Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

[ledge]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Agree on two counts Ghost dog, too arrogant and his age, also heard someone report Clarke said he wouldnt captain over Pointing.

[KT31]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Agree on two counts Ghost dog, too arrogant and his age, also heard someone report Clarke said he wouldnt captain over Pointing.

This could be fixed by sacking them both.

[ledge]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

This could be fixed by sacking them both.

I agree.

[lemmon]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

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.

Honestly the Hodge love fest gets a little tired with me, people often neglect to add that at that point Hodge was averaging mid 20's in the Pura Cup, while Martyn was in stellar form and batted beautifully on the tour of South Africa, averaging above 50. If we take out that 200 against South Africa Hodge has only 300 runs in 10 test innings, not a great record while it is also rarely stated that he did play test cricket again during a tour of the West Indies, a tour which also marked the return of Simon Katich, one grabbed his chance and has been a mainstay of the lineup while Hodge didnt grab the opportunity and has been left behind. In most other eras Hodge wouldve played a hell of a lot more test cricket but hes far from being the only batsmen who was unfortunate to be born during the time he was. Unlike Lehmann, Love, Siddons, Cox and Maher who were also desperately unlucky with the amount of test cricket they played, Hodge has been the only to play the sympathy card with the media, the bleeding heart routine has been well and truly worn out on me.

[Greystache]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Honestly the Hodge love fest gets a little tired with me, people often neglect to add that at that point Hodge was averaging mid 20's in the Pura Cup, while Martyn was in stellar form and batted beautifully on the tour of South Africa, averaging above 50. If we take out that 200 against South Africa Hodge has only 300 runs in 10 test innings, not a great record while it is also rarely stated that he did play test cricket again during a tour of the West Indies, a tour which also marked the return of Simon Katich, one grabbed his chance and has been a mainstay of the lineup while Hodge didnt grab the opportunity and has been left behind. In most other eras Hodge wouldve played a hell of a lot more test cricket but hes far from being the only batsmen who was unfortunate to be born during the time he was. Unlike Lehmann, Love, Siddons, Cox and Maher who were also desperately unlucky with the amount of test cricket they played, Hodge has been the only to play the sympathy card with the media, the bleeding heart routine has been well and truly worn out on me.

Martyn's form in the Pura Cup to "earn" his spot back was actually appalling, in fact the bullshit excuse of Hodge being dropped for the tour due to poor domestic form was even more laughable given Martyn's form was worse. Of course Martyn in his usual self centered way repaid the favour by retiring via text message half way through the Aussie summer. What a bloke!

Hodge did play another test in the West Indies- he made 67 & 27, Katich made 12 & 1, but don't worry about the facts.

Hodge is just an example of how Ponting is THE chairman of selectors because I know for a fact what happened in that situation. I also knew Bollinger wasn't playing in the first test about 5 days before it was announced due to Ponting wanting his mates in the team. I'm not going to give the details on here, but take my word for it the selectors had no say in it.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Honestly the Hodge love fest gets a little tired with me, people often neglect to add that at that point Hodge was averaging mid 20's in the Pura Cup, while Martyn was in stellar form and batted beautifully on the tour of South Africa, averaging above 50. If we take out that 200 against South Africa Hodge has only 300 runs in 10 test innings, not a great record while it is also rarely stated that he did play test cricket again during a tour of the West Indies, a tour which also marked the return of Simon Katich, one grabbed his chance and has been a mainstay of the lineup while Hodge didnt grab the opportunity and has been left behind. In most other eras Hodge wouldve played a hell of a lot more test cricket but hes far from being the only batsmen who was unfortunate to be born during the time he was. Unlike Lehmann, Love, Siddons, Cox and Maher who were also desperately unlucky with the amount of test cricket they played, Hodge has been the only to play the sympathy card with the media, the bleeding heart routine has been well and truly worn out on me.

This is just plain wrong....Lehmann and Siddons were both players that gained massive public support to be in the test side, with both players at one point it was written about almost daily....the only difference is that when those guys were playing Australia were on the way up!! However I do agree that the Hodge lovefest has gone on far too long....for christs sake he no longer plays the longer form of the great game, move on people!!

[Sockeye Salmon]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Martyn's form in the Pura Cup to "earn" his spot back was actually appalling, in fact the bullshit excuse of Hodge being dropped for the tour due to poor domestic form was even more laughable given Martyn's form was worse. Of course Martyn in his usual self centered way repaid the favour by retiring via text message half way through the Aussie summer. What a bloke!

Hodge did play another test in the West Indies- he made 67 & 27, Katich made 12 & 1, but don't worry about the facts.

Hodge is just an example of how Ponting is THE chairman of selectors because I know for a fact what happened in that situation. I also knew Bollinger wasn't playing in the first test about 5 days before it was announced due to Ponting wanting his mates in the team. I'm not going to give the details on here, but take my word for it the selectors had no say in it.

That's a fairly decent pwning

[comrade]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

That's a fairly decent pwning

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Honestly the Hodge love fest gets a little tired with me, people often neglect to add that at that point Hodge was averaging mid 20's in the Pura Cup, while Martyn was in stellar form.

Martyn's form in the Pura Cup to "earn" his spot back was actually appalling,

?????Who is right here???

I don't know a lot about the Hodge argument, but I do know that it seems to be the Victorians that are the most passionate about it.

[hujsh]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

?????Who is right here???

I don't know a lot about the Hodge argument, but I do know that it seems to be the Victorians that are the most passionate about it.

When Hodge was in the test team Martyn was struggling at Pura Cup level, that much is true. I also remember Martyn being in great form from the last test in South Africa (which he played a pivotal role in winning) through the Champions Trophy until the Ashes (right after the CT). What Hodge did in the Pura Cup after being dropped I can't remember though.

Certainly dropping Hodge for Martyn is a good example of mates playing over performers (especially since Symonds whose best test score was a 70 also played as well). But I've got to wonder with Western Monkey when his name will stop popping up. It was unfair but it's time to move on.

[lemmon]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Martyn's form in the Pura Cup to "earn" his spot back was actually appalling, in fact the bullshit excuse of Hodge being dropped for the tour due to poor domestic form was even more laughable given Martyn's form was worse. Of course Martyn in his usual self centered way repaid the favour by retiring via text message half way through the Aussie summer. What a bloke!

Hodge did play another test in the West Indies- he made 67 & 27, Katich made 12 & 1, but don't worry about the facts.

Hodge is just an example of how Ponting is THE chairman of selectors because I know for a fact what happened in that situation. I also knew Bollinger wasn't playing in the first test about 5 days before it was announced due to Ponting wanting his mates in the team. I'm not going to give the details on here, but take my word for it the selectors had no say in it.

You forget to mention that Katich went on and made 113, 36 and 157 for the rest of the series (lets ignore the facts shall we?) if Hodge had gone on and got a ton, he would have made it impossible to be dropped, unfortunately he didnt and you cant blame the selectors for that. Martyn had a fantastic series in South Africa, averaged 56.25 and his hundred won the third test, he fully justified his selection, no matter how he got it. Hodge had his chance, he should have made himself untouchable when he got it but he didnt. I cant comment on your 'inside knowledge', either nut up and post it or dont mention it at all.

[lemmon]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

[/B] This is just plain wrong....Lehmann and Siddons were both players that gained massive public support to be in the test side, with both players at one point it was written about almost daily....the only difference is that when those guys were playing Australia were on the way up!! However I do agree that the Hodge lovefest has gone on far too long....for christs sake he no longer plays the longer form of the great game, move on people!!

Nope, completely different situations, not once did any of those guys push there own names or play the victim to the degree which Hodge has. Hodge pushed his own barrow, he hardly needed the public to do it for him

[hujsh]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

You forget to mention that Katich went on and made 113, 36 and 157 for the rest of the series (lets ignore the facts shall we?) if Hodge had gone on and got a ton, he would have made it impossible to be dropped, unfortunately he didnt and you cant blame the selectors for that. Martyn had a fantastic series in South Africa, averaged 56.25 and his hundred won the third test, he fully justified his selection, no matter how he got it. Hodge had his chance, he should have made himself untouchable when he got it but he didnt. I cant comment on your 'inside knowledge', either nut up and post it or dont mention it at all.

If you can argue Hodge's 200 inflated his stats than you have to accept that the same applies to Martyn. 22, 9*, 57, 15, 21 and 101 isn't 'fantastic'. Acceptable but only 2 innings of any worth.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

Nope, completely different situations, not once did any of those guys push there own names or play the victim to the degree which Hodge has. Hodge pushed his own barrow, he hardly needed the public to do it for him

Shades of Grey Lemmon.....as long as I have followed cricket there has been opinions about the selection process and it's bias towards NSW and who should be in the side before such and such, if they are not it's because he knocked off the coaches daughter. or whatever the rubbish story of the day might be. Victorians have been running the same crap for years. (Dean Jones)I don't think that it's in any way Hodge running the campaign to be in any Australian squad, Hodge has retired from the four/five day game, move on!!

[Missing Dog]

Re: Ricky Ponting - Back him or Sack him?

If you can argue Hodge's 200 inflated his stats than you have to accept that the same applies to Martyn. 22, 9*, 57, 15, 21 and 101 isn't 'fantastic'. Acceptable but only 2 innings of any worth.

One of the luckiest double centuries I have seen (yeah I don't watch much cricket), dropped twice early on to a couple of straight forward catches and nicked/miss hit a few that dropped short. I remember thinking at the time he won't make it.

But I still think he should have been given another opportunity as he deserved it. Andrew Symonds got a fair few go's which he didn't deserve, unless he was just put in for his fielding