Ricky, Ricky, Ricky. You’re not making this easy for yourself. No-one begrudges your right to live and die by the selectors’ sword, as you declared you would when you stood down as captain last year.
As a competitive professional sportsman, I understand that’s how you’ve always operated.
Your hundred in Sydney and follow-up double in Adelaide last year showed us that you still have a lot to offer at Test level, and with very little pressure coming from the state ranks, it seemed as though you’d put your destiny back in your own hands.
Even your early form for Tasmania this season looked like your touch was still there.
The unbeaten 162 in Melbourne against two-thirds of the Test attack was exactly the sort of innings you needed, and we needed to see, and it was pleasing to see that your ultimate sign of ‘hitting them pretty well’ – the pull shot in front of square leg – was again on show.
Though I had written in comments and tweets that you probably should be considered a series-to-series proposition, given your age and being in the twilight of your career, I had no reason to think you wouldn’t contribute well in this series against the best team in the world.
But Ricky. Oh, but Ricky…
Four runs from two digs so far this series does not help the cause of a series-by-series proposition. Nor do facing only eight balls so far. And your two dismissals weren’t exactly freak accidents.
In Brisbane, you went a bit hard a bit early, as you’ve been wont to do throughout your career, and played inside the line of a Morne Morkel ball, slightly back of a length, nicking it through to Jacques Kallis in the cordon.
If there’s a classic Ricky Ponting dismissal, this would be it.
You were a little bit caught on the crease, but it was your hands, and the playing inside the line that brought you undone.
Yesterday in Adelaide was just U-G-L-Y, though, and as the stupid song goes, “you ain’t got no alibi.”
Let’s break it down a bit.
On spotting the line of the Kallis delivery, your back foot looks to move from your guard on middle or middle-and-leg slightly toward backward square. Not anywhere near as Phil Hughes’ used to, but it’s heading backwards nonetheless.
Your front foot comes forward slightly, but stops on or about the crease as if there’s some kind of barrier stopping any further forward movement to what you’ve seen is now a fuller delivery. By now, you already look like you should be further forward than you are, and you already look in trouble, you really do.
Admittedly, yorkers are difficult balls to get fully forward to at the best of times, but you haven’t gone anywhere really; you’ve just shuffled your front foot from facing point, to sort of, kind of facing cover. You’ve basically moved your foot 45 degrees and have stayed anchored to the crease.
From there, to a ball now swinging away from you in the air, you’ve not just played inside the line a shade; you’ve fully played a stump-width inside the line the delivery started on. By the time it gets past you and clips the top of off stump, it was as if you were on the wrong side of a divided highway.
And that’s without even mentioning what happened after that. If Michael Clarke’s twin lofted drives off Dale Steyn in Brisbane is an early entrant into the images of the summer, then the sight of you on all fours with three bail-less stumps standing behind you will be similarly unforgettable.
But I can forgive the falling over. It’s the being stuck on the crease, and the playing down the wrong line that’s going to be hard to defend. They’re signs of technical issues creeping back into your game when you can least afford it.
You’re about to have a 38th birthday, and you’re part of a No.3 and No.4 pairing that’s yet to fire a shot in the series while your colleagues have piled on more than a thousand runs around you.
No-one can question your career to date, and your record stands right up there with Bradman’s among the very best of Australian batsmen, but you need to turn things around quick smart.
I can’t help but think that your only saviours for this summer now can be a side that remains unbeaten against the world’s best, a continued lack of pressure from the Shield ranks below, or quality knocks on the weekend in Adelaide and/or another next weekend in Perth.
Your dream of one last Ashes tour almost has to depend on one or probably all of those happening.
Red Kev
Guest
That is exactly the lineup we need in Perth jameswm. And if Watson is still not fit add in Hughes (although if Hughes turns his 127* into a big one against Victoria he may jump Khawaja for a call up).
Neuen
Roar Rookie
Move him down the order let someone face a new deviating ball.
CricketFanatic97
Roar Rookie
What really is keeping ponting in the side is the fact is the amount of faith the selectors, especially Michael Clarke and Mickey Arthur are putting into him. I don't think Ponting is getting himself out or loosing form, i just think he needs to find a way in this series to get to a 30 or 40 where he can get through that new ball. It'd actually help him better if Warner and Cowan could have a strong opening partnership to ease the pressure off Ponting. But Ponting this year has shown that he is in genuinely good form and he has prooven that show far against India and in the Shield games. As Quinney failed in the first innings, I reckon he is safe for the next test unless Quinney does something spectacular in the second innings and Ponting fails, which may lead to Watson replacing him but he deserves to play out the series and possible the 1st test against Sri Lanka. If Australia wins this series against South Africa then I'd definitely give Ponting a chance against Sri Lanka as not only their bowling attack isn't that strong but it can give selectors time to see whether Ponting is worthy of being in that Ashes squad come July next year. You have players such as Hughes who's technique still isn't convincing enough for test level although he has scored runs, Peter Forrest who's struggling, George Bailey who's form isn't too great however you have Khawaja and Ferguson who are starting to pile on the runs so Ponting needs to perform for the remainder of the Summer. Selectors are looking to rotate players during the Sri Lankan series and if Ponting doesn't perform, we may see the back of our best batter since Bradman. I'd give him another shot but his luck and time is on a knife's edge
Rhys
Guest
I switched over to watch a bit of the first session day 1 between India and England. Monty was brought on quite early in proceedings (England having seen common sense and played two spinners), and after bowling Sehwag, Monty repeated the dose to dismiss Tendulkar for single figures. It wasn't so much the fact that Tendulkar was dismissed cheaply (that's happened a fair bit over the last year or so), but the manner of dismissal, very reminiscent of Ponting's. Yes, Ponting was facing a right arm pace/swing bowler in Kallis, while Tendulkar was facing a left arm orthodox spinner in Panesar, but both batsman played down the wrong line, looked unbalanced, and had the top of their offstumps disturbed. I fear that two of the greatest batsman of the modern era, if not alltime, are beginning to fade. In Ponting's case, a call by the NSP may just help him save some face. But Tendulkar will in all likelihood make the call himself to end his career - unless a Ganguly or Dravid can whisper persuasively in his ear to leave the game with grace.
stephen
Guest
Ricky was lucky that he played and scored a ton of runs against an extremely weak Indian side. That unforunately prolnged his career. But against good international sides he just doesnt have it anymore. Give Khawaja, Huges and some of the other younger shield batsmen a go.
Rhys
Guest
Prior to his batting banquet against the Indians last summer, Ponting's average had slipped to the low 51s. But I agree it would be a shame if his career average did slip below 50, given the sheer volume of runs he's scored.
Brett McKay
Expert
Just on this, Clarke slipped back to 52.26 once he got out this morning..
Red Kev
Guest
You have to remember that 1000 run shield seasons come from playing all 10 games. Khawaja in 2009/10 made 698 runs in 7 matches and 613 runs in 7 matches in 2010/11 - he would have gone close if he had been left to play all 10 matches instead of pulled away on tour. Didn't Quiney score 900 and something from 10 matches last season?
clipper
Guest
It would be quite sad if his average slipped below 50 - perhaps if that possibility arose, he might consider his position.
Sparks
Roar Rookie
The question should be why aren't we? From what I have witnessed over the last few years the supposed rising talent is nothing short of diabolical. Steve Smith playing test matches for Australia? WTF? His technique is shoddy at best and I'm not sure he is aware he has a fully functioning right leg as he just plants the front foot down the wicket. Sure when the ball is full he's fine as he's got a great eye, but anything short of a length and the kid doesn't have a clue. Not to single him out, but across the board in Shield cricket and grade cricket this is what I am consistently seeing with all the kiddies coming through. But it's not just technique that's at play here, there is also a distinct lack of patience and inability to handle to pressure out in the middle with a bit of chat being thrown around.
Brett McKay
Expert
no, certainly not in that quantity Sparks. Mike Hussey said only last summer that perhaps those days are beyond us, and that maybe now 700 is the new 1000-run season, and he may have a point there. There's certainly plenty of talented batsmen playing Shield cricket, but it's hard to judge how many might have 100 Tests in them..
Sparks
Roar Rookie
During the 90's Lehmann, Siddons, Law, Hayden, Di Venuto, Cox, Langer, Martyn, Love, Hussey, Blewett, Bevan and Jones all scored mountains of runs and put pressure on the status quo. Do we even have one batsman of the above calibre in the shield at the moment?
Sparks
Roar Rookie
Agreed jameswm, half volley at best.
sittingbison
Guest
I noted yesterday, and will re-post: Pontings legs have gone, like an aging boxer. When the feet don't move you are toast. And its final. The selectors should tap him on the shoulder, rather than unceremoniously dropping him without warning. And they should select someone they view as the future, and give them Sri Lanka. Probably Khwaja. They dont need to be breaking down the door with weight of runs like Hussey did, because the incumbent is not contributing and is finished.
Red Kev
Guest
It's pretty clear to me that Mickey Arthur shouldn't be anywhere near the selection process.
sittingbison
Guest
it was a "polished" 9 according to Mickey
hmd
Guest
Thanks for the link,, its look funny dismissal but not for a great legend :-P
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
Ponting cannot afford another failure in Perth. If he does they should bring Khawaja in againt SL to give him a chance before going to India then England. I think Ponting and Hussey also needed to make a commitment to playing until the end of the 2013-14 home ashes series. If that commitment is not there then Ponting should go now. There are players knocking on the door, but no-one is smashing the door down.
MrKistic
Guest
And who says that's what the selectors are thinking? Quiney was selected because of an opening due to injury. It doesn't mean they're determined to drop him at the soonest opportunity.
Brett McKay
Expert
Thanks to one of my Twitter followers, here's a gif link to the dismissal.. (not sure if the Eds can display this within this comment?) http://i.imgflip.com/7e9k.gif