Published: Aug 08, 2015, 12:21 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 08, 2015, 12:21 PM (IST)
Ricky Ponting, the former Australia captain, has expressed his belief that eight Australia players from the current squad in the ongoing Ashes may not play after the series ends. Australia are facing a 3-1 slide after being bowled out for 60, conceding a lead of 330, and then stumbling to 241 for 7 at the end of Day 2 at Trent Bridge. Ponting was disappointed at the way the Australian openers got out after negotiating the testing period of the new ball in the second innings, handing the initiative to England, who took regular wickets thereafter to drive towards a seemingly inevitable Ashes win, probably by an innings. READ: Ben Stokes proves his bowling credentials with top-class five-wicket haul
“There could be up to eight guys who might not ever play Test cricket again in this touring squad. That’s a big number, half the squad,” he told ESPNcricinfo.
You think it would be hard for Haddin to get back in now, at his age. You could probably say the same thing about Watson at his age as well. I’d like to think so with him because I think he still has some good cricket ahead of him.”
After England declared their first innings closed at 391 for nine, Chris Rogers and David Warner, the two openers for Australia, struck a 113-run partnership before Ben Stokes and his counterparts took the opposition down. “The cold, hard facts are there. We got bowled out for 60, then England batted on the same pitch and got 391, so one, we didn’t obviously bat well, and two, we probably didn’t bowl well either. And now, here we are again, seven for 241, which actually should be the absolute best batting conditions for the whole game: Day Two of the Test match when the wickets are somewhere near their best so they just haven’t been good enough. READ: Ben Stokes’ 5-wicket haul resricts Australia to 241/7 at stumps on Day 2 of the Ashes 2015 Test at Trent Bridge
“I don’t care what they are going to say or who they are going to blame or whatever. I don’t know what the relationships are like inside the change rooms, but once you’re out on to the field, those things are going to be left behind anyway. And you’re going to have to do your best for the team and the best you can for your country, and they haven’t been good enough to do that over the last couple of weeks.” READ: Ashes 2015, 3rd Test at Edgbaston: Ricky Ponting terms axing of Brad Haddin as ‘mistake’
The fall of wickets were caused by the movement Stokes got on the wicket. “It did a little bit with the new ball, and then Stokes and those guys came on maybe 20 overs into the innings and the ball started swinging even more after that. Interesting how that worked out.”
“I think the moving ball brought our batsmen undone again. Rogers’ was a wide one swinging away, Clarke’s was a decent outswinger as well [but] maybe didn’t have to go as hard at as he did.”
England need three wickets to reclaim the Ashes with a series win at home, on the third day of the Test. Australia are still 90 runs away from making England bat again.
