Ricky Ponting has decided to take up professional golf.
Seriously.
It’s that damned fool Gary Player who’s been filling his head with these ideas.
Player did not even know who Ricky was when he first met him. But can he recognise a fine swing or what?
What next?
The provocation for this act of ‘vandalism’ was the news that Duncan Fletcher has been appointed coach of the Indian cricket team.
It is learned from reliable, unnamed sources that the former Australian captain was in the running for arguably “the most difficult job in the sub-continent”. Negotiations with the BCCI were on-going—under the radar.
Hordes of critics baying for his blood would not be denied.
The World Cup loss to India, in the quarters, was the final straw.
Much as Ricky Ponting would have liked to take the terminal blow on his chin—like a man—he would be first to admit that multiple body blows over the past few months had left him with more than just a bloody, broken finger.
It made him vulnerable—never a happy state of affairs for an Australian captain.
Image via Wikipedia
Two tests began on the 16th of December, 2010. One at Perth, the other at Centurion.
The similarities were striking. Both pitches were expected to have something for the speed demons. And they did.
For Australia, after being shot out for 268 on the first day, it looked like deja vu. The Englishmen were on top and were pressing for an unprecedented third Ashes triumph, in the process, signalling their willingness to end the Punter’s reign at the helm.
Five series losses.
Two Ashes in England, the loss to South Africa down under and the two series losses to India in India.
Ricky Ponting is the most unsuccessful Australian captain in recent times. And that is saying something or maybe nothing.
Australians love their cricket and their cricketers but most of all they love to see them win.
And in recent times (not so recent), they had grown accustomed to being masters of all they surveyed.
Players like Shane Warne, Glen McGrath, Matthew Hayden, Steve Waugh, Mark Waugh and Adam Gilchrist ensured that they were at the top of the totem pole. This venerable list would have to include the Punter as well.
The ruthlessness exhibited by the formidable Aussies – over the last decade and a half – is best exemplified by the sixteen test victories (a world record) on the trot , not once, but twice.
Interestingly, their sequence of victories was interrupted by the very same opponent – India.