For the benefit of overseas readers or those who refuse to read anything but the back page of the paper, the NSW ALP government has just been swept from power after 16 years.
It happened within a few days of Ricky Ponting declaring he’s never really thought about retirement. Within 36 hours of that statement, his team was bundled out of the one-day world championship. They were the defending champions.
It’s hard not to see similarities with NSW Labor’s routing.
Ask Kristina, Ricky – some choose retirement and some have retirement thrust upon them. Why would either of them even want their jobs anymore?
It’s a hiding to nothing. Only pain and disappointment lie ahead. No possibility of new highs, and inevitable lows.
The Premier led a disintegrating government, taking New South Wales from ‘The Premier State’ to a consistent underperformer.
Ponting too, captained the tail-end of one of the greatest eras of Australian cricket but now presides over an Australian team that is neither swashbuckling nor gritty, neither exciting not workmanlike.
Both have expressed very public irritation with their team. Both have given the impression that the stress of being the head of an organisation in decline is no fun.
And both vowed to fight on, regardless.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d have either of them on my team. Local member or number three batsmen, you’d go a distance to find any better.
And in a different time, under a different set of circumstances, they could have been, perhaps they were, great leaders. But we cannot judge that accurately in this moment of darkness.
So despite the fact both hung in there, smiling unconvincingly and living in denial, their time is over.
I guess you could hang around indefinitely on the backbenches (as Kristina will) or somewhere in the batting lineup (as Ricky has indicated), but frankly that’s undignified.
For a politician, there ultimately comes a time when the decision ceases to become yours. KK just found that out, and how.
The captaincy of the Australian cricket, as the mythology asserts, is second only the Prime Minister as this nation’s most respected role.
After seeing some of the disrespect at this week’s carbon tax rally, Punter may actually have Australia’s highest office.
So it, and we, deserve more respect than the irritated fly-swat answers that constitute a Ponting press conference these days.
He can barely contain his disdain for the process and yet sits there, without a hint of irony, and says he hasn’t pondered his future.
Ricky, be very happy you are not in an elected office, because if you were, you would be very susceptible to swing.
The electors are pondering your future and in their vision, even if you are not, and if they had a say you wouldn’t have to worry about field settings and annoying teammates and media.
Punter, if the cricket lovers I know went to the polls, you’d be swept from power. Like Kristina Keneally, your tenure would no longer be fodder for the papers but for the historians.
And Michael Clark would claim your office and begin an era full of news ideas and new promise.
Mounting an argument that Michael Clark is analogous to Barry O’Farrell… well, that may prove a little harder.
But time will tell.
Eric
Guest
Kenneally was a gem amongst a bunch of grubs, Ponting a very uncut roughie. Maybe we haven't heard the last of either of them.
Bayman
Guest
pete, I'm not sure that calling for Ponting, at 36, to stand aside is a case of letting our cricketers go "early". Hussey and Katich are 35 and climbing and I'm suggesting they both watch the next test series from the stands. Smith has resigned the captaincy, Vettori is to follow suit and full marks to them. It may prolong their careers but finally there comes a time. Ian Chappell resigned the captaincy after just 30 Tests - in modern parlance, a month and a half - after realising he simply was over the job and he needed a break. Ponting, unfortunately, was more of the mould of Kim Hughes who saw the captaincy as a bigger attraction than being the best batsman he could be. I have no doubt the pressure of being captain impacted on both Ponting and Hughes. Ponting, at least, had the avantage of being considered the best candidate when the the time came. As for Ian Chappell bringing the game into disrepute, I suggest you've been reading too many comments from the uninformed. He made life difficult for administrators but, as captain, he saw that as part of his job. He did not, contrary to popular opinion, make sledging a byword for Australian cricket. Many modern followers of the game like to sheet home responsibility for Australia's poor on-field behaviour to Ian Chappell. It is a myth. Chappell would not tolerate what today passes as normal - or in Steve Waugh's terminology, "mental disintegration". Frankly, Ricky Ponting has done more bringing the game into disrepute in the last six months than Chappell did in his entire career. Modern professionalism - a step forward to be sure!
fisher price
Guest
He was ignored. Which Ponting won't be because the selectors don't have the balls.
shonky
Guest
At least Kristina was an alright looker. Punter needs a bit of Nivea for Men or something.
apaway
Guest
Who was the last Australian captain to relinquish the post but play on? I think it was Kim Hughes. How did that work out for Kim?
fisher price
Guest
Strauss should probably retire from ODIs. He's 34 so has a few more years of Test captaincy I reckon - form and results pending.
Ken
Guest
Ponting = Kenneally? I think you're giving Kenneally a major compliment. She was just the latest installed figurehead of a corrupt and incompetent government, Ponting is an all time great who was ultimately not suited to the difficult position of captain of a transitional team.
Brett McKay
Guest
and Michael Vaughan suggested Strauss should also stand aside...
Rhys
Guest
That's the big question mark for me as well. Ponting should announce his retirement from ODIs, because there really is nothing left for him to achieve in that arena (and he won't still be playing in 2015). If he focuses all his energy on just being a Test batsman there's the incentive to help Australia regain the #1 ranking, and arguably more importantly regain the Ashes. If he shuffles down the order, and can enjoy a Tendulkar-like resurgence in his twilight years, it may be the best career move Ponting has made in years - but only if he lets Clarke have autonomy as captain.
Trash B
Guest
Difference is Ricky actually achieved something whilst in office. A decent captain (still the most successful for Australia) who is as humanly floored as his is brilliantly talented. All power to him to take a spot on the backbench & remind the haters why he is one of the all-time greatest batsmen.
Ryan O'Connell
Expert
Great piece, Aaron. I personally would like to see Ricky play on as a specialist batsman. Free from the pressures of the captaincy, he could potentially have another 2 or 3 years of high class batting. I understand ditching him as captain, but I'm not sure why everyone is in such a rush to drop our second best batsmen since Don Bradman. It's not like we have a bunch of guys averaging 100 in Shield cricket to take his place. We need his quality and ability in the side. Why not see if his large scores return once he’s free of the burden of captaincy? If he fails to fire, then fine, drop him. But let’s give him a chance as a specialist batsman first. I find it hard to believe he’s still not one of the top 6 batsmen in Australia.
fisher price
Guest
Totally agree. But Clarke - who struggled in this past Ashes - is a certainty with this current regime.
jameswm
Guest
Why do they feel that they have to appoint Clarke? Katich MUST be the test captain. Is it too late to tell them? Clarke's public image is about as positive as Tony Abbott's right now.
fisher price
Guest
No-one because both England and South Africa have been doing quite well in Test cricket; Australia's lost six out of its last eight Tests. Also, Smith has stepped down as captain.
fisher price
Guest
I think you're living in the past.
fisher price
Guest
Finally someone's had the balls to tap him on the shoulder. I do wonder whether his continued presence under Clarke will be a help or a hindrance.
Jammy
Guest
Ponting won 2 world cups as captain and countless series against every cricket nation bar one. Unffortunately he will be remembered for relinquishing The Ashes twice and losing 3 series against the old enemy. Not the most imaginative of captains but in a team that had Warne, McGrath and Gilchrist a captain didn't require a lot of imagination. A decent captain.
Ananth
Guest
Would the media please stop their criticism of Ponting. I know it makes a good read but face facts. Punter is the best batsman in Australia today and still one of the five biggest wickets an international bowler would love to get. There is absolutely no doubt about that. Did he pass his captaincy due date? Yes. But was there a good alternate all these years? Maybe/No? Before writing articles dismissing Punter please pause to think of the Aussie Test batting line-up without him. You got an in-form Watson, an out of form Katich or a suspect Phil Hughes, Khwaja maybe at 3, Pup who's been woefully short of runs the last 8 months at 4, Huss who was almost dropped before the Ashes at 5, and Steve Smith (yeah rite, he can bat!) at 6. Punter had a bad Ashes but was Australia's best batsman on the Indian tour. Give the man a break will you - Australia needs Ricky Ponting the batsman more now than ever.
Melanie Dinjaski
Roar Guru
JUST ANNOUNCED! Press conference to be held this afternoon. Ponting expected to step down as captain, and Michael Clarke to replace him. STAY TUNED.
peter c
Guest
South Africa and England were also bundled out - who is calling for their captains heads. We let our crcikters go to early and usually badly (where are you greggy). As far as Ian Chappell - of course he never brought the game into disripute!!