Rebecca Wilson’s article in Saturday’s Daily Telegraph titled ‘Give Ricky the flick’, is without doubt one of the worst sporting articles I have read in recent times.
The problem I have with the article is not Wilson’s choice of topic, but the lack of evidence and limited research Wilson uses to support her sensationalist claims.
Let me start by saying that Ricky Ponting’s “public display of venom” in Australia’s match against Canada was ugly and unacceptable. It should also be acknowledged that this wasn’t his first indiscretion of the 2011 World Cup.
But sackable offences? Hardly.
That said, if it becomes clear in Australia’s remaining matches of this World Cup that the player group has lost confidence in Ponting’s leadership, then it might be time for him to relinquish the top job.
Wilson, on the other hand, would prefer to see Ponting immediately exit after the World Cup because “he has turned into a brat,” brought “shame to the Test captaincy,” and “allowed the office to go to his head.”
Instead of taking personal pot shots at Ponting, perhaps Wilson needs to focus on the real issue; Ponting’s sustained batting slump.
Ponting’s lean run with the bat has seen him average just 20.40 runs at the World Cup. This is on the back of a poor summer where Australia lost the Ashes on home turf with Ponting averaging a terrible 16.14 runs.
Ultimately, if Ponting was scoring runs then his recent indiscretions would have received cursory attention from the media at best.
Wilson states that under Ponting’s leadership there is now a culture in the Australian cricket team that is “neither winning nor healthy.” While there may be some evidence at Test level to support this, this is not the case in the one-day arena.
Australia’s loss to Pakistan was their first in 35 World Cup matches. Not only that, the Australian cricket team has won the last three World Cups in England, South Africa and the West Indies. Ponting was the captain for two of those campaigns. If that’s not a winning culture then what is?
Granted the team at this World Cup bears no resemblance to the previously successful World Cup teams, but surely Ponting’s record counts for something.
Instead Wilson focuses on invented statistics to support her argument, including how the current Australian cricket team “has about 80 per cent less talent than the teams which boasted line-ups with McGrath, Warne and Langer.” Really?
Ignoring the baseless figure, I fail to see how it’s Ponting’s fault that the current team doesn’t have as much talent as previous teams, especially two of the greatest cricketers of all-time. Applying this logic, Ponting must also be to blame for the individual form slumps of Clarke, White and Johnson?
As the captain of the Australian cricket team the buck stops with Ponting, but let’s focus on his record and the team’s performances; things that are within his control.
There is no doubt that Ponting is facing increasing pressure to continue as the Australian cricket captain. Ultimately the decision lies with the administrators of Cricket Australia and Ponting himself.
In contrast to Wilson’s view, Cricket Australia should not “yield to pressure from a media that is tired of seeing up close the rot that has set into Australian Cricket.” Frankly, Rebecca, the media has no role in the selection of the Australian cricket captain.
Despite Australia’s setback against Pakistan on Saturday night, they are still well placed in this World Cup. Perhaps this loss was the wake-up call the Australian cricket team needed?
You can never write off a champion, and there can be no doubt that Ricky Ponting is a champion.
So when Australia faces India in the quarter final, a big score more than anything is what’s required from Ponting.
Roarr
Guest
haha i liked the part about the "about 80% less talent". What does that even mean? How is rebecca wilson still an employed journalist...let alone a senior/seemingly high profile one at that? Or maybe it's one of those deliberate ploys to publish terribly written, sensational, controversial articles
Matt F
Guest
its true she has written yet another poor article full of hyperbole and opinions based on flimsy evidence, however for once i fear her main point may have some merit (my god that scared me.) first let me say ponting is not a poor captain. he's not a brilliant one but certainly not as poor as his detractors like to say. however purely on form the last few years he shouldn't be in the team. the main problem is that his form slump spans both forms of the game. at least when hussey went through that long, long drought before the ashes he was still brilliant in ODI's. purely as a batsmen he hasn't merited a spot in the 11 of either side for a long period of time. i know he has his sights on the next ashes series but surely he must at least give up ODI's after this tournament. also on the captaincy issue, as much as people don't like clarke his stints as a stand in have actually really impressed me. he's not afraid to take risks with the field and i can't imagine ponting playing johnson at 4 (or was it 5) like the ODI against England recently. he will definately be an unpopular choice but he may still be the right one
Luke
Guest
I can not agree more. Rebecca Wilson is the annoying shock jock of the papers. I'm actually surprised a journalist like yourself would waste your time reading her garbage. Cheers Aidan keep up the interesting articles!
Brendon
Guest
If Rebecca Wilson wants Ponting gone then I can think of no greater endorsement for Ponting staying. If Wilson said Gaddafi should give up power in Libya then I would think twice wanting him gone. But one of the many, many, many stupid ideas and attitudes Australians have towards sport one of the dumbest is that when a cricketer gives up captaincy he HAS to also go as a player. As Kallis and Tendulkar have proven a batsmen into his mid to late 30's can still score runs. As soon as this world cup is over Ponting has to hand over the ODI captaincy to Clarke. Test captaincy isn't so clear because of Clarke's terrible form in test cricket. Make Katich caretaker captain until a longer term captaincy can be found or Clarke regains test batting form. I believe that Ponting still has a lot to offer as a batsman for Australia. But unlike Ponting Kallis and Tendulkar aren't weighed down by the burden of captaincy and in tests neither bat in the top 3. FYI. Five of the eleven players from the 2007 world cup final played ni the loss against Pakistan. Brett Lee would have been in the 2007 world cup but missed it due to injury. Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin were in the squad. So thats 7 players from the 2007 squad + Brett Lee.