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Ricky Ponting’s bravado at forward short leg
Ricky Ponting revealed that he “had a crazy moment.”
29 October 2014 • 5:41 PM
Talk about bravado! Ricky Ponting was placed at forward short-leg during the Sydney Test of 2003 against Zimbabwe. Tatenda Taibu was the batsman and Simon Katich was bowling his chinaman. Katich bowled a half-tracker and Taibu smashed it towards the leg-side. But, in a split second, Ponting had thrown the ball in the air and was celebrating with Katich. The cameras had actually turned towards mid-wicket and were late to realize that Ponting had taken a screamer. In his book At Close of Play, Ponting revealed that he “had a crazy moment.” Thus, he did not duck as he told himself that he had all the protective gear on him. The ball hit his arm, and then the chest. He got his hand around it and then completed the great catch. Though Ponting did write, “In truth, there was an element of fluke to this catch, so I can’t put it up with the best I’ve ever taken.” For us, it remains a classic catch!