With the ICC World Twenty20 2009 round the corner, Australian skipper Ricky Ponting, who has achieved high levels of success in Tests and one day internationals, is looking to improve his record in the shortest format of the game.
Ponting is the only cricketer to have twice scored more than 1500 runs in Test matches in a calendar year and with 37 centuries he trails India’s Sachin Tendulkar by 5 tons as the leading century scorer in Tests.
The Australian captain is also Australia’s leading ODI run-scorer and century maker. However, his Twenty20 International record does not boast of the same statistics.
He led Australia to an undefeated performance in the 2003 Cricket World Cup and the world-beaters did not lose a single match in the following edition as well, when it was held in the Caribbean in 2007. His superb century against India in the 2003 World Cup, where the right-hander stroked 140 from 121 balls is considered as one of the best knocks. The match-winning innings of 140 is also the highest by a captain in a World Cup final.
The Australian captain, however, knows that he has struggled to perform consistently in the Twenty20 version of the game. “Batting where I do in the top order of Twenty20 cricket, it can sometimes be a bit difficult,” he was quoted as saying during the team’s pre-tour camp on the Sunshine Coast.
“Obviously the earlier you get in the better chance you’ve got of making a big score but you’re expected to play in a certain way. Top-order batsmen are always going to have their ups and downs in that sort of game.”
Every time an ICC event is held Australia starts as favourites on the basis of its glorious past record, consistent performance and the ability to handle pressure in major events.
But the ICC World Twenty20 2007 was been an exception. In the maiden edition, held in South Africa, Australia lost in the semis to the eventual champions India and also suffered a humiliating defeat to minnows Zimbabwe in the opening game.The skipper is well aware that he needs to fire if Australia is to advance in the event.
“The past couple of games I’ve played have been very poor,” he said. “In the two games in South Africa I made 1 in each. It’s not great form going into a World Cup,” he added.
Soon after the ICC World Twenty20, Australia will play the 5-Test Ashes series. With two huge events lined up one after the other, the attention may waver and Ponting has urged the senior players to help the younger ones.
“I think it’s important this week that we do focus on that (ICC WT20), and make sure we’re in the best shape we possibly can to put up a good showing there,” he said.
“We know there’s a lot of hype around the Ashes already and it’s up to us senior guys, who have been around, to make sure the younger guys are well versed on the things to expect when we get there,” Ponting added.
Thursday 28 May, 2009
Flintoff ruled out of ICC World Twenty20
England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff has been ruled out of next month’s ICC World Twenty20 tournament because he has not fully recovered from knee surgery.
The England and Wales Cricket Board had expected Flintoff to get over last month’s operation on a meniscus tear to his right knee but has now called up Adil Rashid to replace him.
The 31-year-old Flintoff had the surgery after he pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he had tied with England teammate Kevin Pietersen as the most costly players in the pre-tournament auction.
The injury already ruled him out of England’s recent Test and one-day series wins over West Indies.
The ECB must now decide whether to gamble on his form and fitness for the Ashes series against Australia, which starts in July. Flintoff will only have games for county side Lancashire in which to earn a place.
“We had to name Andrew in the ICC World Twenty20 squad because we hoped he would be fit,” national selector Geoff Miller said, “but in reality the timescale was always optimistic.
“We have now obtained permission from ICC to name Yorkshire’s Adil Rashid as a replacement. There is a lot of cricket still to play this year and it is important Andrew is fully fit for it.”
Flintoff and Pietersen fetched record salaries of $1.55 million each at the IPL player auction, but both failed to live up to their billing and England routed West Indies in the one-day series without them.
The bowling of James Anderson and Stuart Broad in the limited-overs matches suggests Flintoff may not be missed at the ICC World Twenty20, which is being held in England.
“Andrew is making excellent progress and there is no swelling or pain now in the knee,” ECB chief medical officer Nick Peirce said. “He has been putting in some extremely hard training with Lancashire and should start running and practicing this week.”
“After discussions with his surgeon we have decided that he should continue the remainder of his rehabilitation with physio Dave Roberts, who has overseen his previous rehabilitations.”
The England and Wales Cricket Board had expected Flintoff to get over last month’s operation on a meniscus tear to his right knee but has now called up Adil Rashid to replace him.
The 31-year-old Flintoff had the surgery after he pulled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he had tied with England teammate Kevin Pietersen as the most costly players in the pre-tournament auction.
The injury already ruled him out of England’s recent Test and one-day series wins over West Indies.
The ECB must now decide whether to gamble on his form and fitness for the Ashes series against Australia, which starts in July. Flintoff will only have games for county side Lancashire in which to earn a place.
“We had to name Andrew in the ICC World Twenty20 squad because we hoped he would be fit,” national selector Geoff Miller said, “but in reality the timescale was always optimistic.
“We have now obtained permission from ICC to name Yorkshire’s Adil Rashid as a replacement. There is a lot of cricket still to play this year and it is important Andrew is fully fit for it.”
Flintoff and Pietersen fetched record salaries of $1.55 million each at the IPL player auction, but both failed to live up to their billing and England routed West Indies in the one-day series without them.
The bowling of James Anderson and Stuart Broad in the limited-overs matches suggests Flintoff may not be missed at the ICC World Twenty20, which is being held in England.
“Andrew is making excellent progress and there is no swelling or pain now in the knee,” ECB chief medical officer Nick Peirce said. “He has been putting in some extremely hard training with Lancashire and should start running and practicing this week.”
“After discussions with his surgeon we have decided that he should continue the remainder of his rehabilitation with physio Dave Roberts, who has overseen his previous rehabilitations.”
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