Aussie tour of Sri Lanka

[Bucking Beads]

Since when? Sure, he's nowhere near the player we was at his peak but he's still got plenty to offer this current side.

Really?? Maybe if he wasn't such a #### and moved down the order. We need to build for the next ashes series not feed punters ego.

 

[Meat77]

And exactly how is throwing someone who's not ready for the number 3 spot going to achieve that? Punter himself had to wait until Boonie called it a day to be the number 3 - it won't hurt for Khawaja or whoever to bide their time at 6 also for a while

 

[Coxy]

Ponting hasn't scored 100 since 14 January 2010, more than 18 months ago.

His average since then is 28 and he's only scored 50 5 times. Simply doesn't have the runs on the board to justify holding down number 3.

 

[Meat77]

Perhaps not, however his standing in the game and in this side is more than enough to let him choose when it's time for him to call it quits - him taking up the number 3 spot doesn't hurt us at all at the moment as there's no obvious replacement who would do better than him.

 

[Browny]

Border went down the order

 

[Coxy]

Border went down the order

Border was a good captain too.

 

[Meat77]

Border went down the order while he was captain. Now that Ponting has been relieved of the captaincy I would expect to see an improvement in his batting therefore there's no need for him to move anywhere. Besides, wasn't Border normally the number 4 or 5 anyway?

 

[Fozz]

Border went down the order. Border went down the order. Border went down the order.

 

[Jeba]

I agree with both sides of the argument.

I don't think Ponting deserves to be dropped altogether, but I think a move to 6 would be a good move for both him and the team. He is at his best when he is aggressive and I think 6 gives him more of an opportunity to play that way. I think a lot of his poor form comes down to our openers as well - Coxy mentioned he hasnt made 100 since January last year. I'd be fairly confident to assume that we haven't had an opening partnership of 100+ since that time, and plenty of times he's come in at 1 for less than 50. Always heaps of pressure on him, couple that with the pressure of captaining the Australian cricket team and it's a lot to handle.

 

[Coxy]

Border went down the order while he was captain. Now that Ponting has been relieved of the captaincy I would expect to see an improvement in his batting therefore there's no need for him to move anywhere. Besides, wasn't Border normally the number 4 or 5 anyway?

He still dropped down to 6 in order to give the likes of the Waugh brothers a go.

 

[Coxy]

I agree with both sides of the argument.

I don't think Ponting deserves to be dropped altogether, but I think a move to 6 would be a good move for both him and the team. He is at his best when he is aggressive and I think 6 gives him more of an opportunity to play that way. I think a lot of his poor form comes down to our openers as well - Coxy mentioned he hasnt made 100 since January last year. I'd be fairly confident to assume that we haven't had an opening partnership of 100+ since that time, and plenty of times he's come in at 1 for less than 50. Always heaps of pressure on him, couple that with the pressure of captaining the Australian cricket team and it's a lot to handle.

I'd be very surprised if Katich-Watson didn't have a few 100+ partnerships between Jan 2010 and Katich's injury last Ashes.

 

[Meat77]

He still dropped down to 6 in order to give the likes of the Waugh brothers a go.

But that's the thing...the Waugh brothers were smashing the door down to get a decent run - who's doing that at the moment? The gap in class between Ponting's ability even now and any potential replacement is clearly apparent to me.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Lol punter didn't replace boonie at 3 are you drunk??

 

[Meat77]

Really?

Boonie's last test

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63708.html

The next test Australia played...

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63721.html

 

[Jeba]

Anyway, on the Test Match. Ryan Harris is throwing some pearlers down at the moment. Taken one wicket and just had a catch dropped by Captain Clarke that should've been taken (waiting for Beads's excuse).

 

[Bucking Beads]

No excuses for the drop catch whatsoever, clearly late on it.

 

[Bucking Beads]

Really?

Boonie's last test

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63708.html

The next test Australia played...

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/63721.html

LOL he batted 3 for one test then went back to 6 and stayed in that position for a few years.Nice try though.

 

[Bucking Beads]

But that's the thing...the Waugh brothers were smashing the door down to get a decent run - who's doing that at the moment? The gap in class between Ponting's ability even now and any potential replacement is clearly apparent to me.

It is a flawed argument because Steve Waugh may have smashed the door down but then he was in the side doing not much for quite a while. Also the like of Hughes and Khawaja have banged the door down and in Hughes case have been shafted by the selectors. Ponting had class but it has been missing for quite a while. Punters last century he was dropped first ball.