Lord Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Jeff Thomson believes Australia will win the upcoming Ashes series against England by a single Test despite slating the captaincy skills of Ricky Ponting. Aussie pace great Thomson, 100 of whose 200 Test wickets came against England, has never been a fan of Ponting as a captain even though the Tasmanian has been at the helm of an Australia side that has dominated the five-day game since the star batsman took charge five years ago. "I thought Ricky was crap when he was first captain in 2004 and nothing much has improved since then," said 58-year-old Thomson at a lunch in London to launch the Ashes. "I'm not the only one who thinks that. I've always bagged him and everyone at home thinks he's s--t at the captaincy. "He's a great player but captaincy is a totally different thing. "I couldn't believe it when he'd been picked as captain. There was no-one else to pick but Ponting still had no experience. "He'd only captained one side ever before. How did he get to lead Australia with that sort of experience? "He was in a side that had very good players and now he's got a side that has average players. He's still left wanting. "You see it on him - he gets frustrated. He worries when the players don't do what he's used to with the ball when he passes it to them. "This is half the reason he's got a bloke in there who can't even spin a ball (Nathan Hauritz). Simon Katich and Michael Clarke have more chance of taking a wicket than Hauritz. "Why go for a guy like that? I don't rate Hauritz," said Thomson, whose verbal attacks on Ponting were almost as fierce as the barrage of bouncers with which he and fellow fast bowler Dennis Lillee used to pepper England batsmen back in the 1970s. "The choices he makes, his field settings and the things he does are never right. "England have the edge in the captaincy department. But while England have a better captain, Australia have a better line-up." But Thomson believes that team won't include a place for experienced quick Brett Lee, making his way back from injury. "I don't see a place for Brett Lee in this side. He hasn't played for such a long time. "Mitchell Johnson is a handy bowler but what's really added another string to his bow is his batting - he's a really good batsman. He bats properly and is a good hitter of the ball. He's got defence and attack." Australia won a Test series in South Africa earlier this year under Ponting's leadership but Thomson said: "They'll need to play a lot better than they did in South Africa because the conditions are different. "I've played in England many times and it's much harder for the bowlers, but I think we'll win the series by a single Test." Ponting, getting ready to lead Australia in their final warm-up match, (against the England Lions at Worcester starting on Wednesday) before the Ashes opener, insisted he was still as fired up as ever. "I've not mellowed as a competitor or a cricketer," he said. "I am loving the game as much as ever and I am involved in a really youthful group of blokes who are a joy to be around. "We've just come off a really good win in South Africa. The feeling in the group was terrific and it has been over here these last couple of weeks. "To me, this is as exciting as it gets, to be captain of Australia in England in an Ashes series with a new fresh group of players." :hysterical::hysterical::hysterical: Link to comment
iHammad Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 he is right. Ponting is crap! I hate ponting Link to comment
DomainK Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Agreed. Ponting is a crap captain. Link to comment
Dinx - the Jinx Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 :haha::haha: Had a good laugh... in defense of ponting - if he's really a crap captain (which he looks like many times when challenged), then how is he able to win many matches.. even after retirement of warne, mcgrath, gilly... he has been able win, except for the heavy defeat against india and s/a... his victories also include some good wins against india (melbourne) and south africa in south africa... before the series against south africa in south africa started, most of us had already written off australia.. but he did manage to win the series using mostly inexperienced side.. i cant buy the argument that saffies choked.. its not a odi tournament ora t20 where you can bet on saffies to choke... so, ponting should have been definitely a decent (if not a brilliant capt) to bounce back from series defeats against ind and sa to win the sa away series... moreover, its only india and sa who are giving ponting nightmares in tests... the other 7 test playing nations are nowhere near even securing a draw, forget beating australia... all this tell me that we cant just dismiss ponting as a stupid captain (which I would be delighted to do anyways ;P)... so what am i missing here.. is Ponting really a good captain :banghead: Link to comment
Sachinism Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Thank you Jeff for stating something we all knew Link to comment
Params7 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 said 58-year-old Stopped reading there. Ponting Captained Australia to a World Cup win. /thread Link to comment
Watson87 Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 Thompson is just jealous of Ponting's success. Thank God he is not one of the selectors, back to back WC victories and he's a crap captain, to Thompson mohammed Ashraful must be the best captain LOL:hysterical: Link to comment
iHammad Posted July 1, 2009 Share Posted July 1, 2009 even Dhoni is better than Ponting Link to comment
Jai Ho Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 dunno what this is about. Ponting is one of the best ever... :cantstop: Link to comment
DomainK Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 even Dhoni is better than Ponting What do you mean "even"? Link to comment
flamy Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I guess this thread will seperate the n00bs and serious followers of cricket. :eating: Link to comment
Bradman99 Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I think he has some reasonable opinions, but his really been harsh on Ponting. Link to comment
King Tendulkar Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 even Dhoni is better than Ponting Pak troll alert!!!! Link to comment
MUMBAISKIPPER Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 when it comes to crap the only name I think of is of John Buchanan .I don't know about others. Link to comment
Anakin Posted July 2, 2009 Share Posted July 2, 2009 I guess this thread will seperate the n00bs and serious followers of cricket. :eating: :haha::haha: On topic, Ponting is cra.p not only in captaincy. Link to comment
DomainK Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 What a decision after winning the toss. Suicidal. Link to comment
Sooda Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 It was... what was he thinking. He ALWAYS bats first, the brain doesent kick in to gear to say..'hang on a min, grass + rain = not great wicket to bat on actually' What do the rest of the Aus team thinktank do??? Link to comment
Sachinism Posted January 3, 2010 Share Posted January 3, 2010 We were praising him for wonderful captaincy last test match, I think the praise got to his head and got carried away, so he decided to bat 1st on this wicket, because poyz are the whipping boys, but it wasn't to be :haha: Link to comment
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