Ricky Ponting, the most successful captain in 134 years of Test cricket, resigned as the Australian Test and one-day skipper yesterday, but aims to continue playing the game at the highest level.
The 36-year-old had led Australia in one-day internationals since 2002 and Tests since 2004, a period encompassing his country’s absolute domination of world cricket and steady decline after the retirement of a golden generation of players.
With Cricket Australia under pressure to sack him in the wake of a home Ashes defeat to England and a quarter-final exit as defending champions at the World Cup this year, the tough Tasmanian decided to fall on his sword.
“I’ve had the chance to think long and hard about it and today I’ve decided to stand down as captain of the Test team and the one-day team as of now,” he told a news conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground. “I am really excited about the next chapter in my career ... I think I’ve got a lot to offer as a player and certainly as a leader for some of the younger players around, if and when required.”
He will almost certainly be replaced by Michael Clarke today and said letting his successor have next month’s tour of Bangladesh was a key factor in the timing of his decision.
“I think the timing was absolutely perfect,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that the person coming in had as much time as possible to get themselves prepared and get their focus on where they want the team to go.”
Ponting denied he had jumped before he was pushed.
“I’ll absolutely go on record here to say that I’ve had absolutely no tap on the shoulder,” he said. “This is a decision that’s been wholly and solely made by me and people close to me.”
Australia won 48 of 77 Tests and 164 of 228 one-day internationals, including two World Cups, under Ponting. No other captain has won as many games in either form.
Admired, but rarely loved in Australia, Ponting admitted that his tenure as his country’s 42nd Test captain would probably be remembered by some for the three Ashes series losses he oversaw.
“It’s funny how we talk about losing the Ashes series three times,” he said. “Playing on three World Cup winning teams doesn’t come up very often, winning 16 consecutive Test matches doesn’t come up very much, winning 30-odd consecutive World Cup matches doesn’t come up very often. I know within myself ... what I’ve achieved in the game and I’m very proud of it.”
Australia went to the World Cup looking for a fourth straight title, but returned home after defeat to India in the last eight, their remarkable unbeaten run in the tournament having been ended at 34 matches by Pakistan in the group stage.
Ponting, whose reputation as one of the best batsmen the game has ever seen is assured, bucked a poor run of form to hit a defiant century in the quarter-final defeat to India, boosting his determination to keep playing.
“I proved to myself the other day that I’ve still got what it takes to play a good international innings,” he said.
Ponting hopes to play in Bangladesh and on the Test tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa later in the year and said selectors should resist calls for a wholesale clear-out of players in their mid-30s.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care