Cow Corner Blog

Ponting left to rue what could have been

Sun Aug 23 04:59PM

Ricky Ponting took a ball square in the mouth on Saturday, but his dismissal in Australia's second innings on Sunday will have caused the fiercely proud Tasmanian a good deal more pain.

With Australia on the ropes at 90-2 the stage was set for their battle-hardened captain to perform one last act of defiance, in what in all likelihood would be his last Ashes appearance on these shores.

But as Ponting and Mike Hussey settled in, thoughts turned to the unthinkable. If these two stayed put, Australia could win this match, rip up the record books and break Pommy hearts. Aussie heaven.

The hundred partnership arrived and both reached their half-centuries in confident fashion - neither looking troubled by the relatively benign seam bowling of England's frontline attack. Was this the world's first self-healing wicket?

Only the spin of Graeme Swann was asking questions, but the longer Australia's premier batsman occupied the crease, the better equipped they appeared to deal with it.

England's captain Andrew Strauss might never admit it, but he was surely starting to wonder if his team were about to be on the receiving end of the greatest batting performance in history.

But where there's an Andrew Flintoff, there's a way. And England's departing talisman was never going to be denied one last iconic act in his final Test match.

That he swooped down like a 21-year-old to pick up and throw down Ponting from mid-on was completely at odds with Flintoff's otherwise lumbering appearance in the field, but he'd probably have you believe that was all part of the act. Ponting was certainly taken in.

No batsman likes being run out. But when you're set on 66, carrying the hopes of a nation you've dedicated your sporting life to, in the deciding Test of an Ashes series, it has to hurt like hell. Far more than a lump of leather in the chops could.

We'll never know what could have been had Ponting turned down that single to Flintoff, but the Australian captain will likely spend a good deal of his winter wondering. It says something of the man that most of us considered a heroic double century a real possibility.

As for Freddie, let's just hope his scriptwriter takes a job with an Englishman.

USER COMMENT OF THE DAY: "I don't drink very often but I do have half a bottle of Australian wine, which I will open and drink on the occasion of our regaining the Ashes. I have every confidence in our team to win. God speed to them all." - I T

Comments1 - 15 of 15

There is a reason why there are thousands of rich bookies driving Porsches and millions of poor punters staying poor: when the odds are astronomical, it is only a fool who bets. There was never a chance in a thousand that Australia could even save this test after the second day debacle, let alone win it.
From bretorne on Sun Aug 23 07:08PM
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Cow Corner - you need a proofreader! Para 3: Hussey, not Clarke. Great result anyway!
From valcawallan on Sun Aug 23 07:14PM
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Well done ENGLAND and kudos to the very gracious losers!
From philcheese2001 on Sun Aug 23 07:16PM
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God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us;
God save the Queen!England (Do Do Do)England(Do Do Do)
From mattyj171717 on Sun Aug 23 07:19PM
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#2 bretorne
....was there not a point either early in the morning session, or in the afternoon session with punter and hussey at the crease when the seeds of doubt were sown for an Ausssie upset. Getting them out was like "pulling teeth", and the dismissals of Punter and Clarke required the sort of astonishing good fortune (and skill) that is delivered when the cricketing gods are on your side. Well done England!! i'm looking forward to my first good night's sleep since tuesday!! Well done Aussie also for their reaction in defeat, and congrats to all the SKY commentary team, and to Warney in particular - a revelation of impartiality!! Good on yer, cobber, enjoy the evening!
From honeyshane69 on Sun Aug 23 08:08PM
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apparently the groundsman has been nominated for the MBE this time
From i_roberts68 on Sun Aug 23 08:17PM
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Shame Ponting had to carp on about stats in his post match interview - not so gracious.
From soul.limbo on Sun Aug 23 08:28PM
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Agree about warne #12 he came across very well.
From crazylegend86 on Sun Aug 23 08:35PM
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Yeh, I think Warney could teach Ponting a thing or two about losing without whining.
From smiling.phases on Sun Aug 23 09:07PM
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it was an excellent ashes all round. Thrilling if not classic cricket, superb commentatry and camera work - really capturing the moment brilliantly - and, of course, the banter here. Can't wait for Oz in just under two years. Will be a different kettle of fish, but let's just enjoy the return of the ashes! Well done England (and Wales, naturally).
From osullivanar on Sun Aug 23 09:12PM
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honeyshane69 - there was never even half an instant of doubt. Do you realise what Australia would have had to do to win that test? Apart from tear up every record book and outscore the highest 4th innings score ever made by over 100 runs, they were playing on a pitch that was starting to break up and taking sharp spin from day two against experienced seam and spin bowlers who know how to exploit those conditions. I said at the end of day two on several yahoo postings that barring torrential rain for the last two days, the Ashes were ours and there was never a moment I doubted that. You honestly can't make serious bets against the odds that were stacked against the Aussies - though of course many people do, many bookies and casino owners get rich, and many people lose their shirts.
From bretorne on Sun Aug 23 10:04PM
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Well done England......I don't usually take interest in any sports, but always love watchin g the Ashes Test matches. As an Honorary Australian (self appionted) I wanted my adopted country to do well... they did, and a wonderful Test was achieved by both nations. Good on you mates !!
From davden998 on Mon Aug 24 04:21AM
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The OZ press is venting its spleen on Mike Hussey(rightly) but WHAT was
Michael Clarke thinking?+add up all the runs Mitchell Johnson has leaked in the series would make a pretty good innings one.
Yes we did well but remember whoever won the @#$% won the match+having a pitch made for you was a big help and having a usless set of umpires too
And pleeez no more open top bus rides MBE/CBE/nighthoods thats what spoils
all the celabration
From andyganley on Mon Aug 24 09:44AM
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Well done X Faktor Freddie now that you are pedalling into quieter pastures how are the England XI going to manage without you ?
From arttidesco on Mon Aug 24 12:02PM
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the decisive moment (other than the @#$%) being due to an error is pretty fitting for what has been a series littered with them, between 2 poor teams
From ian_whittaker1 on Mon Aug 24 12:33PM
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