|
Ponting axed from ODI squad; to call it quits? |
|
By: AFP |
|
Date:
2012-02-21 |
|
Place: Sydney |
|
|
|
World Cup winner Ricky Ponting's one-day international career appeared over yesterday after he was dropped from Australia's team after a dismal run of form, and was considering his future in the game.
Cricket Australia's chief selector John Inverarity
Chief selector John Inverarity announced the axing of Ponting, the second all-time leading run-scorer in ODIs, after he scored just 18 runs in five tri-series knocks against India and Sri Lanka.
"Ricky Ponting has been dropped from the (ODI) squad due to his lack of form in the five tri-series matches to date," Inverarity said.
Briefing reporters in Perth, Inverarity also said there were no guarantees Ponting would continue playing Test cricket, and that the former captain was pondering his next steps.
"Ricky is going to consider his future over the next couple of days and he'll talk it over with his family and with his manager, and my guess is he'll be giving a press conference in the next two or three days," he said.
Ponting was expected to hold a press conference to outline his future in Sydney on Tuesday, according to sources at Cricket Australia.
Ponting, 37, said earlier that he wanted to battle through his current slump. He has averaged just 3.60 in his five tri-series innings. But Inverarity, while praising Ponting's contribution over a glittering 17-year ODI career, seemed to shut the door on any future for the veteran in Australia's one-day side.
Outstanding
"The team will not seem the same without him, but moving on from the omission of players who have been outstanding over a long period of time is the nature of elite sport," he said.
"He made a double century in his last Test match and we are hoping that he remains available for Test match cricket, but there can be no guarantees in elite sport and in the Australian cricket team."
Inverarity added: "If he drops out of the ODI team then there's a possible lack of momentum there. The selectors dumped Ponting as they announced a 13-man squad with Shane Watson returning for the next ODIs.
Ponting's sacking came a day after he led Australia to a crushing 110-run win over India in Brisbane as stand-in for injured skipper Michael Clarke. But while the other batsmen made merry, he scored just seven runs from 26 balls.
Ponting ranks second only to India's Sachin Tendulkar with most ODI runs (13,704) from 375 matches, while he has scored 13,200 runs in 162 Tests.
"Ricky's record speaks for itself," Inverarity said. "He is one of the truly great performers in the history of Australian ODI cricket, with his reputation enhanced further by him captaining Australia to two World Cup victories."
Ponting's ODI stats
Games: 375
Runs: 13,704
Ave: 42.03
100s: 30
50s: 82 |
|
