Ricky Ponting to lead Prime Minister’s XI against West Indies – Cricket News Update
Struggling Australian middle-order batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 cricket team in Canberra, in January next year.
The veteran middle order batsman joins the likes of http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Stephen-Rodger-Waugh-c91216 to skipper the Prime Minister’s XI.
While speaking to media reporters after his appointment at the helm of a young PM's XI squad, the former Australian skipper said that it was an honour for him.
"It is a big honour for me to be selected as captain of the Prime Minister's XI," said Ponting in a statement. "It will be an exciting team of emerging cricketers and I'm looking forward to leading them against the West Indies on January 29," he added further.
The former Australian captain, who turns 38 next month, has so far failed to impress in the ongoing three-match Test series against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, scoring 0, 4 and 16 in the last three innings during draws in Brisbane and Adelaide.
Despite enduring an unimpressive run in the last two fixtures, Ponting was named in the squad for the series decider against the Proteas, which gets underway at the WACA Ground in Perth, on Friday, November 30, 2012.
Meanwhile, the Cricket http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Tasmania-c854 batsman, who is desperately searching for runs to save his Test career, or at least finish it on a high.
"We unanimously back Ricky Ponting to get us some runs. By his own admission Perth is a big test for him, but http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Mickey-Arthur-c1969 said on Tuesday.
"He'll leave no stone unturned in his preparation for Perth and I'm backing him for a big score in Perth, no doubt about that," he added further.
Ponting’s appointment as PM XI’s skipper also suggests that the under pressure middle order batsman still has a career at the highest level.
The men from Caribbean are scheduled to tour Down Under in late January and February next year to play five One Day Internationals against the hosts. The practice match between the West Indies and Australia’s Prime Minister’s XI will be played on January 29 at Canberra's Manuka Oval. The annual one-day fixture will be played under light for the first time in history.
The rest of the team for the tour game will be named at a later date, in January next year. The National Selection Panel will pick up the squad with the help of Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
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