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OK, enough’s enough. This selectorial negligence has now most definitely descended into farce. When the extended squad was announced for the Boxing Day Test – the first following Australia’s humiliating capitulation to the world’s eighth-ranked nation – it came as no surprise to see the inclusion name ‘Ricky Ponting’.
That’s not because of the Tasmanian’s batting feats, but simply because newly installed coach Micky Arthur had days earlier assured us the former skipper’s place was not under threat. It remains a remarkable selection when you consider that Australia should be looking to restore lost pride in this home series, and that Ponting has been a dead weight in the side for some time now.
Ponting, of course, has struggled to perform adequately for about two years; a period in which his team’s batting has collapsed with disturbing regularity.
In selecting Ponting against New Zealand and India, the panel have confirmed they are placing his desires over the interests of the team. If Australia to lose to India, with minimal contribution from their man, this would rate as an almighty selection error and the selectors should be held accountable, including Arthur and Clarke whose Punter-love gives them an obvious conflict of interest.
Of course, I realise accountability’s not flavour of the month with Cricket Australia. Just ask James Sutherland.
Ponting himself apparently lacks the intelligence and the humility to recognise his glaring faults. Stand aside for the good of the team? Not a bit of it.
Numerous opposition supporters have long regarded Ponting as petulant and unsporting, which of course, mattered not at all to home fans, especially while Australia was undisputed top dog. However, seeing as his contribution to Australian cricket since 2009 has mostly been negative, I wonder to what extent Ponting’s legacy as a ‘great’ among the Australian public has been tarnished?
The self-confidence and stubbornness that helped build Ponting’s admiring (and as we continue to see in some cases, over-admiring) fan-base in the first place has long since become detrimental to the team.
During the Ashes, I thought Ponting was past it, and while I was pleased when he received a tap on the shoulder to end his decidedly average captaincy, I feared the tap wasn’t hard enough, for I failed to see what this particular individual could offer the team anymore.
I haven’t seen anything since to make me alter than view.
When Ponting was demoted, people said that he offered valuable experience. That a score was just around the corner. That now he could do a Tendulkar. That if he dropped down the order, he might rediscover his touch.
Well, we’ve seen no evidence of anything of the sort, much to the delight of South African and New Zealand supporters.
As we approach the Indian series, Ponting continues to play Test cricket (without the awareness even to drop to No.5 or 6) only because of the deluded sycophancy of ex-players and selectors who lack the brains and balls to pick an Australian team based on merit. I note that this extends beyond the selection of the Tasmanian but his case is the most blatant. These selectors are prepared to indulge the ex-captain’s vanity project.
Even without assessing Ponting’s flawed technique as seen in numerous ugly dismissals, recent statistics alone demonstrate that he is not good enough anymore, and moreover he’s taking up a key position in the side that could be occupied by a batsman with something to offer now and/or in future years.
Since when was winning Test matches rendered subservient to the reverence inspired by an ex-captain, long since out of form and close to retirement?
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