bedraggled Indian side, but still, as it stands Australia has won 2 of its past 7 Test series, so don’t get too excited.
January 25th 2012 @ 3:08am
Roy said | January 25th 2012 @ 3:08am | Report comment
It’s probably a combination of the media’s preference for sensation over honesty, and the public’s willingness to swallow and regurgitate those loose and exaggerated conclusions, passed off as opinion.
And Luke, i don’t think you’re as guilty of this as anyone. Your write-ups are consistently more considered than those of some colleagues.
January 25th 2012 @ 3:21am
Purple Shag said | January 25th 2012 @ 3:21am | Report comment
C’mon, lets call a spade a spade. He went almost 2 years without a test tonne and his average during that period was abysmal. He was cut plenty of slack due to history & reputation and that is a luxury the likes of Shaun Marsh will not be afforded. Form goes up and down for all athletes, but an extended rut can cost you your place, and Ponting had one of those and then some. I am really glad he has turned it around, but personally would love to see him hang up the gloves after Adelaide.
There is not so much test cricket to be played between now and the Ashes. If Punter suffers another dip in form prior to those series, where to then? Khawaja back in the cauldron on test crickets biggest stage? Marsh back in the side? Another debutant? We must look to the future, and as good as Pontings form is at the minute I doubt he can sustain it until late 2013. One things for certain, he sure is looking a bit over the hill. http://therestijustsquandered.com/2012/01/06/play-on-punter/
January 25th 2012 @ 11:16am
Disco said | January 25th 2012 @ 11:16am | Report comment
Spot on.
January 25th 2012 @ 1:15pm
mitzter said | January 25th 2012 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
Exactly Purple, I don’t think it was that people disliked Ponting or Hussey it was more a general impression that they could be as inconsistent (or even consistently bad with a tonne every 6 months) batsman and still be in the team and that luxury was not being afforded to everyone. At the same time the selectors expect perfect consistency from bowlers and stunning debut performances by new team members or they’re straight out.
January 26th 2012 @ 1:18am
Axelv said | January 26th 2012 @ 1:18am | Report comment
Form is temporary, class is permanent?
There is no reason why Ponting cannot bat for Australia for another 2 to 4 years. And none of the “up and coming youngsters” are showing anything for Australia at the moment, it has been the experienced middle order that has saved Australia countless times in the past 3 Test series, Ponting, Clarke and Hussey. The rookie batsmen have a habit of dropping like flies and like to expose the rest of the order.
Part of Ponting’s dip in form has been down to his stresses of being captain, since being dropped from captain he barely played any Test matches and people were calling him to be dropped even though he has not been given the chance to bat again as a non captain. The other part of his dip in form was lack of confidence mixed with bad luck. He is such an experienced player and a valuable member to the Australian cricket team, once you drop him for an inferior younger batsmen, you will never see a batsmen like Ponting ever again, it’s not every day someone with 13,000 Test runs is in your team, he is an asset to the other younger players around him.
January 25th 2012 @ 4:37am
Zzzapp said | January 25th 2012 @ 4:37am | Report comment
Agree with Purple Shag.
No-one ‘quickly’ turned on Ponting . He had 2 years grace to prove his worth.
Glad he did it, but he got opportunity others wouldn’t have
January 25th 2012 @ 6:47am
Tony Shillinglaw, Brian Hale said | January 25th 2012 @ 6:47am | Report comment
Dear Sirs,
Watching Ricky Ponting’s innings in Adelaide today the impression was gained adjustments have been made to both set-up and the timing of his batting movements which appear better co-ordinated and more flowing. ( Dare I say – Bradman-like? ) As a result, quicker more precise footwork, flexibility of wrist and better all-round freedom of action are showing, not only in the ease, timing and power of the strokes but also in his more relaxed demeanor ( The two go together).
All credit to one of the ‘Greats’ who is still prepared to look at his game with a view to improvement. Batting always has been and always will be about scoring runs, while criticism or praise usually comes in roughly the same proportion.
January 25th 2012 @ 6:59am
Red Kev said | January 25th 2012 @ 6:59am | Report comment
He has been talking about deconstructing and rebuilding his technique, but India’s attack (especially yesterday) is a far cry from a genuine test. Any Sheffield Shield attack in the country would have been more dangerous than the Indian pie-chuckers yesterday. And let us not forget that both Sydney from day 2 and Adelaide from hour 2 were flat batting paradises. On a moving pitch at the WACA he got 7. On a moving pitch against good bowling at Bellerive he got 5 and 16. On a moving pitch against superb bowling at Newlands he got 8 and 0.
Maybe he has earned the right to continue a little longer, although I would still like to see him call time on his career this match with some dignity and grace, but we’ll honestly not know how decent Ricky’s resurgence is until he’s faced with the SA bowlers in Australia at the end of 2012 or the English bowlers in England in 2013. And given he’ll be 38 for one series and just shy of 39 for the other, it would be better for all concerned if he was retired.
January 25th 2012 @ 11:20am
Disco said | January 25th 2012 @ 11:20am | Report comment
Exactly. Runs in Test cricket are always significant but don’t ensure a player can do well in tricky conditions and/or against strong bowling attacks.
January 25th 2012 @ 1:41pm
Brendon said | January 25th 2012 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
“He has been talking about deconstructing and rebuilding his technique, but India’s attack (especially yesterday) is a far cry from a genuine test.”
So why did Warner, Cowan and Marsh fail?
January 25th 2012 @ 7:38am
aussie1st said | January 25th 2012 @ 7:38am | Report comment
Ponting did look on death bed before Christmas but credit to him, he hasn’t just producing a career saving knock he has produced a career saving series which is exactly how players should be saving their career not playing one good knock in a dead rubber aka what Haddin might do.
I am still worried about going down the same path India have, let’s not forget they were in the same position a few years ago regarding Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar, fast forward to now and the dam has finally burst for them. However atm there is nothing we can do because the youngsters just aren’t taking the opportunity they have been given. For once injuries had an upside in giving a number of youngsters a go this summer however only Warner has really taken it. Cowan is showing promise and definitely deserves to carry on his role. All we can do is hope the others start bashing down the door in Shield cricket as right now there ain’t any youngsters doing so.
I also worry about how he will fare in the Ashes but I don’t like dropping a player because of a what if. The same is being said about Warner. As long as they are making runs to keep their spot then I’m happy to take that punt and hope things are different this time round. What can’t be done is letting Ponting slip back into a form slump and be allowed to continue on in the Ashes to find form.
January 25th 2012 @ 10:09am
Brendon said | January 25th 2012 @ 10:09am | Report comment
People are blaming the older players for India’s problem when it has more to do with attitude and preparation for tests. You’re not going to win test series in England or Australia by rocking up at the last moment and not adapting to the conditions.
South Africa and England have shown what it takes to win in Australia and India don’t even come close.
India’s past two tours Australia was either weakened by injury or retirements.
January 25th 2012 @ 11:21am
Disco said | January 25th 2012 @ 11:21am | Report comment
I agree. India’s approach to Test tours is amateurish.
January 25th 2012 @ 7:45am
jamesb said | January 25th 2012 @ 7:45am | Report comment
The media likes to be more on the negative side as such to create conflict and interest.
Its up to the public to buy into it.
For Ponting, it probably is a great way to retire right now.
However, one senses you need Ponting for another year or two. Shaun Marsh did remind us yesterday that he has alot of work to do if he wants to be a long term test player.
Whether he bats at 3 or 6, his record of 7 first class centuries in 69 matches is a worry.
January 25th 2012 @ 7:53am
jamesb said | January 25th 2012 @ 7:53am | Report comment
“All we can do is hope the others start bashing down the door in Shield cricket as right now there ain’t any youngsters doing so.”
“What can’t be done is letting Ponting slip back into a form slump and be allowed to continue on in the Ashes to find form”
those two comments sum it up perfectly aussieIst
January 25th 2012 @ 8:48am
Chris said | January 25th 2012 @ 8:48am | Report comment
I don’t think anyone was “quick” to turn on him. Before the Sydney Test, he’d gone for almost two years without a century. For someone of his ability that was an incredibly long time. And considering his age the questions about him being dropped were entirely justified I think.
Contrast that with how Usman Khawaja has been treated. Clearly there are different criteria for different players. Imagine where he could be if was given two years to get a century?
January 25th 2012 @ 8:56am
jamesb said | January 25th 2012 @ 8:56am | Report comment
didn’t Allan Border go through a peroid of 4 or 5 years without scoring a century.
Something like 87-92 period?
January 25th 2012 @ 10:02am
Brendon said | January 25th 2012 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Border still averaged 45 during this 4 year period. Sept 1988 – Sept 1992
January 25th 2012 @ 10:05am
formeropenside said | January 25th 2012 @ 10:05am | Report comment
Yeah, but he made a lot of 50′s and was (as I recall) left stranded a time or two. There was never any doubt over his place in the team, and his captaincy.
January 25th 2012 @ 11:35am
aussie1st said | January 25th 2012 @ 11:35am | Report comment
The main problem was this:
2009 average 38.77, 13 matches
2010 average 36.95, 12 matches
2011 average 31.92, 7 matches
And even if you break it down to series by series there is only two series where he averaged over 50. So I can certainly see why he was under pressure.
January 25th 2012 @ 1:36pm
Brendon said | January 25th 2012 @ 1:36pm | Report comment
Hardly the worst stats ever. Ponting was still doing better than Khawaja and Marsh even at his worst.
January 25th 2012 @ 2:27pm
Disco said | January 25th 2012 @ 2:27pm | Report comment
In fact, Khawaja averaged higher than Ponting while he was in Test side.
January 25th 2012 @ 2:34pm
Red Kev said | January 25th 2012 @ 2:34pm | Report comment
What Disco said. Do not forget that Punter got many many more tests in that example. Khawaja got 3 tests then dropped for 2 then 3 tests then dropped again. Prior to the India series Ponting’s 2011 average was 26.64, Khawaja’s is his test average of 29.22.
I also maintain that either Ricky Poning is good enough to remain in the side at no.3 where he has played for over 100 tests and protect and help the younger batsmen or he goes. He can’t hide behind the order and let Marsh and Khawaja face the fire when an early wicket falls. It’s gutless. This is the Australian cricket team, not a team designed to prolong Ponting’s career as he goes on a selfish quest to surpass Dravid’s run total.
January 25th 2012 @ 2:42pm
Disco said | January 25th 2012 @ 2:42pm | Report comment
Ponting cares about prolonging his international career. He believes that any runs he scores proves that journalists who question his place don’t know what they’re talking about.
January 25th 2012 @ 11:23am
Disco said | January 25th 2012 @ 11:23am | Report comment
The trouble is people regard any criticism of the Almighty Ponting as treachery; as such two years of poor form is somehow reconfigured as a brief form slump and Ponting’s unAustralian critics are considered to have voiced knee-jerk opinions.