Punter says South Africa doesn't deserve to be ranked #1

Even if they beat Australia.

I'm posting the whole article so people can judge from themselves, even though some people believe that connotes technical illiteracy, which of course adds to the language illiteracy I'm bordering on. The second part of the article deals with player workload.

South Africa do not deserve No.1 ranking: Ricky Ponting

December 04, 2008 SOUTH Africa's cricketers are coming, and they're closing fast.

But Ricky Ponting does not believe the Proteas would deserve Test cricket's No.1 ranking, even if they did become the first side since the West Indies of 1992-93 to beat Australia in a series in their own backyard.

That is, unless they could pull off the unthinkable and win the series in a 3-0 whitewash.

Ponting said Australia deserved to hang on to their No.1 ranking regardless of the result of the coming series, which begins in Perth on December 17.

"It has taken us a long time and a lot of great wins in different conditions around the world to get us to that No.1 spot," the Australian skipper said on Thursday.

"If South Africa beat us 3-0 I don't know if that gives them enough points to get over us.

"But if they won the series 1-0 or 2-1, I don't think that would mean that they deserve to take over that mantle.

"It's a bit the same with India (beating Australia in the) last series.

"Just because they beat us, the No.1 team, (it) doesn't necessarily mean they go from the No.4 or No.5 in the world to No.1 in the world, because it's something that's accrued over a long period of time."

South Africa have cause for optimism entering this series, having surged up the rankings table over the past two years.

Graeme Smith's side began 2007 in sixth place in the Test rankings, yet finished the year in second, although 32 ranking points behind Australia.

The gap is now 13 points, and series wins in Australia and South Africa over the next four months could produce the game's first major de-throning since Mark Taylor's side became the best in the world by beating the West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995.

The Proteas' assault this summer will be based on a clutch of in-form batsmen and a lively pace attack headed by strike bowler Dale Steyn.

But South Africa have never beaten Australia (home or away) in eight series following their re-admission into international cricket after the end of the apartheid era.

Meanwhile, Ponting predicted player workload, pay structure and sponsor appearances to be the major issues up for discussion when talks begin on a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) for Australia's best players.

Although keen to play as many internationals as he could, Ponting said it was inevitable that player workloads needed addressing given the jammed nature of cricket's scheduling, made even tighter by the boom in Twenty20 tournaments.

He said finding the right workload for players would be the "major challenge" for Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers' Association to reach when they begin talks shortly.

Also in focus will be the number of compulsory appearances made by CA-contracted players.

Under the present MOU, players are required to make 22 appearances for CA sponsors every year, but players reportedly want that figure reduced.

Punter is talking a lot these days...

I guess talks so FAST that the journalists are left with some extra time to ask some more meaningless questions

Punter should take English lessons from Inzi and SLOW the heck down.

Many of my friends comment that his fast talking sends them dizzy and they can't listen to him because of this rapidity of mouth. He does talk inordinately fast but I feel Tubby Taylor still has him covered in that department.

PlanetPakistan wrote:Punter is talking a lot these days...

I guess talks so FAST that the journalists are left with some extra time to ask some more meaningless questions

Punter should take English lessons from Inzi and SLOW the heck down.

It would be better if he took English lessons from Hellen Keller and shut the **** up

Punter is spot on with this . . . though our subi "friends" would no doubt disgaree . . .

"It has taken us a long time and a lot of great wins in different conditions around the world to get us to that No.1 spot," the Australian skipper said on Thursday.

"If South Africa beat us 3-0 I don't know if that gives them enough points to get over us.

"But if they won the series 1-0 or 2-1, I don't think that would mean that they deserve to take over that mantle.

"It's a bit the same with India (beating Australia in the) last series.

G.Wood wrote:

PlanetPakistan wrote:Punter is talking a lot these days...

I guess talks so FAST that the journalists are left with some extra time to ask some more meaningless questions

Punter should take English lessons from Inzi and SLOW the heck down.

It would be better if he took English lessons from Hellen Keller and shut the **** up

Sage. Punter's farkin kiddin, isn't he?

So what does the ICC rankings system say? If the Yarps win, do they go top?

Helen Keller was blind not deaf. Maybe the Marllee Matlin school.

Either way let's hope the current injury is as bad as it sounds.

This kind of talk only shows Ponting's lack of confidence, must be sweet music to the Saffies.

When we beat the Windies in 1995 did we become number one at the time....or have we just concluded that was the point in time in hindsight ?

Bradman wrote:Helen Keller was blind not deaf. Maybe the Marllee Matlin school.

Either way let's hope the current injury is as bad as it sounds.

Maybe Ann Frank?

Ponting seems a bit defensive! We haven't lost yet.

"Helen Keller was blind not deaf."


Helen Keller was blind AND deaf.

What a load of tosh. Punter is an idiot.

When I saw the headline on Cricinfo, "South Africa win will not change rankings", I assumed that it was some research done and then written about by a Cricinfo writer. I didn't expect the guy to be arrogant and stupid enough to point this out himself. What a tool. It sounds as if he's preparing for defeat.....

What next? "Don't blame me if our over-rates are slow again against South Africa" Ponting'

"I could be forced to bowl part timers at a crucial moment again in this series, and it wont be my fault because anyone who knows me knows that i'm a bit retarted" Ponting.'

Shit hey! You learn something new every day.

Bit of a stretch to expect the cricinfo crew to do some research, innit?

If the smelly yarpies beat us the only series they aren't defending will be against the CBERs mob...that's pretty impressive, and worthy of claiming the number #1 crown.

Probably means you shouldn't have been a useless qunt during the Indian series, eh Ponting?

Oh come on. Anyone that knows Ponting knows that he doesn't take responsibility for anything. It was Harbhajan Singh's fault, or Allan Border's, or Gary Pratt's.......

Invader Zim wrote:Probably means you shouldn't have been a useless qunt during the Indian series, eh Ponting?

It's a bit hard for him. It's not his fault. It's in his genes.

embee wrote:When we beat the Windies in 1995 did we become number one at the time....or have we just concluded that was the point in time in hindsight ?

According to the ranking WI were probably still # 1 because AUS had lost at least 2 series in the 2 years before that.

IIRC in 1997 or 1998 SA become # 1 according the the official rankings

amazingly England have NOT been # 1 since the late 60s

embee wrote:When we beat the Windies in 1995 did we become number one at the time...

Na...Windies lost the mantle in 1992...

Australia 1882 to 1885 4 years
England 1886 to 1898 13 years
Australia 1899 to 1905 7 years
South Africa 1906 to 1908 3 years
Australia 1909 to 1911 3 years
England 1912 to 1917 6 years
No qualifiers 1918 to 1919
Australia 1920 to 1927 8 years
England 1928 to 1930 3 years
Australia 1931 to 1942 12 years
No qualifiers 1943 to 1945
Australia 1946 to 1953 8 years
South Africa 1954 to 1956 3 years
England 1957 to 1958 2 years
Australia 1958 to 1962 5 years
West Indies 1963 to 1968 6 years
Australia 1969 to 1971 3 years
England 1972 1 year
India 1973 1 year
Australia 1974 to 1978 5 years
England 1979 to 1981 3 years
Pakistan 1982 1 year
West Indies 1983 to 1991 9 years
Australia 1992 to 1993 2 years
Pakistan 1994 to 1996 3 years
Australia 1997 to now

Invader Zim wrote:

embee wrote:When we beat the Windies in 1995 did we become number one at the time...

Na...Windies lost the mantle in 1992...

Australia 1882 to 1885 4 years
England 1886 to 1898 13 years
Australia 1899 to 1905 7 years
South Africa 1906 to 1908 3 years
Australia 1909 to 1911 3 years
England 1912 to 1917 6 years
No qualifiers 1918 to 1919
Australia 1920 to 1927 8 years
England 1928 to 1930 3 years
Australia 1931 to 1942 12 years
No qualifiers 1943 to 1945
Australia 1946 to 1953 8 years
South Africa 1954 to 1956 3 years
England 1957 to 1958 2 years
Australia 1958 to 1962 5 years
West Indies 1963 to 1968 6 years
Australia 1969 to 1971 3 years
England 1972 1 year
India 1973 1 year
Australia 1974 to 1978 5 years
England 1979 to 1981 3 years
Pakistan 1982 1 year
West Indies 1983 to 1991 9 years
Australia 1992 to 1993 2 years
Pakistan 1994 to 1996 3 years
Australia 1997 to now

what the heck?
The best team(late 80s and early 90s) isn't even there and the team that lost to SL at home(in 1995) is.

PlanetPakistan wrote:amazingly England have NOT been # 1 since the late 60s

Ummm, if you have had the misfortune to follow England; it's not that amazing actually

I seem to remember the Aussie players, supporters and media dancing up and down and proclaiming their team the best in the world after that 1995 caribbean triumph.