The last punt

Ricky left the game he so loved in the same manner he played it, tough as nails. His scores had begun to betray that father time had crept silently upon the great warrior and he was the first to admit it. It takes a special man to identify his decline from the art he has practiced and loved all his life. One doesn't need to look far than the Indian dressing room how self consuming and blinding the thirst to keep playing can be. Ponting won more than a century of test matches and that is a legacy he would be proud of. He played the game with the sole purpose of winning and his record bears that out. The pulls and hooks are now part of folklore and for a small man, the punch that he packed was a treat to watch. He wore his heart on his sleeve and was detested at times as much as he was adored but when the time came to leave the baggy green behind, the world was united in applause and respect. If there is one thing that the elephant in the Indian dressing room can learn from Ponting, its that it takes a lifetime to earn respect and only a few days to lose it. Take a bow Punter.

The Proteas consolidated their position as the number one test team with a prolific win at the WACA. Steyn and company finished what Amla and De Villiers had started. They came out through difficult scenarios in Adelaide and have discovered a new talent in Du Plessis. If only they can find a good bench strength in the fast bowling department, the Saffas' rule at the top can be assured to be a prolonged one. Australia stand at cross roads again with only the two Michaels providing some succor. The bowling is brittle with almost every single seamer on the verge of a break down. The batting cupboard looks bare and there is nobody in sight to replace the punter. Waiting to see how they cope when they visit the subcontinent in the coming months.