Ponting at Lord's

Three tests, 109 runs at 18, top score 42.

That's a man with 38 test centuries. Baffling......

Everbody has their bogey ground, did Sachin make a ton at Lords either?

It is peculiar that he's never even passed 50 at Lords. Who knows why? He may have another chance I suppose - he'll be 38 next time Australia tour here.

Rob I wrote: Three tests, 109 runs at 18, top score 42.

That's a man with 38 test centuries. Baffling......

Ramps' record is worse...

Dello wrote:

Rob I wrote: Three tests, 109 runs at 18, top score 42.

That's a man with 38 test centuries. Baffling......

Ramps' record is worse...

Everywhere?

Shoeshine wrote:It is peculiar that he's never even passed 50 at Lords. Who knows why? He may have another chance I suppose - he'll be 38 next time Australia tour here.

Suspect this was also his last Test at Lord's as with Fred.

If he doesn't retain the Ashes this series, he'll be under pressure to leave or get pushed IMO, and 38 next visit doesn't bode too well.
Clarke is building a good case right now ...

Distinctly possible. Lots of "ifs" in there. If Australia lose this series it seems hard to imagine Ponting will survive as captain, but then it also seems unimaginable that they'd drop him as a player given what a special talent he is. If he's back in the ranks, who knows how long he'll go on.

I'm pretty sure Lara was shit at Lords' too, wasn't he? It's a funny old ground.

Probably doesn't help that Lord's is usually the first Test of a series. If you're a touring side, you're probably still coming to terms with English conditions.

And then you get an eight foot slope first up...

Shoeshine wrote:Distinctly possible. Lots of "ifs" in there. If Australia lose this series it seems hard to imagine Ponting will survive as captain, but then it also seems unimaginable that they'd drop him as a player given what a special talent he is. If he's back in the ranks, who knows how long he'll go on.

I thought Aussie captain's, once sacked/pushed/resigned/retired/whatever, never "return to the ranks" in the team !
Tradition isn't it?

PS - This is a genuine (not a piss-take) question.

Merlin wrote:

Shoeshine wrote:Distinctly possible. Lots of "ifs" in there. If Australia lose this series it seems hard to imagine Ponting will survive as captain, but then it also seems unimaginable that they'd drop him as a player given what a special talent he is. If he's back in the ranks, who knows how long he'll go on.

I thought Aussie captain's, once sacked/pushed/resigned/retired/whatever, never "return to the ranks" in the team !
Tradition isn't it?

PS - This is a genuine (not a piss-take) question.

I believe so, but willing to be corrected. But that's my idle speculation with Ponting - it seems hard to believe they'd want to dump him as a player, doesn't it? He's still a stunningly good batsman it'd leave them so much weaker without him. Or would they perhaps keep him as captain purely to keep him as a player?

Well, he's going on for 35, how many more years would they get out of him realistically, and would it be worthwhile them doing so rather than moving on?

Is he the sort who would want to go out on his own terms, or would he be likely to hang on in there until pushed?

No reason why he couldn't play into his 40s. As long as his squinty rat eyes don't go, he could carry on for many more years.

Seems as fit and as good as always.

I wonder if he's given any indication about how long he might look to play for. Perhaps one of the Australians on here might know?

Who was the last Test player to go into his 40s? Stewart did it for England, have there been any since?

Lara was pretty close.

Jayasuriya's into his 40s now and still playing international cricket, although I think he jacked in Tests in 2007.

Found the Cricinfo list and Stewart is the only player to have played Test cricket past his 40th birthday this decade.

There's plenty of players who get to their mid 30s and you think they could just about go on for ever but usually something goes, whether it be form, fitness or enthusiasm, and their career comes to an end quite abruptly. Test cricket involves full-time commitment, not just playing once in a while as older golfers for example can get away with. Going back to the original topic I'd be very surprised if Ponting tours England for another Ashes series, captain or not.

Shoeshine wrote:Distinctly possible. Lots of "ifs" in there. If Australia lose this series it seems hard to imagine Ponting will survive as captain, but then it also seems unimaginable that they'd drop him as a player given what a special talent he is. If he's back in the ranks, who knows how long he'll go on.

He won't be scapegoated for "losing the series". We don't do things that way - in cricket matters at least.

Mick Sawyer wrote:

Shoeshine wrote:Distinctly possible. Lots of "ifs" in there. If Australia lose this series it seems hard to imagine Ponting will survive as captain, but then it also seems unimaginable that they'd drop him as a player given what a special talent he is. If he's back in the ranks, who knows how long he'll go on.

He won't be scapegoated for "losing the series". We don't do things that way - in cricket matters at least.

*Cough*Kim Hughes*Cough*

Maybe one of the WI openers a few years back. Wallace, was it?

Cough*Kim Hughes*Cough*

I did mean "officially".

Hughes was/is a prat who became a target of the media bullies.

Over the last 2 years, Ponting's stats have showed signs of a slight decline. In short periods he's as good as he ever was, but the concentration isn't quite what it used to be. Let's not forget that he started very early. He's been playing international cricket for 14 years now. It takes its toll, even on someone as fit as Ponting.

I wouldn't be surprised if he hangs up his boots in the shorter forms of the game after this ashes tour, and concentrates solely on tests. I'm pretty sure he's played his last T20 international.

None since Stewart, I think.

If I'm right, this is a complete list of players who played their last test aged 40 or more, since 1990.

Traicos 45 1993
Emburey 42 1995
Gooch 41 1995
Hemmings 41 1991
Stewart 40 2003
Henry 40 1993
Houghton 40 1997
Cook 40 1993
Greenidge 40 1991

But I think RP would have a good chance of playing in the Ashes tour of 2013 aged 38.

"Jayasuriya's into his 40s now and still playing international cricket, although I think he jacked in Tests in 2007."

Note, though, that since turning 40 he has not played an international match.