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Australian captain Ricky Ponting will give himself until Boxing Day morning for his fractured finger to heal, potentially leaving Michael Clarke as little as half an hour to digest becoming the country’s newest Test skipper.
As selector Greg Chappell clarified comments that suggested he did not think Clarke was ready for the role at the pointy end of the Ashes series, Ponting said he would do all he could to repair the break to his left little finger in time for the fourth Test.
The injury kept Ponting from the field for Australia’s triumphant conclusion to the third Test in Perth on Sunday.
Ponting argued the injury was not as bad as the tenderised elbow he carried into last year’s Boxing Day Test against Pakistan, when his strokeplay was visibly affected by the aftermath of a blow from West Indian fast man Kemar Roach.
“I’ll have to make that decision closer to the game. Probably the morning of the game is when I make a decision like that,” he said.
“But I honestly think with being a little finger on my left hand, it’s probably not as significant as my top elbow was last year.
“I had all sorts of treatments and everything last year, leading up to Melbourne. I had it strapped up and tried to take the tendon that was damaged out of play a little bit.
“There was no doubt that I was hindered last year and, to tell you the truth, I probably learned a fair bit from that, so I’m not going to be silly and put myself ahead of the team, especially in such an important game.
“If I don’t think I can function well, then I won’t play.
“But if I feel that I can function and play somewhere near … I won’t say how I’ve been playing … (but) better than I have been playing, then I’ll play the game.”
England captain Andrew Strauss reckoned Ponting’s quandary was a matter of feel on the bat.
“That’s an always individual thing on how your hand feels around your bat, to be honest,” said Strauss.
“It’s never so much the pain. It’s if it restricts your ability to bat.
“That’s a decision he’ll have to make.”
Chappell was moved to express greater support for Clarke after giving a television interview in which he said “there is nobody absolutely ready for” taking the captaincy from Ponting.
Clarke, like Ponting, has made only one half-century in the series, and has looked vulnerable outside off stump throughout.
“Michael is our next captain whenever it might be, and we hope it isn’t for a while yet,” Chappell told ABC radio.
“When the handover comes, we’d love him to be in the peak of his form.
“We’re confident (Ponting) will be leading the team on Boxing Day.”
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