Ricky Ponting, the quintessential Aussie. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century’

 

A batsman who has occupied the no. 1 slot over the last few years is Ricky Ponting. For years the Australians said he was as good as Tendulkar, but this was often dismissed as jingoism. In his early days he seemed to be a brash young man, the naughty boy of the team. He also lived in the shadow of the Waugh twins. The mischievous look remains, but as he matured - which coincided with being handed the captaincy - Ponting quickly scaled the peak. In 2003 he hit up 1503 runs in 11 Tests at 100.20 per innings. In 2005 he amassed 1544 runs in 15 Tests at an average of 67.13, the sole batsman to notch up 1500 runs in a calendar year twice.

Not surprisingly for an Australian, Ponting is the best batsman today against pace. Forever looking to get on to the front foot with an exaggerated pick up of the bat, he is quick to rock back and pull or hook. He has not always been happy against spin. Steve Waugh’s famous ‘final frontier’ series of 2000-01 in India was miserable for Ponting. Young off-spinner Harbhajan Singh mesmerised him, claiming his wicket in all five innings for 0,6,0,0,11.

In the 2007-08 series in Australia, Harbhajan again troubled Ponting, dismissing him cheaply in the first Test at Melbourne, and then again in the first innings at Sydney. One got the impression that the Australians pressed charges against Harbhajan because they wanted to shift his focus away from the game. Whatever the truth, Harbhajan did not bother Ponting again in the series.

Despite this, there can be no denying that Ponting has been the best batsman in the world in recent years. Having become the seventh to reach 10,000 Test runs - now stationed at 10,099 - with an average of 58.37 and 35 hundreds, Ponting would be vying with the likes of Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Jacques Kallis to pass Lara’s record aggregate and set new benchmarks.       

In One-day Internationals Ponting has crossed 11,113 runs, more than 5000 runs behind Tendulkar, with an average of 43.24, strike-rate of 80.43 and 26 centuries. His moment of glory in One-dayers came in the final of the 2003 World Cup at Johannesburg when he virtually finished the match even before India batted. His unbeaten 140 with a record 8 sixes ensured that the ICC World Cup stayed with Australia.

Ponting’s captaincy record in the World Cup is magical. His team won 22 matches in a row - 11 each in 2003 and 2007 - a feat that is unlikely to be matched. Just as Steve Waugh’s side had a hiccup in India in 2000-01, Ponting’s outfit lost the Ashes in 2005. That was the first time Australia lost the Ashes since 1986-87, after winning an unprecedented eight successive series against the Old Enemy. Ponting’s team then bounced back at home, reclaiming the Ashes in style by 5-0 in 2006-07. His side also equalled the feat of Steve Waugh’s men by winning 16 Tests in a row in that acrimonious game at Sydney in 2007-08, full of umpiring howlers.

Of late the sheen has worn off a bit in Ponting’s career. His form has dipped somewhat, and there were even calls to sack him from the captaincy after that controversial Sydney Test. Peter Roebuck went to the extent of writing that Ponting had turned the Australian team into a “pack of wild dogs.” That might be going a bit too far, but his side lost the One-day triangular finals 2-0 to India. With his wrist surgery lately, clearly, there are a few challenges ahead of Ponting.

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Don’s Century

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0

Fully illustrated

Paperback French Fold 11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches

Weight 480 grams

188 pages

 

Available on Amazon at an attractive price: https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859  

Indra Vikram Singh's other books available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/s?k=Indra+Vikram+Singh&i=stripbooks&rh=p_6%3AA3HSV0N9AV7NOK&dc&qid=1602408830&rnid=1318474031&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1

Innings of his life by Yashpal Sharma as India shocked the West Indies. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘The Big Book of World Cup Cricket’

 The champions slump to first World Cup defeat

INDIA v WEST INDIES  •  OLD TRAFFORD, 

MANCHESTER, 9 & 10 JUNE 1983

Yashpal Sharma was the hero of India's shock win over reigning champions West Indies
in their opening encounter in the World Cup 1983.

Twice-champions West Indies had never lost a match in the World Cup. That added up to nine wins in ten matches, with one being washed out. India had won only one of their six matches - against non-descript East Africa eight years earlier - and had finished last in their group in the previous World Cup. The other known parameter was the wet Manchester weather and, true to form, early morning rain delayed the start.

It would have taken a brave man, or a lunatic, to predict anything other than a one-sided contest in favour of the West Indies. The Indian openers Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikanth were confronted by the same Caribbean attack as in the previous World Cup except that Colin Croft had made way for Malcolm Marshall. That would have provided no succour to the batsmen, for Marshall was just as menacing as his predecessor, and approaching his peak at that point.

Predictably, the West Indies had India in trouble. Sandeep Patil played some typically belligerent strokes but he perished to the gentle off-spin of Larry Gomes, as did Kapil Dev. At 141 for five it seemed like a familiar story. 

Yashpal Sharma may not have been the most graceful batsman in the world but he was as gritty, and cheeky, as they come. He batted with tremendous application, and in the company of Roger Binny put on 73 priceless runs for the sixth wicket. His 89 off 120 deliveries inclusive of 9 fours was perhaps the innings of his life. At 262 for eight in their 60 overs, India had a total good enough to stretch the champions.

A customary rousing start was but a mirage on this occasion. Both Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes fell on either side of the half-century mark. At stumps the score read 67 for two, with 22 overs already bowled. 

When play resumed next morning, the asking-rate was well above five-an-over. A sense of urgency was the order of the day. With a keen tussle on, India were jubilant as the mighty Vivian Richards was taken behind by Syed Kirmani off Binny in the second over of the day. The West Indies were already on the back foot and their cause was not helped as wickets tumbled regularly in the run-chase. Amazingly, India were tightening their grip on the match. At 157 for nine, the West Indies found themselves in dire straits with 106 runs still required.

Andy Roberts had been in such situations before. He could make a few hefty swipes, and also defend resolutely when the occasion demanded. With him was Joel Garner, in whose hands the bat looked undersized. They dug in and, as the score mounted, there were murmurs all around about the hair-raising last-wicket stand between Roberts and Deryck Murray eight years earlier, almost to the day, which clinched victory against Pakistan. Roberts and Garner raised 71 runs but the Indians kept their heads. Ravi Shastri enticed Garner out of the crease and Kirmani removed the bails. The West Indies fell short by 34 runs with almost six overs remaining. 

A disappointed Clive Lloyd recounted: "I said before the competition began that it could be more open than in the past and this has proved to be true." It was another shocking result in this exciting World Cup.

India: 262 for 8 wickets (60 overs)

West Indies: 228 all out (54.1 overs)

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

The Big Book of World Cup Cricket

Published in India by Sporting Links

ISBN 978-81-901668-4-3

Fully illustrated

Hardcover with jacket 11.5 x 8.75 x 1 inches

544 pages

Available at an attractive price on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166840

Indra Vikram Singh's other books available on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.in/sk=Indra+Vikram+Singh&i=stripbooks&rh=p_6%3AA3HSV0N9AV7NOK&dc&qid=1602408830&rnid=1318474031&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1