RICKY PONTING

Full name Ricky Thomas Ponting Born 19 December 1974 (age 38) Launceston, Tasmania, Australia Nickname Punter Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) Batting style Right-hand Bowling style Right-arm medium Right-arm off break Role Batsman Relations Greg Campbell (uncle)

former captain of the Australia national cricket team between 2004 and 2011 in Test cricket and 2002 and 2011 in One Day International cricket. He is a specialist right-handedbatsman, slips and close catching fielder, as well as a very occasional bowler. He represents the Tasmanian Tigers in Australian domestic cricket, the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, and played in the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008. He is widely considered by many to be one the best batsman of the modern era, along with Sachin Tendulkar of India and Brian Lara of the West Indies. On 1 December 2006, he reached the highest rating achieved by a Test batsman in the last 50 years.

1996 World Cup After the spiteful summer, a Tamil Tiger bombing in Colombo coupled with death threats to some members of

the team forced Australia to forfeit their scheduled 1996 Cricket World Cup match against Sri Lanka in Colombo.[58] Ponting batted in the number three position for the entire tournament, and scored six in Australia's opening match victory over Kenya. He continued to be inconsistent with scores of 12 and 33 against India and Zimbabwe, before becoming the youngest batsman to score a World Cup century, when he scored 102 runs from 112 balls against the West Indies in Jaipur.[59]

First world Cup success (1999) Australia started their 1999 World Cup campaign in England with success against minnows Scotland, before

tour of the West Indies, while Ponting was recalled. Ponting's ability against pace-bowling helped his push for inclusion, as the West Indies typically relied entirely on pacemen. However, he was unable to force his way

Most runs by an Australian in a calendar year (2003)

After making 54 and 50 in the rain-drawn First Test in Brisbane, Ponting scored double-centuries in back-to-back Tests against India, in the Second Test at Adelaide (242) and [143][144] He hit 31 not out in the second Test against New at Melbourne high). Zealand, innings in Melbourne as Australia levelled the series 11 and scored 25 and 47 in the drawn Fourth Test in Sydney to end as the leading run-scorer for the series, with 706 runs at 100.85.[55]

20042008: Appointment as Test captain

Main articles: 2004 ICC Champions Trophy, New Zealand cricket team in Austrelia

of these counts Punter has undoubtedly excelled. When the one-day leadership duties were passed over to Ricky in South Africa.

Twin centuries in 100th Test Main articles: 200506 ChappellHadlee Trophy and South African cricket team in Australia in 200506 edit]Australia's first Champions Trophy victory Main articles: Australian cricket team in South Africa in 2005 06, Australian cricket team in Bangladesh in 200506, and 2006 ICC Champions Trophy Australia won the 2006 ICC Champions Trophy in India, finally winning the ODI tournament that had eluded them despite their World Cup success. After the final in Mumbai, rew some criticism for appearing to ask BCCI president and Indian cabinet minister Sharad Pawar to "leave the podium" and pointing towards the exit with his finger, while his teammate Damien Martynpushed him gently in the back so that his team could commence celebrations. The issue, while minor, was solved when Ponting issued a formal apology to Pawar.[157][158]

2011 World Cup and resignation as captain Ponting retained the captaincy of Australia for the 2011 World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Australia had won the previous three World Cups and entered the tournament as the world's top-ranked ODI team. Australia qualified for the quarter-finals, although Ponting failed to find form, scoring 102 runs in five innings during the group stage of the tournament.[251] Australia met India in the quarter-finals and were defeated by five wickets.[252] Ponting scored 104 not out, his first century in international cricket in over a year.[253] After being knocked out of the tournament, Ponting resigned his position as captain at both Test and ODI levels, endorsed Michael Clarke as his successor, and indicated his intention to continue playing.[254]

20112012: Post-captaincy In 2011, Ponting was inducted into Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) 'Best of the Best'.[255] He was selected in Michael Clarke teams for the tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa in 2011, scor an important half-century (62) in the fourth innings of the seco Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, helping Australia ch down a target of 309 to draw the series 11.[256]

2012: Retirement On Australia Day 2012 he was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia for services to cricket and, through the Ponting Foundation, the community.[263] Ponting was promoted to captain in the 201112 Commonwealth Bank Series in Australia in Michael Clarke's absence due to injury. However after only two games as captain he was dropped, having scored only 18 runs in 5 games of the 201112 Commonwealth Bank Series. At a press conference thereafter, Ponting conceded, "I don't expect to play one-day international cricket for Australia any more and I'm pretty sure the selectors don't expect to pick me either ... I will continue playing Test cricket and I'll continue playing for Tasmania as well".[264]

Approach to cricket Ponting is an aggressive competitor, as manifested in his on-field conduct. According to former Australian captain Allan Border, what you see with Ponting is what you get, and "he wears his heart on his sleeve". Border also noted that Ponting has an abundance of determination, courage and skill.