Ponting Should Retire Or Be Sacked

[cokadonkeytoo]

I feel sorry for him, i think the game is slowly moving beyond him and hes scared of letting the game go. He is a proud man and in his mind he still reads and thinks about the game the same way its just unfortunate that his body may not be able to follow. Im sure he sits there and reads the headlines and knows the weight of the Australian community is on his shoulders and that must be scary and hes probably thinking he is still good enough to prove all the critics wrong. He also has the whole world watching and rubbing their hands in glee at the fact Australia are no longer the powerhouse of the cricket world and he was at the helm to watch it happen. I would think that any normal human being would feel beyond stressed in the same situation.

I agree that number three is no longer his spot and i think he could do some damage at 6 for at least another season. He has alot of support from people behind the scenes, i heard an interview with Justin Langer on the radio the morning of the fourth day and he thinks he is just trying too hard. He felt that he should just trust his own ability and let the runs come. He is in a hole that is deep, i think the peak of Mt Everest would be easier to climb but i hope he takes a few good steps in the right direction. Theres nothing sadder than a true champion of the game and Australian cricket bowing out on this note.

Goodluck R. Ponting

[rod_rooster]

Puts himself before the team.

You say this about Ponting yet at the same time you defend Brad Hodge

Absolutley laughable to suggest Ponting puts himself before the team and it's getting more and more embarrassing listening to the public and media sink the boot into one of our country's finest ever players. Show some respect FFS!

[Hondo]

We won't be a better side without Ponting in it. Nor is bringing in a 20 year old now instead of when he is 22 going to make us a better side in 5 years.

Maybe he needs to move down the order or give up the captaincy. I'm not convinced one way or the other.

It seems like some of the Australian public feel will feel better if there is an execution at the end of this series and they are thirsting for a scapegoat.

I agree with Rod Rooster who said somewhere that Ponting is our best batsman since Bradman. If you want to chase our best batsman in 70 years out of town with the lynching squad then go right ahead. I am prepared to back him in for a little while longer if he wants to go on. Not because of his past record but because of what he can still contribute even if it's not at the same high level of the past.

[Turbo]

We won't be a better side without Ponting in it. Nor is bringing in a 20 year old now instead of when he is 22 going to make us a better side in 5 years.

Maybe he needs to move down the order or give up the captaincy. I'm not convinced one way or the other.

It seems like some of the Australian public feel will feel better if there is an execution at the end of this series and they are thirsting for a scapegoat.

I agree with Rod Rooster who said somewhere that Ponting is our best batsman since Bradman. If you want to chase our best batsman in 70 years out of town with the lynching squad then go right ahead. I am prepared to back him in for a little while longer if he wants to go on. Not because of his past record but because of what he can still contribute even if it's not at the same high level of the past.

Even putting him in the same sentence as bradman is a joke.

[Adelaide Hawk]

We won't be a better side without Ponting in it. Nor is bringing in a 20 year old now instead of when he is 22 going to make us a better side in 5 years.

Maybe he needs to move down the order or give up the captaincy. I'm not convinced one way or the other.

It seems like some of the Australian public feel will feel better if there is an execution at the end of this series and they are thirsting for a scapegoat.

I agree with Rod Rooster who said somewhere that Ponting is our best batsman since Bradman. If you want to chase our best batsman in 70 years out of town with the lynching squad then go right ahead. I am prepared to back him in for a little while longer if he wants to go on. Not because of his past record but because of what he can still contribute even if it's not at the same high level of the past.

Even putting him in the same sentence as bradman is a joke.

Not that I'm all that interested in the reply, but why?

[The Cadet]

Puts himself before the team.

You say this about Ponting yet at the same time you defend Brad Hodge

Absolutley laughable to suggest Ponting puts himself before the team and it's getting more and more embarrassing listening to the public and media sink the boot into one of our country's finest ever players. Show some respect FFS!

I defend Brad Hodge because he has been treated poorly by the Australian selectors. He has been the best performed player in state cricket for the last 10 years.

It's getting more embarrising watching the Australian test side perform too. He has been one of our countrys finest players and I have loved watching him play. The sad thing is he is a shadow of his past has averaged 37 for the last 2 years with the bat and as a captain we are losing. Would of been fitting to send him off at the S.C.G next week in a Ashes test packed house. If he plays on it will get worse. Sri Lanka (away), South Africa (away) and India (home).

[Adelaide Hawk]

I wish people would get off the Brad Hodge thing. The guy played his best cricket at a time when there were no available regular spots in the Australian team. Darren Lehmann went through the same thing for 10 years before finally forcing his way into the team. The difference being that Boof didn't spend that 10 years telling Test selectors they had crap for brains. He just let his bat do the talking.

The thing that really gets to me is there are some people still pushing for Hodge to play in the Test team, and he hasn't been available for Sheffield Shield for the past 2 seasons!!!

[The Cadet]

I wish people would get off the Brad Hodge thing. The guy played his best cricket at a time when there were no available regular spots in the Australian team. Darren Lehmann went through the same thing for 10 years before finally forcing his way into the team. The difference being that Boof didn't spend that 10 years telling Test selectors they had crap for brains. He just let his bat do the talking.

The thing that really gets to me is there are some people still pushing for Hodge to play in the Test team, and he hasn't been available for Sheffield Shield for the past 2 seasons!!!

I dont push for Brad Hodge to be in the test team, I was just defending him.

[New Era]

I would replace him with Clarke

I must admit I did have some level of interest as to where you were heading but after this little gem of divine wisdom, I can only presume you are some sort of simpleton.

It beggars belief that you dismiss Pontings captaincy of 5 years ago because he had the luxury of a great side that even you could supposedly have coached and then you completely dismiss his lack of cattle in the current side as being a factor in dropping in the world rankings from 1 to 5.

Your skills really are wasted, I'm staggered the ACA hasn't beaten down your door to help straighten this mess out.

[rod_rooster]

I wish people would get off the Brad Hodge thing. The guy played his best cricket at a time when there were no available regular spots in the Australian team. Darren Lehmann went through the same thing for 10 years before finally forcing his way into the team. The difference being that Boof didn't spend that 10 years telling Test selectors they had crap for brains. He just let his bat do the talking.

The thing that really gets to me is there are some people still pushing for Hodge to play in the Test team, and he hasn't been available for Sheffield Shield for the past 2 seasons!!!

I dont push for Brad Hodge to be in the test team, I was just defending him.

That's my point. You defend Brad Hodge who is the absolute epitomy of a person who puts himself and his own interests before anyone else or any team he's playing for whilst at the same time accusing Ponting of doing that.

Ponting is not selfish and does not put himself before the team. He may be stubborn and inflexible at times but he backs his players and his team and has always done what he thought was right by his players and team. He may have been wrong about what was right at times but the intentions were never self serving, far from it.

[Jim05]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

[New Era]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

Yeah Yeah Yeah, had they have won he'd be a national hero for playing through the pain.

[Hondo]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

Then you probably would have called him soft or selfish for not playing through the pain

I suspect he could never win with you right now

[Ruben Carter]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

Yeah Yeah Yeah, had they have won he'd be a national hero for playing through the pain.

Spot on, NE........ and the medicos were responsible for giving him a clearance to play - It was them who ruled him out of the Sydney test. Reckon Ricky fielding in the outfield is almost as good as any other player so it's just rubbish to suggest he is self interested. Honestly, there are some posters on here who are just looking for blood... not a lot of longer term, intelligent foresight but simply knee-jerk reacting to complex and complicated issues. I agree Ponting should be esteemed as a National treasure, not ridiculed by imbeciles who have got no idea about anything...

[New Era]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

Yeah Yeah Yeah, had they have won he'd be a national hero for playing through the pain.

Spot on, NE........ and the medicos were responsible for giving him a clearance to play - It was them who ruled him out of the Sydney test. Reckon Ricky fielding in the outfield is almost as good as any other player so it's just rubbish to suggest he is self interested. Honestly, there are some posters on here who are just looking for blood... not a lot of longer term, intelligent foresight but simply knee-jerk reacting to complex and complicated issues. I agree Ponting should be esteemed as a National treasure, not ridiculed by imbeciles who have got no idea about anything...

Phew, well said.

[Jim05]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

Then you probably would have called him soft or selfish for not playing through the pain

I suspect he could never win with you right now

My point is whats changed in a week. Either he misses last test or he plays this one. Not blaming him entirely, the medicos are at fault aswell.

[The Cadet]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

Then you probably would have called him soft or selfish for not playing through the pain

I suspect he could never win with you right now

My point is whats changed in a week. Either he misses last test or he plays this one. Not blaming him entirely, the medicos are at fault aswell.

The world cup is coming up, he cant miss that, he has only won it three times.

[Jim05]

Wish you guys would all get over it. Ponting will go down as a legend but i want him remembered for the champ he was not a guy who went on for a year too long and could hardly get to double figure scores. The fact is he has strugglec for last 18 months and we dont play tests again until august, its time to move aside.
Obviously the guys calling for calmness are happy with us getting flogged regularly, no time for sentiment anymore i want results and i would rather go through the pain of losing with a bunch of kids then giving gold passes to guys who once served us well

[Jim05]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

Then you probably would have called him soft or selfish for not playing through the pain

I suspect he could never win with you right now

My point is whats changed in a week. Either he misses last test or he plays this one. Not blaming him entirely, the medicos are at fault aswell.

The world cup is coming up, he cant miss that, he has only won it three times.

He will go to wc and do well. Would be good to finish on a high

[smac]

So pontings not selfish to play with a broken finger? The finger isnt ok to play tomorrow but was alright a week ago, give me a break ricky. Pure selfishness should have missed last test for benefit of team

Then you probably would have called him soft or selfish for not playing through the pain

I suspect he could never win with you right now

My point is whats changed in a week. Either he misses last test or he plays this one. Not blaming him entirely, the medicos are at fault aswell.

Didn't he have new x-rays that revealed further damage from playing? That's what changed.