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I think now an obvious question, the title, with half an hour to go in this test match, I think that already we have seen some cracks in Pontings captaincy in this series. Has he been worried into it by his failure against Harbijan Singh, just seems to me he has made some horrific decisions (thats if he is making them and they are not being done upstairs ala Simpson days) in this test. His under bowling of Clark in the first innings has to be questioned, why when Tendulkar and Singh were well on top did he persist with Johnson who even I could survive against, then today with Hayden injured and Ponting himself a great slipper, why was he at silly midoff and have 2 great cover fieldsman rotating in the slips, why did Clark bowl so less overs in the 2nd dig when he knocked over Indians best 2 batsman quickly with superb bowling, I have posted this now cause there is stilla chance of an aussie win but I just feel things don't seem too rosey with the aussie captains decision making in this test, is the pressure now getting to him

We won the first test with ease and have gone close to this one too. Remember, this team has won 15 matches in a row also so just because there is one draw doesn't mean the captain is under pressure. This is a knee-jerk reaction.

Agree Clark has been under bowled.

Lets not forget that he has captained his side to 15 Test wins in a row though. Just doesn't have the cattle particularly taking into account that Johnson has bowled absolute shite and Hogg is not good enough at Test level. The fact that in the last few desperate overs he has opted for Symonds and Clarke says enough.

Clarke just took a wicket. We are still a chance.

He gives Clarke a bowl and he takes 3 wickets to win the game, still think Punter is cracking under pressure?

Superb captaincy taking Hogg off and putting Clarke on !!

Geez I am glad I started this thread, I am starting one in SANFL that North are crap and got no chance of a grand final win

There is absolutly NO PRESSURE mounting on Ponting's captaincy and there won't be until we loose another series or consecutive defeats BUT his decision making in this test has been average at best.
We can all be clever in hine sight but some of the decisions he made were absolutly baffling and would have thought obvious to change such as;
- Over bowling Mitchell Johnson in both innings (at cruical stages)
- Under bowling Stuart Clark in both innings
- Positing of injured players in the field in second innings
- Declaration was atleast 30 minutes too late no team even India would have got close to chasing 330 in the last innings on a SCG (this could have been a decision that was slighlty out of his hands with the coach having a fair impact maybe + the no McGrath, Warne factor and a lack of faith in current bowling line-up also delayed the declaration IMHO)

No

why would their be?

we have won 16 tests in a row and won the last ODI world cup

whufc wrote:There is absolutly NO PRESSURE mounting on Ponting's captaincy and there won't be until we loose another series or consecutive defeats BUT his decision making in this test has been average at best.
We can all be clever in hine sight but some of the decisions he made were absolutly baffling and would have thought obvious to change such as;
- Over bowling Mitchell Johnson in both innings (at cruical stages)
- Under bowling Stuart Clark in both innings
- Positing of injured players in the field in second innings
- Declaration was atleast 30 minutes too late no team even India would have got close to chasing 330 in the last innings on a SCG (this could have been a decision that was slighlty out of his hands with the coach having a fair impact maybe + the no McGrath, Warne factor and a lack of faith in current bowling line-up also delayed the declaration IMHO)

Well said.

whufc wrote:There is absolutly NO PRESSURE mounting on Ponting's captaincy and there won't be until we loose another series or consecutive defeats BUT his decision making in this test has been average at best.
We can all be clever in hine sight but some of the decisions he made were absolutly baffling and would have thought obvious to change such as;
- Over bowling Mitchell Johnson in both innings (at cruical stages)
- Under bowling Stuart Clark in both innings
- Positing of injured players in the field in second innings
- Declaration was atleast 30 minutes too late no team even India would have got close to chasing 330 in the last innings on a SCG (this could have been a decision that was slighlty out of his hands with the coach having a fair impact maybe + the no McGrath, Warne factor and a lack of faith in current bowling line-up also delayed the declaration IMHO)

thats just the point I was trying to make that his decision making was average in this test match, now the pressures off I am sure he will be back to his brilliant best in Perth, both in captaincy and batting form

Hmn we are talking about the skipper of 16 wins in a row ....
The decsion to bowl Pup CLARK at the end was a bit baffling
Had we not won and Pup was wicketless can you imagine the chatter
Why did he etc etc

The only pressure on Ponting is whether to have steak or seafood for tea tonight after another great win brought on by the Aussie's keeping the pressure on to the last ball.

Hazbeen wrote:The only pressure on Ponting is whether to have steak or seafood for tea tonight after another great win brought on by the Aussie's keeping the pressure on to the last ball.

No the only pressure is enforcing follow ons and when to declare [today 7 balls left phewww]

at the end of the day. you beat what is put up to you.
can anyone say any other country can even get close to a 5 day game and beat the aussies.
world test cricket in other countries is second rate at best.
its going to end up just like the baseball "world series"
no teams from the world.

its nice to be on a site with different opinions .

mal wrote:Hmn we are talking about the skipper of 16 wins in a row ....
The decsion to bowl Pup CLARK at the end was a bit baffling
Had we not won and Pup was wicketless can you imagine the chatter
Why did he etc etc

Thats 100% true but just because the team won doesn't automatically mean he skippered the team well.
Mal what is your thoughts soley on Pontings captaincy in this test match what would you rate it out of 10. I personally would give him a 4. I think had he made bowling changes earlier and a slightly earlier declaration it wouldn't have come down to the last 8 balls.

Though had the umpiring been up to a better standard we may have been a couple hundred runs behind in the first innings

Hazbeen wrote:The only pressure on Ponting is whether to have steak or seafood for tea tonight after another great win brought on by the Aussie's keeping the pressure on to the last ball.

will be too busy sinking the crownies to worry about food know the problem

whufc wrote:

mal wrote:Hmn we are talking about the skipper of 16 wins in a row ....
The decsion to bowl Pup CLARK at the end was a bit baffling
Had we not won and Pup was wicketless can you imagine the chatter
Why did he etc etc

Thats 100% true but just because the team won doesn't automatically mean he skippered the team well.
Mal what is your thoughts soley on Pontings captaincy in this test match what would you rate it out of 10. I personally would give him a 4. I think had he made bowling changes earlier and a slightly earlier declaration it wouldn't have come down to the last 8 balls.

Though had the umpiring been up to a better standard we may have been a couple hundred runs behind in the first innings

whufc
he was on about a 4 to 4.5, but then with the last bowling change you have to give him .5 as I said totally bowled Clark to little and Johnson and Hogg to much, neither really looked the part, thought him keeping Symonds on was a good move because he was getting a lot of spin

whufc wrote:

mal wrote:Hmn we are talking about the skipper of 16 wins in a row ....
The decsion to bowl Pup CLARK at the end was a bit baffling
Had we not won and Pup was wicketless can you imagine the chatter
Why did he etc etc

Thats 100% true but just because the team won doesn't automatically mean he skippered the team well.
Mal what is your thoughts soley on Pontings captaincy in this test match what would you rate it out of 10. I personally would give him a 4. I think had he made bowling changes earlier and a slightly earlier declaration it wouldn't have come down to the last 8 balls.

Though had the umpiring been up to a better standard we may have been a couple hundred runs behind in the first innings

Ian Chappells daughter could successfully captain this team.
I thought he did fair job
RATING 6
In the end 100 out of 10 for bowling CLARKE but it would have been 0.5 out of 10 if it didnt work

I thought the declaration was OK we are 1-0 up after all
By putting the game out of Indias reach he could set attacking fields

I dont have a prob with Rickys captaincy