Skipper Ponting faces blowtorch on return
Source: Agencies |
October 15, 2010, Friday
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Print Edition
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AFTER enduring two stinging test defeats in India, Ricky Ponting will return home with questions about Australia's form and his captaincy ringing in his ears a month before the Ashes start.
The gritty Tasmanian jetted off to India with confident predictions for a big home summer but may feel less bullish after the Australian bowlers were humbled on Wednesday on the way to a thumping seven-wicket loss in Bangalore.
The manner in which Australia capitulated, with maligned spinner Nathan Hauritz being picked off at will amid a generous field placement, prompted groans of despair from Australian commentators.
It also provoked an online roasting from Shane Warne, who questioned Ponting's tactics. "How the hell can Hauritz bowl to this field?" Warne posted on Twitter. "Feeling for Hauritz, terrible!! What are these tactics? Sorry Ricky, but what are you doing?"
Ponting, as always, remained defiant in defeat. "The scoreline was pretty flattering for the India team so we have to look at the positives we've created over the last couple of weeks," he said.
"In saying that, all any of us can do when go back home is play the best cricket we can."
While Warne predicted an angry Australia would hit back against England on home soil, Ponting's analysis of the positives could well be a quick exercise.
After an emphatic win over Pakistan on neutral turf in England, the Australians crumbled in the return match and were comprehensively outplayed in India to slump to a three-match losing streak, their longest in 22 years.
The 35-year-old Ponting, who last year earned the dubious distinction of being only the second Australian captain to lose the Ashes to England twice, has talked of returning to England as captain in 2012 to erase his past disappointments.
Disappointed sections of Australia's media have warned him not to get ahead of himself. "He's now lost five series, it may be time to say, 'Look mate, we've got Michael Clarke ready to go with a fresh mind, he can be captain and you focus on your batting and try to restore yourself to the level we know you're capable,'" former test bowler Geoff Lawson told local media.
The gritty Tasmanian jetted off to India with confident predictions for a big home summer but may feel less bullish after the Australian bowlers were humbled on Wednesday on the way to a thumping seven-wicket loss in Bangalore.
The manner in which Australia capitulated, with maligned spinner Nathan Hauritz being picked off at will amid a generous field placement, prompted groans of despair from Australian commentators.
It also provoked an online roasting from Shane Warne, who questioned Ponting's tactics. "How the hell can Hauritz bowl to this field?" Warne posted on Twitter. "Feeling for Hauritz, terrible!! What are these tactics? Sorry Ricky, but what are you doing?"
Ponting, as always, remained defiant in defeat. "The scoreline was pretty flattering for the India team so we have to look at the positives we've created over the last couple of weeks," he said.
"In saying that, all any of us can do when go back home is play the best cricket we can."
While Warne predicted an angry Australia would hit back against England on home soil, Ponting's analysis of the positives could well be a quick exercise.
After an emphatic win over Pakistan on neutral turf in England, the Australians crumbled in the return match and were comprehensively outplayed in India to slump to a three-match losing streak, their longest in 22 years.
The 35-year-old Ponting, who last year earned the dubious distinction of being only the second Australian captain to lose the Ashes to England twice, has talked of returning to England as captain in 2012 to erase his past disappointments.
Disappointed sections of Australia's media have warned him not to get ahead of himself. "He's now lost five series, it may be time to say, 'Look mate, we've got Michael Clarke ready to go with a fresh mind, he can be captain and you focus on your batting and try to restore yourself to the level we know you're capable,'" former test bowler Geoff Lawson told local media.
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