Michael Clarke faced the press last week and was unveiled as Australia's new captain. It was hardly a secret. Clarke's mate Shane Warne made certain of that by tweeting it to the world before Cricket Australia had the chance to get a statement out!
Clarke said all the right things during the press conference, he'd obviously been prepared and rehearsed playing the media with a straight bat. He ducked a bouncer when the obvious question was asked about Ricky Ponting: could the former skipper become "an elephant in the dressing room?"
"I don't think Ricky is an elephant in any room. I know he'll let me do my job to the best of my ability. I have a very good working relationship with Punter and I'm confident that if he continues to play as well as he has done for such a long time, I'm certain it can work."
Good answer Michael! It probably would have worked a treat if he had have been talking on radio but unfortunately we were all able to see his face as he was talking. He looked like a teenager who has just opened his Christmas present from Granny and says, "Gee Grandma, an eye patch, not quite what I had in mind when I asked for an iPad but this is every bit as good!" Elephant in the room? Perhaps not, but Ponting could turn out to be a hindrance rather than a help.
It conjures up images of the old Harry Enfield character of the know-it-all father in law, the interfering old man constantly offering unsolicited advice. There is nothing worse than having someone looking over your shoulder when you're trying to get on with your work and it has to be doubly frustrating when the guy looking on has done the job that you're trying to do with great aplomb.
Regular readers of this column will know that I'm a huge Ricky Ponting fan. The guy is an absolute class act. He comes in for heaps of good natured stick but either rises above it or takes the bait and confronts his accusers head on with his 'in-your-face' attitude. His rationale and logic is normally socks and pants (top drawer) but he sent out conflicting messages during the press conference when he stepped down.
After fighting his corner when confronted with the usual 'three Ashes series defeats as skipper' jibe he stated "Australia must do everything to win back the Ashes in 2013 and the World Cup in 2015. It's highly unlikely that I'll still be playing then, so it's right that the next captain is appointed now." If that's the case, if he is not going to be around when the main events that the Aussies are gearing up for come around why doesn't he just go and make a dignified clean break?
Nobody wants him to retire full-on, we're not expecting him to head down the day centre for a game of bingo and then onto the local at lunchtime for the OAP cut price fish and chips (liquidised 25 cents extra!)
He retired from Twenty20 in September 2009, perhaps it's time to re-think that decision and offer his services to the IPL. He could also help Tasmania defend the Sheffield Shield and he could return to the English game and use his wealth of experience to bring glory to Somerset. That's how you wind down to retirement, you don't stay in the team you used to lead.
If Ponting is still worthy of his place in the side then he is still worthy of the captaincy. This fudged decision is unlikely to work, particularly if Clarke removes a slip and puts him in the covers and Ponting says "You-don't-wanna-do-it-like-that!"
Ricky Ponting and Australia are back in one-day action on Saturday when a three match series gets under way against their hosts Bangladesh. The Aussies are 1.15 at
Betfair to win the series with Bangladesh at 11.0 and the drawn series [24]. Ponting is not finished yet and still has a lot to offer but not whilst wearing a baggy green!
