Ricky Ponting steps down as Captain (Updated)

[James]

I would have thought he would have retired from ODIs and just kept with Tests.

Would be a strange dressing room with Clarke as captain and Ponting there just as a regular player. Wouldn't work to the benefit of the team I don't think.

 

[Jono]

Good reign Punter. Let's see if you can revive yourself with the bat.

 

[outbreak]

Ponting to score a double in the first Bangladesh ODI

 

[Andre]

Reckon he'll bat 3 in ODI's and 5 in Tests to be honest. Congrats on a great captaincy career Punter.

 

[howardj]

Weak decision really to continue playing ODIs.

Can't believe they didn't insist he quit this form of the game.

 

[Burgey]

May as well say it now...

Lara and Tendulkar would have given better press conferences...

 

[Jono]

May as well say it now...

Lara and Tendulkar would have given better press conferences...

And Kallis.

Disgusting that he is always left out of these press conference debates.

 

[Bun]

Congrats burgy on 20k posts.

 

[Burgey]

If he bats 5 in tests, presumably Khawaja bats 3. Who bats 4? Clarke has been dreadful there.

Edit: thank you Bun

 

[Bun]

Good slightly delayed though decision from punter. No idea why he wants to play on in odis. there is little left he can hope to achieve in that format, either he has it (WCs) or he cannot dream of achieving those (sachin's records). I think he just want to keep himself in shape, and sign off on a good note at the end of Aussie summer against India. Good on him. Marks the end of a topsy turvy captaincy career, a curious combo of dizzying heights and scraping the barrelbottom. But captaining Australia for 8+ years is an achievement. hat soff.

 

[Bun]

imho clarke now has to display more initiative, i wouldn't be surprised if he promotes himself up the order, pushing ricky down to 4 or 5, thereby trying to achieve the twin objectives of strengthening the middle order and reducing punter being exposed to the new ball early on.

 

[Top_Cat]

Watto to 3, Usman to open with Kat, myself.

Clarke's been crap at 4 of late but, just being made captain, you'd want to give him another go there because success there will answer many lingering question.

Failure there, though.....

 

[pup11]

I don't understand why you keep banging on about this point. I mean I understand that you feel the way you do about Clarke, but when have CA ever not backed the guy? There was a ton of talk about his suitability in the media, but Clarke was still handed the reins the second Ponting got injured (and seemed to grow as a player when it happened I might add) so they clearly still see him as the heir apparent.

Do you have any reason for continuously asserting the people in power think Clarke isn't suitable, or are you just projecting your personal bias to read more into a situation than is really there?

Personally I think they're perfectly happy to hand Clarke the reins if need be. Reckon he'll go well too.

CA has been backing the wrong horses for a long time now mate and that's really the root of the problem, back in the day marking Clarke to take over from Ponting was a fair enough decision but the fact of the matter is that Clarke since then hasn't come along the way CA or the general fans expected.

The problem now is that even if they don't rate him to be good enough to lead the side they are left with no other choice other than to back him, basically due to lack any other viable options.

I have no ill feelings for Clarke and I hope he now as the leader of the team can turn around the fortunes of both himself and his team, but I can't help but think he is in for a very tough time as the tide is well and truly against him.

Our next 3 series are against Sri Lanka (away), South Africa (away) and India (home) and none of these series are going to be easy, and if the results don't go our way then Clarke could just end up being media's new whipping boy so hopefully Clarke is up for this challenge.

Happy for Ponting that the burden is finally off his shoulder and hopefully he can now just enjoy his game rather than worrying about anything else, I definitely feel there is still plenty of life in the old dog and it would be great to see him revive his form.

 

[robelinda]

9 years as captain, and it all started with DEMOLISHING South Africa in SA, including that great knock where we chased way over 300 and smashed them!

 

[pup11]

An issue that's not been discussed is the vice captain/

Watto as VC?

What a ***y couple that would maketh.

Haddin has to be the VC, in case of an injury to Clarke you expect the VC to lead the side. Watto is great as a player but he conducts himself like an overgrown baby on the field and he hardly comes across a man to lead the side.

The new test side under Clarke should look like this:

#Hughes
#Watson
#Clarke (C)
#Ponting
#Hussey
#Cosgrove
#Haddin (VC)
#Johnson
#O'Keffe
#Siddle
#Copeland
-----------------
#Hauritz
#Khawaja
#Hilfenhaus

 

[Ausage]

Watto to 3, Usman to open with Kat, myself.

Clarke's been crap at 4 of late but, just being made captain, you'd want to give him another go there because success there will answer many lingering question.

Failure there, though.....

It's hard to know what the root cause of Clarke's woes at 4 really are, but if it's got to do with facing the new ball you would thinking having a stronger top 3 would give the ball more time to soften, making it similar to coming in at 5 anyway. If it's a mental thing it's hard to know what will happen, but I think an unfamiliar batting position will be the least of his worries.

Anyway congrats to Ponting on an impressive record as captain. I didn't agree with everything he did, but he knew how to lift a team. Say what you want about his tactics, he knew how to lead by example.

CA has been backing the wrong horses for a long time now mate and that's really the root of the problem, back in the day marking Clarke to take over from Ponting was a fair enough decision but the fact of the matter is that Clarke since then hasn't come along the way CA or the general fans expected.

The problem now is that even if they don't rate him to be good enough to lead the side they are left with no other choice other than to back him, basically due to lack any other viable options.

I don't agree that CA see Clarke's development as disappointing, but fair enough. I guess the difficulty with appointing an heir apparent is that it does lock you in somewhat. Thing is there really is no one else in the team with better credentials so they would have gone with Clarke anyway. Possibly Watson or Haddin, but everyone else is either too old, too young, too erratic or only on the fringes of the team. That's just the way the team is at the moment unfortunately.

 

[howardj]

Watto to 3, Usman to open with Kat, myself.

Clarke's been crap at 4 of late but, just being made captain, you'd want to give him another go there because success there will answer many lingering question.

Failure there, though.....

You're a good good man

Exactly the move I would maketh

 

[Top_Cat]

I don't think it'll happen, though. Get the feeling part of the reasoning behind giving up the captaincy will be to enable Ponting to continue to bat at 3.

 

[robelinda]

Even Clarke dropped himself from the number 3 spot in the odi team, cant see a stronger case for him to go to 3 in tests. I'd say what is likely is that Usman will either retain his spot at 3, or open and Watto goes to 3. So long as Punter and Clarke arent at 3 and 4 in that order. Quite happy for Punter to move one down to 4, Clarke at 5 is perfect, maybe Cosgrove at 6 or whoever.

 

[howardj]

Nup, I think Ponting will be made to bat at five

Watson
Katich
Usman
Clarke
Ponting
Smith

...will be the order for our next Test match.

yes, I think they'll make the big call on Mr Cricket

if they don't, then I have grave fears for Kat's future

him and Mussey will never play together again IMO.

one will go

my preference would be

Katich
Usman
Watson
Clarke
Ponting
Smith