As emotional as anyone has ever seen him, Ricky Ponting lost his
customary composure when telling team-mates of his decision to retire
from international cricket on the eve of the third Test against South
Africa in Perth.
For so long the stony-faced embodiment of Australian cricket, Ponting
and other members of the squad wept as they came to terms with the fact a
Test career that began at the WACA ground in 1995 would end at the same
ground 17 years later. "I tried to tell them a lot, but I didn't get
much out," Ponting said. "As I said to the boys this morning, they've
never seen me emotional, but I was this morning."
If the decision drew a previously unseen well of feeling from within
Ponting, its reasons were coldly logical and team-oriented. After
failing twice with the bat in Adelaide and thrice in this series, having
given himself the best possible lead-in via domestic cricket Ponting
concluded that he was no longer good enough to perform at the level he
preferred. For so long Ponting's watchword had been consistency - now he
spoke ruefully of "consistent failure".
Other considerations included choosing the best circumstances in which
to allow his successor in the batting order to get started, a question
Ponting had also pondered when handing over the captaincy to Clarke in
2011. As befitted a man whose proudest career achievement is to have
played in more Test wins than any other cricketer, Ponting was also keen
for the announcement to inspire, not overshadow, Australia's tilt at
the world No. 1 ranking in this match.
"It's a decision I thought long and hard about, put in long
consideration about the decision, at the end of the day it was about my
results and my output in this series so far," Ponting said. "It hasn't
been to the level required for batsmen and players in the Australian
team. My level of performance hasn't been good enough.
"I want to be a consistent performer, and if you look back over the last
12 or 18 months I haven't been able to perform consistently. I've had
moments of really good stuff, and prolonged moments of cricket that's
been below my expectations and below a par level for me, so there hasn't
been one dismissal or one moment, it's just been in my own eyes
reasonably consistent failure. That's why I believe the time is right
now to be making this decision."
Following a poor start to the Test series with low scores in Brisbane
and Adelaide, Ponting said he was troubled by the "tentative" manner of
his dismissals. In Adelaide he was bowled twice in the same match for
only the second time in a career that began in 1995.
That double was the catalyst for a typically frank interview with his
first Test captain Mark Taylor on Channel Nine on the fourth morning in
Adelaide, in which Ponting said he was soon to be discussing his future
with the selectors. Discussions about retirement commenced during the
Test, though Ponting said he always retained the support of the
selectors, and made the call himself.
"I believe so, there's been all sorts of things in the papers the last
couple of days and I know certainly with my captain and my coach I
couldn't have had any more support from those guys," Ponting said.
"They've been the ones who've been most verbal about their support.
"This is not a decision that's been made by the selectors, this a
decision that's been made by me, and I'd like to thank all those guys
for the support they've given me over the last 12 months. There were
probably moments when they thought long and hard about ending my career
and I'm glad I've got the opportunity to finish this way and on my
terms."
The effect of Ponting's retirement was writ large across the red eyes of
the captain, Michael Clarke. In summing up the few days leading up to
the announcement, Clarke became so teary that he recalled the welling up
of emotion that accompanied Kim Hughes' exit as captain in 1984. While
the reasons were entirely different, the feeling was equally strong -
Clarke could not answer another question about his team-mate, friend and
predecessor as captain.
"I didn't have a feeling it was coming," Clarke said. "Ricky spoke to me
after the Adelaide Test match and made his decision I guess over the
last few days. The boys are obviously hurting at the moment. He's been
an amazing player for a long time. [Deep breath and starts to tear up]…
and that'll do me for today. Sorry, I can't answer that."
Ponting will play out the domestic season for Tasmania and the Hobart
Hurricanes in the BBL. He does not yet know what will be ahead of him
beyond the summer, but gestured towards his wife Rianna and children
when queried about what the future held.
"I've got a few months of cricket yet, which I am really looking forward
to. I really enjoyed the start of this season playing cricket with
Tasmania and back with some of my mates - really I place I haven't spent
a lot of time for near on the last 20 years. So I'll enjoy that for
what it is, but this is my new team here," Ponting said, pointing to his
family.
As for the question of his contribution to cricket, Ponting had a simple
and affecting answer. While delivering it he came close to tears again,
those his team-mates had shared a few hours before.
"I know I've given cricket my all," Ponting said. "It's been life for 20 years. Not much more I can give."
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