Monday 29 December 2008

Ponting stands tall

I may not have been the greatest fan of his captaincy over the last few months but I've always loved watching him bat. This test match has shown us why he's one of the best batsmen in the world.

Ignoring all the pressure put on him by the media and the fans he has played two of his best innings. The first innings hundred (101 off 126) was fluent, attacking and determined and an example to the rest of his team. He didn't believe that the series was lost and set out to prove everyone wrong. He believed his team were still world leaders and world beaters.

In the second innings he ignored the fact that his bowlers hadn't done the job and Australia were now in a position of having to save the game. He ignored Hayden's kamikaze innings, Katich's brain freeze, Clarke's return to playing loose shots and Hussey's poor decision. His innings was briliant to watch. He took quick singles and put pressure on the field and scored off any loose deliveries. He deserved a hundred.

Despite all his efforts Australia look like losing this game and the series. If the rest of the batsmen had followed their captain's example they would probably be heading to Sydney still 1-0 down with a chance to square things.

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