Australia’s cricket captain Ricky Ponting is set to sit out his team’s remaining two One Day Internationals against New Zealand. It is thought that Ricky Ponting is in need of a rest to ensure that he is 100% fit for the South Africa tour later this year.
Australia are currently 1-0 down against New Zealand and this follows a test series and ODI series defeat to South Africa. In total, they have lost five of their last six ODIs and each of their last two test series. Whether this has something to do with Ricky Ponting’s ‘rest’ remains to be seen.
Elsewhere, opening batsman Shaun Marsh also misses out on the final two games against New Zealand because of a hamstring injury. This means that Adam Voges and Callum Ferguson come in.
The major talking point was Ricky Ponting’s omission though; something Australia chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch says has ‘always been planned’.
He did admit that the recent performances of the team have played their part though because it is ‘essential’ that Ricky Ponting has an opportunity to prepare for the South Africa tour. The Australian captain has had a very heavy workload after in the last year of so, after all.
As for the men that have come into the squad, Hilditch says that Adam Voges and Callum Ferguson are both ‘exciting young players’ that have the ability to succeed at international level.
Whether they can fill the void left by Ricky Ponting though is another matter. In fact, because of the captain’s absence, the cricket odds may now expect Australia to suffer yet another series defeat. This time, at the hands of Daniel Vettori’s New Zealand.
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