Ricky Ponting has announced that tomorrow’s Perth Test against South Africa, his 168th, will be his last, after an illustrious 17-year career.
So the time has finally come. What happens if he makes 200 in this test?
After getting castled twice in Adelaide and with some big series coming up I guess he thought it was finally time to hang up the boots. Will be sad to see him go he was the last remnant from the great Australia side of the 90s and 2000s. Hopefully they don't replace him with Phil Hughes.
I can stop watching cricket now. The last of the original crew gone.
lol? Yer a goose, Harry.
About bloody time.. talk about milking it for all its worth.
Pffft. Wouldn't have been possible without the support of everyone around him. Another armchair critic that is not across his recent Tassie performance against VIC:
162*, 60* Tasmania v Victoria Melbourne 23 Oct 2012 FC 47 Tasmania v South Aust Adelaide 14 Oct 2012 LA 85* Tasmania v South Aust Adelaide 9 Oct 2012 FC
I can stop watching cricket now. The last of the original crew gone.
er, i think all the original crew are more than dead dude, seeing that the first team was in like the 1880's or so
pointless wasn't as great as people thought imo, he made many poor choices, and had an aversion to declaring, and lost the ashes even with a great team behind him
pinky, did i say he wasn't a good batsman, no, did i say he was a poor captain, no, did i say he wasn't has great has people build him up to be, yes
I made it clear where i thought it failed, sure it was limited, but hey, read into it what you want, and cut and paste the 1/5th of what I said and argue a point i didn't make
Fuck there are some failures in this thread, copuis leading the crew
The guy is a legend and the way he's been treated by the media and everyone is disgraceful and no doubt helped continue his bad run with every cunt wanting to stick the knife in
Seeing him boo'ed on to the field was really sad , how everyone forgets
pinky, did i say he wasn't a good batsman, no, did i say he was a poor captain, no, did i say he wasn't has great has people build him up to be, yesI made it clear where i thought it failed, sure it was limited, but hey, read into it what you want, and cut and paste the 1/5th of what I said and argue a point i didn't make
So what you're saying is you are choosing to focus on the 10% of times he was wrong rather than the 90% of times he was fucking awesome?
er, i think all the original crew are more than dead dude
DERP, no shit.
or sopointless wasn't as great as people thought imo, he made many poor choices, and had an aversion to declaring, and lost the ashes even with a great team behind himone thing he was good at was fielding
Spastic comment, like most Australians who know shit all about cricket but consider themselves a cricket expert just because they are Australian.
Pffft. Wouldn't have been possible without the support of everyone around him. Another armchair critic that is not across his recent Tassie performance against VIC:
Fuck there are some failures in this thread, copuis leading the crew
The guy is a legend and the way he's been treated by the media and everyone is disgraceful and no doubt helped continue his bad run with every cunt wanting to stick the knife in
Seeing him boo'ed on to the field was really sad , how everyone forgets
what forgets that he chased big numbers and not wins?, he somehow didn't understand that bating your first innings for three days does not really put you in a good place to win?
the dude was a great fielder (as I said) was he a great captain, I dont think he was great, middle to fair, not bad. do I feel he did a good job with the team he had, no, I don't
we (under his captaincy) have gone from seemingly unbeatable, to loses ashes, and a general fall, is it all his fault, hell no. could he have done better. yes
HOWEVER, to boo a guy that has spent 17 years playing a top level sport is pretty fucking poor form all round, I haven't like the guy, never really have. and i'm open and honest about it, and my view hasn't changed, but the amount of work off the field coaching young cricketers, and guiding/helping his team/s is what should be remembered, I also think he was given a raw shot batting so high in the order. he would be great two spots down. but regardless what my feelings are about his performance, I respect him highly. and while I glad to see him leave at this time, it is disheartening to see the treatment he has copped
Pinky>>>, whatever dude, troll away, I give him the credit for being good at the aspects he is good at, and outlined my dislikes openly, and that it is a view that hasn't changed, was he a good cricketer, there can be no doubt, was he " 90% of times,fucking awesome", no, no he wasn't, whoopie, he has the most runs, (in the most games, hardly a feat there) his average is, average, he isn't the longest serving batsman we have ever had, but over 15years in the team, regardless of who you are is a credit, there have been better, he is not the best, dont make him more than his is
Thanks for the memories Punter.
Wasnt your fault we lost the Ashes.
Easily our best bastman since Bradman but prolly became Captain because Warne was such a dickhead off the field.
Nobody should be playing for Australia beyond 35.
Not with the standard of Cricket in this Country.
Id like to see Hussey call it too.
lets get Hughes and Khwaja into the side and prepare for the Ashes.
A young and hungry side to face England in England then back here next Summer.
What's with all these people calling Ponting a great Captain?
Ponting was a terrible Captain who was blessed with a great team. You could see how bad he was a captain when he lost McGrath and Warne.
Clarke uses bowlers the calibre of Siddle and Hilfenhous ten times better than Ponting ever did.
Border was a good captain and a great leader.
Taylor was a great captain.
Waugh was a good captain.
Ponting was a poor captain.
So far I'm really very impressed with Clarke as a captain. Guy can actually set a field and be creative with his bowling changes.
I agree with Copius on a fair bit of what he mentions. (Apart from the gay thing, fu u call me gay it's on cunt ha ha)
Anyways, full respect tot he guy, he's an absolute legend, but it's definitely time for him to move on. His form hasn't been great and i really hope he makes a good score in this last one to give him the send off he deserves, but tbh, i think he should have been toiling back in state cricket getting his shit together. He was picked just because of who he is a lot of the time and superstars that don't get results aren't worth carting the extra baggage for...
Anyways he's still a legend of the game and full respect to him for a great career...
Huss call it tho? Faceman, come on, he's one of our best with the bat at the moment!!
Ponting's captaincy lacked imagination, but that doesn't take away from his brilliance as a player.
Most of the great captains, weren't the great players of their generation.
S.Waugh, who is my favourite player ever, was a very good captain, perhaps not the equal of his 2 predecessors though.
However, the likes of Tendulkar, Lara, Flintoff, Pollock, Dravid, Chanderpaul, Kallis, Peiterson, Akram, Sangakkara, De Silva and many other all-time great players were either complete failures as Captain, or never even became Captain - so Ponting is not alone as a below par captain combined with all-time great talent/skill.
I'm sad to see him go personally, I think he's still in the best XI. Will finish the year in the Shield and probably scores twice as many runs as the blokes chasing his vacated spot.
since when, didn't like some of those early guys play test cricket into their 50's (sure it was at a time when the average life expectancy was like 65)
So the time has finally come. What happens if he makes 200 in this test?
After getting castled twice in Adelaide and with some big series coming up I guess he thought it was finally time to hang up the boots. Will be sad to see him go he was the last remnant from the great Australia side of the 90s and 2000s. Hopefully they don't replace him with Phil Hughes.
yup, you are right, they say that he is average, but he has play alot of games, (what a stupid statement really pinky), they in no way reflect his ability to be a captain, they show that he was a good batsman, not great
bradman was a great, he played 80 games, punter played 280 game, had bradman play that many, he would have nearly double the runs that ricky has now, thus the stats say punter is half great
When you mistake innings for games (tests?), nobody is going to take you seriously.
Yeah, seriously copuis you need to just stop now.
bradman was a great, he played 80 games, punter played 280 game, had bradman play that many, he would have nearly double the runs that ricky has now, thus the stats say punter is half great
You realise what you're describing is just the statistic called "Batting Average" right? And that you're basically saying that no batsman besides Bradman has ever been much better than "half great"?
He is arguably Australia's 2nd best batsman EVER, Top 3 at least along with Bradman & Chappell.
Your definition of 'great' must be a very tough one.
He scored nearly 30,000 international runs, won every trophy available in the game of cricket, including 3 World Cups - I'd give him the classifcation of 'great'.
He is arguably Australia's 2nd best batsman EVER, Top 3 at least along with Bradman & Chappell.
Your definition of 'great' must be a very tough one.
He scored nearly 30,000 international runs, won every trophy available in the game of cricket, including 3 World Cups - I'd give him the classifcation of 'great'.
no, I am just measuring it against more than "most runs scored"
how is his strike rate, average,
batting average, it too is average
is he a good batsman, no doubt, but he has at times seemly thrown his wicket away (playing aggressive when stubborn is needed)
is he a good fielder, bloodly oath, and he is handy enough with a ball to help
was he a good captain, I dont think so, he had a good team, and the guy is well spoken, but sometimes the choices he made were a little WTF?
most of the records he has are due in part because of the length of time he has been in the team, so it isn't a true measure of "greatness", it just means that he was okay enough at the job to stay (that in itself needs to be applauded, because 17 years at the top is a feat)
so what measure are you using for greatness, because for me, he was a okay/good cricketer,
He has something like the 25th highest career batting average out of all the thousands of players who have ever played Test cricket all over the world going back over 100 years. You seriously need to look up what average actually means.
copuis... Just... no.He has something like the 25th highest career batting average out of all the thousands of players who have ever played Test cricket all over the world going back over 100 years. You seriously need to look up what average actually means.
dude, he has an average of around 52, most long playing top batsman have an average around 50-52, which would make him average, (we are talking batsman here, not players that bat)
btw he currently at number for of current player, you all understand i'm not saying he is a bad player, i'm saying he is not a great just how many greats do you want in the game?,
it is also worth noting that balls haven't changed in 100 odd years mean while bats are bigger and badder, and easier to make runs
if it helps, i think Lara is a great, and in the modern game his average would be higher
You mean Lyon? And my 2c, Ponting is definitely a great of Australian Cricket. He was the greatest Australian batsman of his time and one of the most successful captains ever, as well as our equal most capped player. Your dreaming if he's not a great.
dude, he has an average of around 52, most long playing top batsman have an average around 50-52, which would make him average, (we are talking batsman here, not players that bat)
This is just plain wrong, are you willfully ignoring the stats? Only about 40 out of all Test batsmen in the history of the game have ever had a career average above 50. I think you seriously underestimate how many Test batsman have played for an appreciable amount of time over the last 100+ years of Test cricket.
Ponting was not average by any metric. No one's saying he was the best the game has ever seen, they're just saying that you cannot deny that he was much better than just a good batsman.
you all understand i'm not saying he is a bad player, i'm saying he is not a great
just how many greats do you want in the game?,
Well from this thread alone it looks like about 20 votes for Ponting being great and 1 vote against. I guess we can agree that he was great!
if it helps, i think Lara is a great,
Aside from highest top score, Lara's stats are virtually no different to Ponting's in any significant way. How is Lara great and Ponting not?
and in the modern game his average would be higher
What are you smoking? Lara's career started just 5 years earlier than Ponting's. Modern game? How much do you think changed in those 5 years compared to the previous 100? Not to mention that for 11 whole years they were both playing the same "game" at the same time.
Its a pity we never got to see Punter take on McGrath and Warne.
1st drop is the toughest place to Bat.
Punter thrived in it.
He also thrived in one day Cricket.
Id love to see him get 100 today.
But i dont think it will happen.
What do you guys think of this no-ball being checked for dismissals thing ?
Revert to the backfoot law.
If Siddle was fit he should have played.
Biggest test match for years.
Fatigue is Cricket Alarmism.
In a five-year period from late 2001 until the end of 2006, Ponting scored a magnificent 6449 runs at the lofty average of 72.46 in 105 innings. He had no superior in that period.
The best Batsman for a five year period.
100 innings and he averaged 75.
Only Bradman was better, and to be honest it wasnt the same game back then.
He is truly one of the greats.
Lara Tendulker Ponting
and Im not too sure about that order.
I loved watching Ponting play; I thought he was a true professional of the game in everything he did. I don't know what his track record was overall as captain and how it compares - some guy on the news the other day said something like "Ponting will be remembered as the first Australian to captain three Ashes losses" or something like that, which I thought was pretty dumb. Certainly not how I'll remember him - first class batsman, first class cricketer, and all round legend.
He was a great player but damn did he have some uninspired captaincy. While it was a great series and really close he should never have lost the Ashes with the side he had in 2005.
I'd say that the second coming of jesus is more likely than Ponting saving this test but then again, if he does, it will pretty much be the same thing.
He was a great player but damn did he have some uninspired captaincy. While it was a great series and really close he should never have lost the Ashes with the side he had in 2005.
But the side ppl think he had, he didn't really have.
Gillespie was injured and pretty much gone for good.
We only lost 2 tests in the series, and surprise surprise - they were the 2 tests that McGrath didn't play. We had Shaun Tait playing FFS, so the team wasn't THAT good!
Also, both Damien Martyn and Simon Katich were subjected to the worst run of umpiring decisions I've seen since early 90's Pakistan tours!
I was essentially Ponting & Warne vs England, and England just managed to pip us. Hayden's epic selfish innings in the 5th test didn't help, more interested in saving his spot in the team than retaining the Ashes.
Yeah Martyn middled it into his pads a few times and then was also unlucky enough to get dropped after then series.
Our batting lineup was still ridiculously strong. Hayden, Langer, Ponting, Clarke, Martyn and Gilchrist. And of course the great S.K.Warne. If it wasn't for him we would have been absolutely flogged that series. Did Ponting decide to bowl first before or after McGrath was injured in the second test?
Warne totally should have been captain/coach/everything after Steve Waugh's retirement. I suggest everyone watch the following videos for a true display of awesomeness.
Seriously, cricket hasn't been the same to me since he retired :(
Selfish arse shouldn't have retired, instead of banging Liz Hurley most nights, there is no doubt he would still be taking wickets at Test level for Australia.
I reckon he could play till he is 45 he is/was that good.
Punter sent them in after the injury, but its alleged he wasn't aware how bad it was and it was still 50/50 whether he would play.
Our batting lineup looked strong on paper, but Hayden was always going to fail against a quality fast bowling unit in English conditions and Gilchrist has the worst series of his career.
Marto & Katich were the let downs, but Marto smashed the cover off it into his pads twice and was given LBW, Katich got an LBW when it pitched a foot outside off, and we all know Kasper wasn't actually out in the famous final dismissal!
England played very well in those Ashes Wins.
They could have won 4 straight but they suffered a terrible run of injuries meaning a half strength squad came here and lost 5-0
I think also under Ponting the fitness level of the players improved and Australia prolly had the fittest team going around. Nowadays, especially since 20/20 a lot of the other sides are just as fit, in a way we didnt so much get worse as the other sides closed the gap.
I still rate Australia as the #1 Cricket nation.
Every side lifts when they play Australia.
I actually believe some of the problems in those Ashes series came from appalling choices made by selectors.
I could have went out there as Captain and won with the team Taylor and Waugh had. A lesser player than Punter might have quit along with Gilly and Co but Punter had the guts to stick with it through what was going to be a tough period for Aussie Cricket.
From memory Flintoff had THREE wickets in the first TWO tests that were off no balls. Plus the dodgy LBW decisions they really cost us the series.
Indeed, and not to mention the hundred Flintoff made he was out plumb LBW to Warney when he was on 3. I remember it like it was yesterday, Warney bowled a straight one and it was knocking middle out of the ground. He was given not out and went on to make a series defining hundred.
In the same match, Katich had 59 and looked solid and got the worst LBW I've ever seen...and Martyn's LBW was also in the same match. England held on to win by 3 wickets after all these shockers...(including the dodgy Ponting runout!)
Here are the cricinfo commentaries of the incidents.
11.1This time Mr Dar gets it wrong. Big inside edge as Martyn drives. The ball then hits pad and the loud shout for lbw is upheld! Australia in deep trouble now at 22 for 3 22/3
107.3Just short of a length, pitching outside leg, straightening, hit on the pad, loud shout for the lbw and Aleem Dar thinks long and hard and gives it. Unlucky for Katich there as that one pitched well outside leg. 314/7
63.5Warne to Flintoff, no run, pitching on, turning just a bit, Flintoff defends, the ball hits pad first and Warne lets out the most passionate plea of an appeal you are ever going to see on a cricket field. Not out, says Bucknor.
Then a few overs later
Consistent turn for Warne in this spell. England have seen that. you can be sure he will send in a straight ball or two in the next over, and we've just seen a replay of the LBW shout on Flintoff, looked adjacent from here - England very lucky, Flintoff needs to cash in. Kasprowicz back in the attack. When play got under way yesterday he bowled a tidy spell. Australia need him to do that again now.
Those 3 decisions all in the one match, all went one way. Very costly!
Heh was wondering if we had a thread about that game spidz was talking about - sure enough: http://www.ausgamers.com/forums/general/thread.php/2343208 . Pretty funny looking back and seeing all the rage again (especially from spidz) and Warne love from fpot.
Heh was wondering if we had a thread about that game spidz was talking about - sure enough: http://www.ausgamers.com/forums/general/thread.php/2343208 . Pretty funny looking back and seeing all the rage again (especially from spidz) and Warne love from fpot.
haha, seems my memory has faded a bit. Seems Warney had Fred plumb when he was on 8, not 3!
Post from 26/8/05
onsidering freddy was as plumb as you'll ever see for 8, i think the luck just aint going to ever go our way.
ahah from isaac
Funny... Flintoff and Jones were both out long before they made any meaningful runs, no luck, marto hits the cover off one and gets given. No excuses for the rest of the batsmen though, fucken pathetic.
my reply
these aren't 50/50 calls going against us guys. they're just fuckups pure and simple by the umpires.
they say you make your own luck but this is becoming ridiculous.
oh man, I just kept reading and just kept raging, in fact just reading about it again now makes me rage all over again!
YAEH if only Lara had played in the MODERN GAME he could have emigrated to Australia and played for us then we would have had a great batsman amirite guyz?!
YAEH if only Lara had played in the MODERN GAME he could have emigrated to Australia and played for us then we would have had a great batsman amirite guyz?!derp
nar, lara knew when to quit,
the waca is a batting wicket atm, SA has shown that, and a good batman, and a good (former) captain would have gone out and held his wicket for a draw
Yeah lol copius. the golden age of cricket was probs 78-96. In that the players had a lot more personality and was more interesting to watch for the average viewer. My boss gives me an old school cricket story every day til end of term atm, and the sledging and banter that went on back then gave the game a touch of comedy that it sorely needs today. Without it, its just a boring game for men to pretend they know anything about.
the waca is a batting wicket atm, SA has shown that,
Actually no, its not.
There were 4 innings in the match, pick the odd one out.
Our batsmen didn't lose it, playing our 3rd string bowling attack is what cost us.
Siddle, Pattinson, Cummins, Hilfenhaus, Harris would at least be our first 5 picked fast bowlers and we went with Starc, Johnson and Hastings. I mean Hastings, WTF?
And when exactly do you think that was, the 1930's? Or maybe the 40s?Don't worry, I'll tell you, it was 6 years ago. Ahh those were the good old days, well before the modern game changed everything!
other than watching the rage at this, some people have no clue, lara quit before he was unable to sting more than 10 runs in a innings together, not a reference to the year he left ya dong
it was like when schumacher decided that it was time to leave F1, he was on top, and was great, THAT is what a true great does, they know when to quit, walk away, and coach the next bunch, support them and be idols, not the has beens, those that are filling a spot,
but then schumacher came back, and what a come back, about as good a punter has been!
hell even warne knew that in the long form he was starting to slip alitte (the phat stacks of cash waiting in the IPL most likely helped too)
there is a point where all "greats" wither, however it would be nicer to think of what they could have achieved, rather than watch them fail at it
there is a point where all "greats" wither, however it would be nicer to think of what they could have achieved, rather than watch them fail at it
Brad Thorn.. Has signed on for a season with the Highlanders in the Super 15 rugby comp next year. He will be 38 by the time kick off happens. Try again.
copuis, aside from the fact that your entire post came about from a complete misunderstanding of the point of my previous post, the fact that some great athletes don't know when to quit does not stop them being great athletes.
I don't think anyone is disagreeing that Ponting should have quit sooner, but that doesn't mean that he wasn't a great batsman.
This would be a huge ratings bonanza, seeing Warney try to bowl out England.
Sadly i dont think Warney could bowl 10 overs of quality.
This has no chance of happening.
We almost beat the #1 test side, i dont think its panic stations.
Though i dont think we have a quality spinner.
I think if Warnie wanted to help he should get on board the coaching staff.
Holy shit I just came. It would be so awesome watching Warnie smash the english batsmen to pieces all over again. I reckon Trott would be a massive bunny of his. We already know Bell is.
Brad Thorn.. Has signed on for a season with the Highlanders in the Super 15 rugby comp next year. He will be 38 by the time kick off happens. Try again.
eh, I dont mean an age, never said an age, your getting your posts mixed up there,
Don't bother pave, you summed it up perfectly with "you have added nothing to this thread except about how superior you think you are", that's exactly how I'd describe basically all of his posts in every thread. Nothing but vacuous criticisms.
Looking forward to whatever cynical and conceited reply he comes up with to this.
You both have no idea. I dont have to prove anything to either of you presidents of the internets. Again, 'no time for whistling'. f(*ken hell.
Unless you have played International Test Cricket, then there is nothing any of you can add to this thread that is of any merit. Cricket threads always seem to get angsty. Which is kind of funny considering it is a boring as fuck game to watch. And the commentary is generally woeful. Play it back to someone from a non-cricket nation. Its people talking about anything, because nothing, is happening. Catch the post game highlights fair enough, but to actually watch a test match is as terrible as the games 'fans' themselves. Again, i dont give a fuck what Paveway, of all people thinks about me.
You both have no idea. I dont have to prove anything to either of you
Couldn't agree more, you don't have to prove anything to anyone.
But funnily enough - considering you brought it up - it seems to me like you feel that you actually do need to prove yourself, unless there's other reason why you feel the need to try to be so conceited and demeaning all the time?