Ricky Ponting can play some magnificent cricket when he is on song but his recent form has him under pressure to retire (or should I say: 'be sacked'). Ponting has played 150 tests for Australia and has captained the Australian cricket team since 2004. As a professional you are expected to play and represent your country well. In my opinion the 36 year old has outstayed his visit, a bit like Alan Harper in the TV show Two and a Half Men. His playing ability and decision making has deteriorated over the years and is now at an all time low. So far in this Ashes series Ponting has played poorly and as a result has allowed England to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
His consistently low scores have caused other players to do all the work and make up for his lackluster cricket. I'm afraid that his 'solid' scores have rubbed off onto other players. I think that players such as Michael Clarke watch there captain fail and as a result think that it is alright to do the same.
I think that Australian cricket has endured a downward spiral since players such as Shane Warne, Justin Langer, Adam Gilchrist and Mathew Hayden retired. The Australian selectors just can't find the right players for the job. There are lots of domestic players in Australia who play well against other teams but when it comes to playing for their nation they can't perform.
Australian cricket needs to slowly rebuild and hope that one day the Australian cricket team can return to being a powerhouse of international cricket.
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