Ricky Ponting should be sacked

[NZTailender]

Dunno. Whatever his limitations as a captain he's still a batsman of the very first water and, as others have observed, Australia really don't retain ex-captains in their teams.

Yeah, Australian captains of recent times only relinquish control when they retire, not beforehand.

 

[Uppercut]

Dunno. Whatever his limitations as a captain he's still a batsman of the very first water and, as others have observed, Australia really don't retain ex-captains in their teams.

Yeah, i can see them letting that rule slide though. He can't be dropped, but his captaincy has really obviously gone stale and with what's being written about him he's got to be feeling it, especially if they don't make the run chase tomorrow. The decision has to be made now whether they want him as captain for the Ashes or not, and i find it hard to see him staying that long.

 

[howardj]

Don't know about being sacked, but geez the Aussies are in denial. For instance, at stumps yesterday, Neilsen says: "I don't think for one minute that Punter wasn't pressing for victory!".

I mean, is this guy in la la land? The fact is, with all the support staff they have on tour (coach, assistant coach, computer analyst, bowling coach etc) they should have been aware of the over rate throughout the whole innings - it should not have come as a shock to them after tea.

The bigger issue here is our over rates fullstop. Teams used to get through 90 overs in six hours, now they can't get through 90 in six and a half hours. Apparently, it's not cool to be urgent or upbeat in the field...rather, it's fashionable to drag your feet and be lethargic.

 

[Richard]

I'm becoming increasingly convinced he's going to step down after this series.

Dunno. Whatever his limitations as a captain he's still a batsman of the very first water and, as others have observed, Australia really don't retain ex-captains in their teams.

If Ponting steps down after this series - not that I particularly think he will - then that trend will be bucked.

No-one is about to drop Ricky Ponting in 2008.

 

[Richard]

Indeed.
If you can follow sojme (flawed) logic:
Australia = number 1 team
Australian Domestic Cricket = toughest in the world
Sheffield/Pura Cups won by Ponting: 0
Won by Clarke: 0
Won by Hussey: 0
Won by Katich: 1

Therefore, best Captain in Australia



Nope, don't think they can. Katich is the man

Seriously, even you would surely not argue that there's any real case for Katich being handed the captaincy right now, even if he is actually good at the job of captaining?

 

[NZTailender]

Seriously, even you would surely not argue that there's any real case for Katich being handed the captaincy right now, even if he is actually good at the job of captaining?

Not seriously suggesting that Ponting should be replaced as captain by Katich, no.
However if the captaincy were to suddenly become available, Katich would be the best man for the job.

 

[Richard]

Katich might be the best captain available to Australia whose batting is of note to even get into the side, but that's different to being the best captain who is established in the side.

 

[Burgey]

I'd be astonished if this was Ponting's decision alone, especially given it came straight after an interval. The issue for me here is how they got 10 overs behind with a spinner bowling at one end?
I'd have to say though, if I was captaining my country, I'd consider it a matter of great shame to get suspended for anything, let alone something like over rates.
Anyway, we can't on the one hand bag him for a "win at all costs" attitude and putting the game second, then bag him for trying to keep up with the obligations imposed on him by the laws and playing conditions of the game.
Bad look though.

 

[GIMH]

Enjoyed reading that article social linked to. Seems fair enough to me.

 

[Jnr.]

A counterview from ABC Grandstand comments:

Alas, I missed the commentary last night, so I am only responding to the information in your article. I can understand your frustration, sitting at the ground and having this situation develop before your eyes at a crucial point in the match.

But what is the point of having a nominated number of overs to be bowled in a day's play, clearly stipulated in the match rules, if it is not adhered to? Is it right that the ruling be disregarded at the captain’s convenience? Or the spectators' for that matter. I think not.

If there is fault, it is in the rule, not the man. But I would urge caution before eroding this particular law. I hear often enough the complaint that the over rate is too slow and that something should be done about it. It was the classic comment when the West Indies fielded teams oozing fast bowlers with extravagant run-ups. And we wouldn’t want to curtail the delight of an unscheduled extra hour of play on a lazy summer evening down under, now would we?

I must object to referencing Ian Chappell’s likely tactics under similar circumstances. Different time, different game, different team, different player. Anyway, I suspect that the unruly Chappelli might have faced suspension for a plethora of other infringements under today’s conditions.

Dear Mr Mitchell, don’t be so hard on the current captain. I disagree with your judgement that he put his own interests before those of the team. Are you mad? Hasn’t he simply put the interests of cricket before the demands of instant gratification? What would the call be if he were to forfeit his place and batting prowess at a time when the national side is restructuring, in the name of desperate tactics while showing flagrant disrespect for the laws of cricket? After all, we don’t want anarchy. And it is . . . only . . . a game.

I am grateful to you for rattling my chains, but easy on the histrionics, cobber.

 

[howardj]

Dear Mr Mitchell, don’t be so hard on the current captain. I disagree with your judgement that he put his own interests before those of the team. Are you mad? Hasn’t he simply put the interests of cricket before the demands of instant gratification? What would the call be if he were to forfeit his place and batting prowess at a time when the national side is restructuring, in the name of desperate tactics while showing flagrant disrespect for the laws of cricket?

What a load of rubbish. He only cared about getting the over rates in when he faced a suspension for not doing so - that he cared about the over rates last night had nothing to do with the interests of cricket or giving spectators full value for their money. If he cared about those things he would ensure 90 overs are bowled every day, not just when he is facing suspension.

 

[morgieb]

What a ****. It's inexcuable to put PT bowlers on when you're ahead. What selfishness. He just did it to avoid a suspension.

 

[HMas]

Ponting will be sacked after losing to SA & Ashes.

 

[Sanz]

How about sacking the entire Cricket Australia for allowing Greg Chappel to be a part of the Aussie team management and appointing Tim Nielsen as the coach. Neither of these guys have any clue about anything.Clarke's appointment as captain will certainly top it and will finally confirm that Australia dominance is over.

 

[Burgey]

Dear Mr Mitchell, don’t be so hard on the current captain. I disagree with your judgement that he put his own interests before those of the team. Are you mad? Hasn’t he simply put the interests of cricket before the demands of instant gratification? What would the call be if he were to forfeit his place and batting prowess at a time when the national side is restructuring, in the name of desperate tactics while showing flagrant disrespect for the laws of cricket?

What a load of rubbish. He only cared about getting the over rates in when he faced a suspension for not doing so - that he cared about the over rates last night had nothing to do with the interests of cricket or giving spectators full value for their money. If he cared about those things he would ensure 90 overs are bowled every day, not just when he is facing suspension.

True to an extent, though he's had to use PT bowlers before, both in this series and in Perth v India earlier this year when Symonds & Clarke bowled a lot. The circumstances of this game make the problem all the more stark though.

 

[silentstriker]

Haha, he did it because he is needed for NZ? That would make his decision even more idiotic.

If he was so concerned about the spectators and the game, he wouldn't have fallen 10 overs behind. And the 'game/spectators' would be better served by 8 overs of your top bowlers than 10 overs of middling bowling. It would be best served by not having a pre-ball and post-ball conference after every delivery though.

 

[inbox24]

I think we need Buck back.

 

[howardj]

I think we need Buck back.

He's even more divorced from reality than Nelson.

 

[Precambrian]

Yeah, as much as I hate to actually make a post about over-rates, it's been an ongoing issue this series - you'd think they'd have it sorted by now. I could understand it when the pace bowlers were bowling so many overs, but Krejza has almost bowled unchanged from one end all game so it's not just the balance of the team. Someone needs to be the arsehole and take up the Precambrian role in the camp.

Say what you want about Precambrian, the fact is he's the Nostradamus of this overrate fiasco!

 

[Prince EWS]

Katich might be the best captain available to Australia whose batting is of note to even get into the side, but that's different to being the best captain who is established in the side.

The best captain of note who is established in the side is Ponting, for mine. He's the third best captain in the current eleven though, at best.

I don't necessarily think Clarke, who is currently vice-captain and likely to take over if Ponting stepped down or was sacked, is established in the team either - in fact, if I suddenly had to squeeze another top order batsman into the lineup I'd drop Clarke before I dropped Katich.

Basically, I agree with Geg:

Not seriously suggesting that Ponting should be replaced as captain by Katich, no.
However if the captaincy were to suddenly become available, Katich would be the best man for the job.