Ponting in the Ashes

[The Outsider]

Shwetabh, just curious...if Michael Clarke goes on to score a 100 here, would you rate it as a great 4th innings knock? One could argue that since Australia's task is almost impossible, the match is already gone and there's no real pressure. Therefore no pressure in easy chases, no pressure in the really difficult ones either?

Certainly not a great knock unless he goes on to bring Australia within shooting distance of the target or a realistic chance of a draw. But definitely much more accomplished than say a 60* chasing 150 to win the last innings.

Pretty close to being rated a great knock. If he is around for another 100 runs, what an effort it would be from Clarke!

[Mr. Wicket]

What would you say about Haddin's here, if he keeps on with this excellent start?

[The Outsider]

What would you say about Haddin's here' date=' if he keeps on with this excellent start?[/quote'] If anyone of these can push Australia to within a 100 runs of the target from where you can expect the bowlers to have a realistic jab at the score it would be a great effort. This match still might go down to the wire, but as usually happens in these huge run chases one wicket will most likely open the floodgates and bring about a swift end.

[Mr. Wicket]

Yup. But you've got to give him some serious credit - not easy playing against the likes of Flintoff, Swann and Anderson given how they've bowled this game, especially coming in at 120-odd/5, and to bat like this is a really impressive performance. Glad to see he's buckled down a bit more and reined himself in after his idiocy in the first innings.

[Dhondy]

Pretty close to being rated a great knock. If he is around for another 100 runs' date=' what an effort it would be from Clarke![/quote'] What that demonstrates is that it's pretty difficult to rate historical knocks, i.e. when you are looking back at it rather than living it, as with this one. It might have been only a 70-odd like Sehwag scored in our short chase against SA at home, or a 80-odd like the one he scored to ignite India's mammoth chase against England, but years later if you look back on these knocks, you judge them by dry statistics, i.e. the number of runs scored, and you can't quite get a handle on its importance. We have seen too many failed chases recently of relatively small totals to write off a 60, 70 or 80 odd in the 4th innings.

[The Outsider]

What that demonstrates is that it's pretty difficult to rate historical knocks, i.e. when you are looking back at it rather than living it, as with this one. It might have been only a 70-odd like Sehwag scored in our short chase against SA at home, or a 80-odd like the one he scored to ignite India's mammoth chase against England, but years later if you look back on these knocks, you judge them by dry statistics, i.e. the number of runs scored, and you can't quite get a handle on its importance. We have seen too many failed chases recently of relatively small totals to write off a 60, 70 or 80 odd in the 4th innings.

That's not a very good way of judging them then, is it? If Clarke had fallen after getting his 100 and his side 250+ runs adrift, it would have been just another good fight in a huge defeat. That he is still there and whittling away at the runs means that he has more than a chance to play one of the greatest innings. Even when looking back at history, it's a folly to go by just numbers. For a batting line up consisting of the likes of Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Waughs, Martyn, Hussey, Clarke, Gilchrist, Taylor, Slater etc. a 150-200 run target in the 4th innings can hardly be termed as a pressure situation unless they are playing on a brute like Mumbai '04, where even a 40 odd could have been a great knock.

[rainy day]

Great sportsman spirit by Ponting, didn't blame the umpiring one bit when most captains in the world would have. Got heavy applause from the Lord's crowd for his comments. He has changed no doubt about it.

[Mamu]

Great sportsman spirit by Ponting' date=' didn't blame the umpiring one bit when most captains in the world would have. Got heavy applause from the Lord's crowd for his comments. He has changed no doubt about it.[/quote'] Non-sense ! -- Ponting and Spirit? Give me a break! That moron had broken enough rules over the 5 days -- he knew -- if he did anything worse he would be banned. Regarding umpiring the Lousy Aus Media is doing enough whinging --- don't forget this same Aus Media -- kept quiet during the atrocious (and may I say far more atrocious) decisions that were given during the 2 Sydney Tests ! :finger: Ponting. I hope more follows.

[The Outsider]

Oh don't worry, I fully expect him to slip in a snide remark during the press conference or the lead up to the next test. He usually doesn't say much in post match presentation anyways.

[Dinx - the Jinx]

Great sportsman spirit by Ponting' date=' didn't blame the umpiring one bit when most captains in the world would have. Got heavy applause from the Lord's crowd for his comments. [b']He has changed no doubt about it.

not really. this is not the last 4th of 5th test. lets see if he maintains the same composure for the rest of the series. for all you know, he may spurt it out in an interview before the next match... so wait aND watch

[hari504504]

Nothing would please me more than that man losing his captaincy after a disgraceful ashes defeat...hopefully without a single win...

[Mamu]

Ricky Ponting has blamed "fundamental skill errors" for Australia's second Test defeat but remains convinced his side can be patched up in time to hit back at Edgbaston next week. While Mitchell Johnson's bowling was the biggest concern of the 115-run loss, there are also serious worries over the opener Phillip Hughes and the decisions of the batsmen. Australia were behind from the opening session, which began with Johnson spraying the ball, and were out of the match when they fell for 215 in their first innings amid a flurry of cross-batted dismissals. Michael Clarke improved their position in the second bat with 136 after the side dropped to 128 for 5 in their impossible victory pursuit of 522. "There are fundamental skill errors that we have made in this game," Ponting said. "I'm not just talking about the bowling. We didn't bat very well either in our first innings. Two hundred-odd on that wicket was a long way short of what we needed to get. "The first two days was where the game was decided. I was pretty happy with the way we stuck at things for the remainder of the game. It's just little skill errors that have cost us big time." Australia play a three-day match against Northamptonshire on Friday before the third Test in Birmingham starts on July 30. Despite being 1-0 down after two fixtures, Ponting is certain his men can re-group and believes both teams are evenly matched. Australia dominated much of the opening game in Cardiff, which now feels as far away as 2005, but England quickly built on their thrilling draw to take a strong advantage. "It's grabbing the momentum when you can and running with it for as long as you can that's going to decide this series," Ponting said. "If you look at this game, they grabbed the momentum on day one, ran with it, and we found it hard to wrest it back. "A lot of Test matches are won with what happens in the first hour's play. We were a fair bit off at the start of this game and we have to make sure we're a whole lot better when we start the third one." Ponting spoke calmly after the match and managed to laugh at his treatment from the usually polite Lord's crowd. They jeered him throughout the contest, starting with his dispute of an incorrect caught-behind dismissal on the second day and continuing when he missed a run-out of Kevin Pietersen and a catch off Ravi Bopara in England's second innings. "They seemed to take great pleasure in me dropping that," Ponting said. He counted 15 big-screen replays of the drop in two overs. "I got my first clap as I got off the stage from my post-game interview on the ground," he said. "It took me cracking a joke to get a laugh out of them. I'm not sure what all the animosity was there." He promised not to lose any sleep over the response, which comes from his spirit of the game pronouncements, treatment of umpires and gritty on-field behaviour. He is also Australia's most talented and recognisable player. Clarke sat next to his captain and said his century became "irrelevant" with the defeat. He wished the performance had come in the first innings instead, when he flicked James Anderson to midwicket on 1. "Our goal is to win the game," Clarke said. "I thought we played pretty well last night but it's irrelevant now because we didn't get the result we were after. We knew we had a big job to do today, especially in the first session, but unfortunately we didn't get the result. I think we can still take some confidence out of the way we performed with the bat in the second innings."

Somebody jeers at you only because you behaved like a dick for 5 days on the field. Got it Ponting.

[DomainK]

Nothing would please me more than that man losing his captaincy after a disgraceful ashes defeat...hopefully without a single win...

He wont lose his captaincy. Australian selectors don't have the balls to throw him out.

[Gambit]

Punter might become the first Australian captain to lose more than one Ashes in England and there is no way the Australian selectors will let him retain captaincy if that were to happen. :hahaha:

[Riley's Girl]

He wont lose his captaincy. Australian selectors don't have the balls to throw him out.

I think you're right. They have stuck with him this long, won't get rid of him just yet.

[Gambit]

He wont lose his captaincy. Australian selectors don't have the balls to throw him out.

Series loss v India away Series loss v RSA at home Potential series loss v England away No chance Ponting will survive this. He will be stripped of captaincy.

[DomainK]

Punter might become the first Australian captain to lose more than one Ashes in England and there is no way the Australian selectors will let him retain captaincy if that were to happen. :hahaha:

I would prefer to see him lose Ashes, retain captaincy, lose more tournaments for a few more years (especially to India) and then get thrown out. Right now he has statistics on his side. If he is thrown out now, there wont be a lack of Aussie experts trying to immortalize him as a captain by showing how many matches he won. His captaincy abilities should get exposed a little more before selectors hit the eject button.

[Mr. Wicket]

Great sportsman spirit by Ponting' date=' didn't blame the umpiring one bit when most captains in the world would have. Got heavy applause from the Lord's crowd for his comments. He has changed no doubt about it.[/quote'] I believe the lack of negative arrogant senior influences in the dressing room is helping a LOT... as I've said before Australia are a far more pleasant team to watch on the field than they were a year or so ago. Instead of having to watch asswipes and boorish pr-cks like Hayden and Symonds and a self-righteous preaching hypocrite in Gilchrist, we're seeing guys like Hauritz, Hughes, Katich, Hussey and Johnson behave far better on the field, much more likeable as people and sportsmen and far easier to appreciate. Symonds was one heck of a talent but he was a third rate person, ditto Hayden. Australia these days isn't going overboard in terms of their sledging or behaviour on field and are far more respectful of opponents as well in interviews/press conferences/etc. Compare a losing interview from Ponting 4-5 years ago to one these days. He's a much more mature person, and I think being in a dressing room of young guys and being forced to play a role model and leader to them is changing him a bit, rather than being a peer to guys like the QLD boor duo.

[Mamu]

I believe the lack of negative arrogant senior influences in the dressing room is helping a LOT... as I've said before Australia are a far more pleasant team to watch on the field than they were a year or so ago. Instead of having to watch asswipes and boorish pr-cks like Hayden and Symonds and a self-righteous preaching hypocrite in Gilchrist, we're seeing guys like Hauritz, Hughes, Katich, Hussey and Johnson behave far better on the field, much more likeable as people and sportsmen and far easier to appreciate. Symonds was one heck of a talent but he was a third rate person, ditto Hayden. Australia these days isn't going overboard in terms of their sledging or behaviour on field and are far more respectful of opponents as well in interviews/press conferences/etc. Compare a losing interview from Ponting 4-5 years ago to one these days. He's a much more mature person, and I think being in a dressing room of young guys and being forced to play a role model and leader to them is changing him a bit, rather than being a peer to guys like the QLD boor duo.

I agree, they are a far better unit now than a year or so ago. As a matter of fact if Ponting left this squad -- I will no qualms about them at all !

[The Outsider]

I agree' date=' they are a far better unit now than a year or so ago. As a matter of fact if Ponting left this squad -- I will no qualms about them at all ![/quote'] Ponting is the ringleader and a pakka *****u, but his protege is no less. In fact, at times I feel that pilla Clarke will turn out to be much worse when he becomes captain. He has already shown his true colors on a number of occasions. And to top it all he is a janta janardhan batsman as well, today's innings notwithstanding.