Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

[Greystache]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Wouldn't it be a bit irresponsible to give him the captaincy when he hasn't even settled into the side yet though?

My knowledge of cricket is limited, but why not give it to someone like Katich for a year or two? It would let White settle into the side and to see if he's good enough for test cricket. Anyway I think it's only inevitable that Clarke will take over from Ponting.

Katich has a tear in his Achilles tendon, at 35 I'll be surprised if he ever plays another test.

[Topdog]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

How do you know that for sure?

He will be the least popular (as per SS's response), but he may well be a good captain.

Going off his efforts in T20 and ODI, he doesn't seem to have much of a feel for the game. And he is currently vice captain to someone doing such a poor job. It doesn't bode well for him.

[Mantis]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Going off his efforts in T20 and ODI, he doesn't seem to have much of a feel for the game. And he is currently vice captain to someone doing such a poor job. It doesn't bode well for him.

I agree, but I don't think we can say with any great certainty that he will be our worst ever captain.

If they make him captain at the end of the Ashes, and they have a semi clean-out he will be left with a shell of a team to start with which could well work in his favour.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

We have seen this with Brad Johnson, I think its time to go!

[ledge]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

If Ponting loses this series wouldnt it make him the worst captain?
From what I have seen of him over the years captaincy wise, if it wasnt for the great team he had he would no doubt be the worst.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

If Ponting loses this series wouldnt it make him the worst captain?
From what I have seen of him over the years captaincy wise, if it wasnt for the great team he had he would no doubt be the worst.

I don't get this post?
A: He's the most winningest captain in cricket history.
&
B: Even the best captains can't be responsible for all players in all aspects of the game, eg. if all the batsmen don't make more than 10 runs each in an innings???
Would you blame him for Hussey's and clarkes poor performances in recent series???

as for Punter,
In major decline, yes.
Worst Captain? I think thats a little disrespectful?

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

If you sack Ponting is it because of his captaincy or form?

Personally I'd keep him, but its much easier to sack him than the 4 selectors who in my view have to share a sizable chunk of blame.

Obviously it will need a review after the Ashes, but at this point I'm only talking about now whilst the Ashes are in progress.

Coon Dog, what you say makes sense to me! I think Ponting is just the fall guy here for selectors who seem to be unable to look to the future and start blooding some of the younger guys coming through the ranks. Doing it now is too late, it should have been happening a few years ago. Perhaps Ponting would perform better without the weight of the captaincy, but I'm not sure that Clarke is ready. He is also in abysmal form at the moment. I think we haven't got any depth to fall back on because the selectors have stayed with the same players for too many years!

[ledge]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Worst captain as in lost 3 ashes series, and in my time, which goes back to the early 70s he is the worst captain I have ever seen , won tests even my grand mother could captain a side with the players he had at one stage and he still managed to lose the ashes with them.
If you actually watch the things he has done captaincy wise he is terrible, field placement, choices like batting on obvious bowling pitches when he has won the toss.
To tell bowlers to bowl outside off, have 3 or 4 slips but no 3rd man,lost him the first ashes series in England.
Even the first test he did the same and I think he let about 150 runs leak down that way.
To take 4 pace bowlers to India of all places and say he is going to blast them out is just ludicrous.
To put all his fieldsman on the boundary with a spinner bowling , then when asked why told them it was up to the bowler? Yep dont back him up just pass the buck and let him take the flak.
I could add more......
The bloke is too arrogant for his own good, arrogance is needed but a bit of modesty is too.

In saying that apart from the last year or two he was an excellent bat, one of the best, but maybe age and his eyes have gone now as he is even starting to fumble in the field and drop catches, not like the old Ponting, everyones time comes and I think his was probably a series or two before the ashes.

[Topdog]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Coon Dog, what you say makes sense to me! I think Ponting is just the fall guy here for selectors who seem to be unable to look to the future and start blooding some of the younger guys coming through the ranks. Doing it now is too late, it should have been happening a few years ago. Perhaps Ponting would perform better without the weight of the captaincy, but I'm not sure that Clarke is ready. He is also in abysmal form at the moment. I think we haven't got any depth to fall back on because the selectors have stayed with the same players for too many years!

Unfortunately Ponting is a selector and that is one of the major problems with Australian cricket.

Excellent post ledge.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

won tests even my grand mother could captain a side with the players he had at one stage and he still managed to lose the ashes with them.

I agree with a lot of what you have posted, but we can't say "It's the players he had" when they've won and say "it's his fault" every loss.

I mean the best captain who ever lived couldn't help when we were all out for 98 the other day. Even if he himself lasted longer would be no good if there was no one out there with him.

Unfortunately Ponting is a selector and that is one of the major problems with Australian cricket.

Too true! Wasn't Punter responible for the whole Xavier spinner selection???

,

[Greystache]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Unfortunately Ponting is a selector and that is one of the major problems with Australian cricket.

Excellent post ledge.

Ponting isn't just a selector, he is THE selector. The selection panel watch very little state cricket and are just happy to pick up a pay cheque and not rock the boat.

Ricky Ponting is the sole reason Brad Hodge was dropped for the tour two tests after he made a test 200. The selectors picked him, but Ponting was adamant they needed Martyn instead due to his touring experience (his most recent tour being the 2005 ashes series where he averaged 19 in 5 tests), Ponting got his way and the rest is history. The selection panel didn't even question his motivations, in particular that Ponting was the best man at Martyn's wedding. That is straight from the horses mouth.

The selection buck stops with Ponting and Ponting alone. The selection "process" is laughable.

[Topdog]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

When you say the horses mouth do you mean Hodge. PM if needed.

[Greystache]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

When you say the horses mouth do you mean Hodge. PM if needed.

PM sent

[MrMahatma]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

I'd like to see Punter continue as just a batsmen - not captain, not vice, no leadership role, just a batsment - number 4 for a couple of years. Clarke clearly isn't a 4 and Punter isn't a 3 anymore.

It's easy to have a go at Punter about selections, but really, you'd expect a captain to have his say about who he wants in the side. The blame lies with the selection panel who have no idea about who to select, about how blokes are playing in shield cricket, and about a real succession plan. Seems they just want to pull a rabbit out of the hat and be seen as selection geniuses (thus Beer/Smith selections...). Khawaja should've been playing all series but they went with random selections to try and make themselves look good.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

I'd like to see Punter continue as just a batsmen - not captain, not vice, no leadership role, just a batsment - number 4 for a couple of years. Clarke clearly isn't a 4 and Punter isn't a 3 anymore.

It's easy to have a go at Punter about selections, but really, you'd expect a captain to have his say about who he wants in the side. The blame lies with the selection panel who have no idea about who to select, about how blokes are playing in shield cricket, and about a real succession plan. Seems they just want to pull a rabbit out of the hat and be seen as selection geniuses (thus Beer/Smith selections...). Khawaja should've been playing all series but they went with random selections to try and make themselves look good.

If he is not captain, he will retire.