Injury denies Ponting chance to salvage pride

Ponting, whose team surrendered the Ashes meekly on   Wednesday with a crushing loss in the fourth test in   Melbourne, had been ruled out after a scan had showed he would   need immediate treatment, the team said yesterday.

“I’m devastated to tell you the truth, it was the news I  was dreading,” Ponting told reporters at Sydney airport.  “During the game I didn’t think I’d done too much more to it.”

Ponting broke the little finger on his left hand   attempting a catch during the third test in Perth, but played  under some discomfort in the next match in Melbourne, which  England won to retain the Ashes and take a 2-1 lead going into  the finale.

His long-time deputy and heir apparent Michael Clarke will  be promoted to become Australia’s 44th captain, while uncapped  Usman Khawaja was named in a 12-man side yesterday and will  be expected to take the Tasmanian’s spot at number three.

“I had a good chat with (Ponting) last night. His finger  was still pretty sore,” coach Tim Nielsen told reporters in   Melbourne.

“I think it’s just a situation where the finger won’t   allow him to perform at his best… If Ponting was to play in  Sydney and make it worse, then he could be out for a much  longer time.”

Tim Nielsen

With former players and pundits calling for Ponting to   step down or be sacked, the injury’s timing could not be worse  for the gritty 36-year-old, who had endured a dreadful series  with the bat on the way to losing the urn for the third time.

Ponting had admitted after the Melbourne defeat that he   had felt some discomfort playing with the finger but said he   was still confident of playing the final test.

Team physiotherapist Alex Kountouris said Ponting would   face surgery or “aggressive splinting and immobilisation” and   not be expected to be able to train until the later part of   the Australian summer.

He would be expected to be fully fit for the World Cup in   February, Kountouris added.

Ponting, who also conceded the urn on tours in 2005 and   last year, said retirement was the last thing on his mind.
“I’m not thinking about it at all,” he said.

The Tasmanian, the second-most prolific run-scorer in test   history, had averaged just 16 in the series and scored only a   single half-century on the final afternoon of the drawn first   test in Brisbane.

Clarke, whose own form at the crease has been woeful, led   Australia to the Twenty20 World Cup final earlier this year   and won both plaudits for his astute captaincy, if not for his   struggles with the bat throughout the tournament.

NATURAL LEADER
The 29-year-old made it clear he thought his appointment   only temporary.

“I’ve always said Ricky Ponting has been my leader, my    captain from day one and I’m certain he’ll be back captaining    as soon as possible,” he said.

Nielsen backed Clarke as a “natural leader” who would   thrive in the role.

“I think over the next couple of weeks, the Australian   public will see a different Michael Clarke,” he said.

“He can relax. He’s not the man-in-waiting, he’s the man.”

Uncapped 26-year-old Michael Beer, who carried the drinks   in both Perth and Melbourne, has been retained in the 12-man   squad for the test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where   spinners are traditionally rewarded with turn.

Doug Bollinger, dropped after struggling in the heat   during Australia’s trouncing in the second test in Adelaide,   has been recalled in place of Ryan Harris, who has been   sidelined for up to 12 weeks with an ankle fracture.

Bollinger will vie with Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle and   Ben Hilfenhaus for the likely three places for seamers.

Khawaja, a free-scoring Pakistan-born 24-year-old, holds a   51 average from 27 first-class matches and carries solid form   with Sheffield Shield side New South Wales into the Sydney test.

“It’s been a childhood dream for me,” said Khawaja, who   would stand to become Australia’s first Muslim test cricketer. “Ever since I can remember, I’ve wanted to play for    Australia. I’m just jumping out of my boots and hoping I get    the opportunity… If I get my chance, I’ll have fun out    there.”