Ponting stands down as Captain

Ricky Ponting has announced he will stand down as captain of both the Australia Test and one-day cricket sides.

Ponting also declared he is available for selection for the tour to Bangladesh if the selectors pick him and backed Michael Clarke to be a successful replacement.

"I've had the chance to think long and hard about it," Ponting said at a press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"I have decided to stand down from the test and one-day team as of now.

"I want to give the next captain my full and total support.

"I'll be sitting in the corner of the dressing room just like everbody else."

Ponting has been under pressure to step down since Australia's disastrous Ashes campaign last summer, which saw the Aussies relinquish the urn for the third time under Ponting's leadership.

His form as a batsman has also been in the spotlight, breaking his long century drought with a gritty hundred in Australia's World Cup quarter-final loss to India last week.

Cricket Australia is set to announce this week its squad for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh, with Michael Clarke expected to be named as captain.

Ponting has captained Australia in 77 Test matches for 48 wins - the most of any Test skipper - 16 losses and 13 draws.

And his 228 one-day matches in charge returned 164 wins, 50 losses and two World Cup victories.

But following a recent lean stretch with the bat, Ponting became tetchy in Australia's failed World Cup defence.

Twice, Ponting apologised for, he says inadvertently, damaging a dressing room television and his reaction to colliding with teammate Steve Smith when taking a catch.

But the Tasmanian ended his run drought in the quarter-final with his stellar century against India.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/...-1226029847046

A true champion of the game, many thanks for your years of service.....Ricky, you F*#kin' beauty :approve:

X2 TIF Couldnt say it better
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just dont give the captaincy to Clarke,he's on borrowed time already

You be trollin Gunny :P

just telling the truth

Best news ever, but he left it too late
Go Clarkie!!!

glad you agree,clarke to go:)

Agreed gunnie. Not captain material...
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I don't understand the Michael Clarke hate?

A rough trot with the bat of late but that will hardly be the end of him
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---------- Post added at 08:45 ---------- Previous post was Yesterday at 17:25 ----------

Clarke takes over from Ponting

Michael Clarke has, as expected, been appointed captain of the Australian Test and one-day teams in place of Ricky Ponting.

Shane Watson will be the 29-year-old Clarke's deputy.

"I just want to say what a honour it is to be named captain of Australia and a huge surprise to see Ricky stand down," Clarke told a media conference at the SCG.

"I spent a lot of time with Ricky during the world Cup and I was very much unaware of where he was at, so it was a huge surprise for me."

Ponting announced yesterday that he would step down as Test and one-day captain, but still play in the team.

Cameron White will retain the captaincy of the Twenty20 side, with Watson, 29, also his deputy in that format.

Clarke's first task will be to take a one-day squad to Bangladesh this week as Australia looks to improve from a World Cup quarter-final exit.

That squad was also announced, with Ponting retaining his place as a batsman.

Clarke denied there would be problems with having the former skipper in the squad.

"I think Bangladesh will be a great test for that to see how it all unfolds," he said.

"I'm confident that if he can continue to play for as long as he has done, I'm sure it will work."

Spinner Xavier Doherty, who missed the World Cup with a back injury, returns at the expense of Jason Krejza while Victoria's 20-year-old paceman James Pattinson takes the place of Shaun Tait, who has retired from one-day cricket.

All-rounder David Hussey was unavailable for selection because of the imminent birth of his first child.

Clarke's Test reign will start in August when he skippers a tour of Sri Lanka.

He has already had a taste of Test leadership after filling in for the injured Ponting in the fifth Ashes clash in January.

The New South Welshman, who turns 30 on Saturday, has scored 4,742 runs in 69 Tests at an average of 46.49.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...30/3177497.htm

Michael Clarke:


Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100 50 4s 6s Ct St
Tests 69 114 12 4742 168 46.49 8962 52.91 14 20 522 19 69 0
ODIs 195 178 39 6161 130 44.32 7873 78.25 5 47 505 34 75 0