Ponting: The pressure is on SA
16 Feb 2009
Ricky Ponting believes the pressure of being favourites and the pursuit of the No 1 Test ranking could prove to be the Proteas’ downfall in the upcoming Test series.
Ponting was in a positive mood at a press conference in Sydney on Monday ahead of Australia’s departure for South Africa.
He claimed a victory in the three-match series would help establish a new, competitive identity for a team that has recently been hit by retirements and injuries.
“You wouldn’t have to be Einstein to work out that they’re going to be favourites,”said Ponting. “If we get off to a great start over there with them being favourites, and with a lot of expectation from their people and their crowds, then who knows – things could turn against them pretty quickly.
“There won’t be any added pressure on us, but maybe on South Africa. They’ve been striving for a long time to be recognised as being the No 1 Test team in the world, so maybe that will weigh on their minds more than ours.”
Ponting emphasised the importance of the Test series by claiming a series victory in South Africa would rank above anything he had previously achieved in his 128-Test career.
“I’m ultra excited about the challenge of playing against the No 2 ranked Test team in the world for three Tests on their soil,” said Ponting. “It’s the reason you play the game.
“I’ve been around a long time and played a lot of games but this will be as big a series for me as any I’ve played in. This would be a huge win for us, there’s no doubt about that.
“Coming back from the Ashes in 2005 having lost over there and steeling ourselves for the Ashes in Australia was one of the biggest moments in my career. This one is certainly going to rank up there alongside that. A series like this could certainly be the making of the team. If we go there and play well and happen to win the series, then everything that’s happened over the last few months will hopefully be forgotten about.”
22 Comments
16 Feb 2009, 10:26 am
Second placed Dragons.
16 Feb 2009, 10:28 am
Ricky, just admit that you’re a young team in transition. If you need a couple of “rent a quotes” ‘phone the management team at the Lions. They have them all imprinted in their memories for instant recall!
16 Feb 2009, 10:38 am
Hahahaha, Ricky, pour yourself some more custard and tell us another yarn!
Speaking of which, when’s YOUR *** tape being leaked? Please warn us…you probably spit, don’t you?
16 Feb 2009, 10:50 am
No Ricky.
The pressure is and will be on you guys. Dont bullsh*t yourself!
You have just suffered historic home soil defeat.
What the Proteas would want to do is to build on the foundation laid in Aus.
16 Feb 2009, 10:54 am
Jeez what a whinger. I’m convinced he’s trying to talk himself up.
16 Feb 2009, 10:55 am
Ricky
i guess the difference in the ashes scenario was that you were coming home, to your jaundiced press and yobbo fans.
you are leaving the shores where you are revered and protected and coming to darkest africa now pal.
buckle up, i see some turbulence in your future.
p.s. yes, we are favourites, because we just gave you an *** whipping in your own backyard. we are happy to take the tag. graemme wants another captains scalp.
16 Feb 2009, 11:28 am
Where was he in the T20 final yesterday?
Not captain, not playing.
Wazzup.
#6 rangerman:
Morning sexy.
16 Feb 2009, 11:37 am
ricky, talking bullshit did not help you in your own country and its reeally not going to help here. you are only making a bigger arse of yourself. you couldnt even beat the black craps convincingly.
16 Feb 2009, 11:42 am
#7 Dawn: morning dawnie, where ya been?
16 Feb 2009, 11:59 am
#9 rangerman:
Bery vizzy!!!
Between buildings, between computers, between everything!
No time to blog, drink, nor mess around.
16 Feb 2009, 12:04 pm
#10 Dawn: eish!
i am not too busy but must find some way of keeping busy before i go mad!
16 Feb 2009, 12:46 pm
Ponting, Its going to be a lot harder winning here than it used to be. Our youngsters especially in the team don’t fear the Aussies at all. Cant wait for the return series.
16 Feb 2009, 12:59 pm
Ricky Ponting…
Now what would happen if we insert an “r” after the 2nd letter of his surname?
No, rather not. Let’s not go there. Enuff controversy as it is with a certain former Bok No 9.
16 Feb 2009, 13:51 pm
Sa the number 2 ranked team my ***. Ricky it’s going to be a repeat of what happened last time around.
16 Feb 2009, 13:55 pm
I thought we are no1???
16 Feb 2009, 14:03 pm
We are no. 2 in tests and no. 1 in odis.
16 Feb 2009, 16:50 pm
#13 Sheriff: Or a “P” before the first letter of his nickname. Feel sorry for him, Aus is on its way down, selectors are panicking and ricky is only class act left (though Clarke is coming of age). Lee was never no 1 strike bowler and Jonston can forget about ever repeating the heroics of ten wick haul ever again against an establsihed test team (unless they manage to get Windies on damaged pitch before repairs). He is not in an enviable position.
17 Feb 2009, 02:29 am
Let’s not get carried away, people…there are still three Tests to play and Australia will never be an easy picking.
Yes, they’re in decline but they can still call on some very useful cricketers.
Yes, we won in Australia and given the two sides, we should again win at home, primarily because our batting matches theirs, our bowling is far superior.
That said, we need to retain our hunger and our humility.
We need to remember that we beat a waning Australia, way down from the rarified heights of previous teams of the past decade. That makes us a good side, not a great one. Let us never forget that.
We need to go out there and play good, aggressive and positive cricket, and we need local fans to come out in their tens of thousands to support the team each and every day, to ram it home that this is an away series for the Aus-mob.
As I see it, arrogance and cockiness is all that stands between an SA series win and a series defeat.
Be positive, be confident, never lose your humility and the series is yours.
Go Proteas.
17 Feb 2009, 03:31 am
Let’s hope they (the cricketers) heed a few lines mentioned above Joe…
17 Feb 2009, 04:51 am
Wow quite a strong response by my fellow countrymen. Ricky is saying all that he can say. Its going to be a big series. he is hopefuly his young team will do well, and there will be an element of pressure on the SA side which they have historically not been able to cope with. He is taking the underdog status whilst making it clear they will not roll over and die.
Hopefully we can give them a good kicking while they are down though. A 2-0 series win would be perfect.
17 Feb 2009, 09:43 am
Punter…jou ma se Porche.
25 Feb 2009, 10:29 am
Ponting is absolutely right.
Australia are not invincibles anymore, in fact, they are currently in disarray (typical transition woes) and God knows when they will be the most feared team again. Contrary, South Africa are ascending and can dominate the world. So it’s basically inexperienced lion cubs (offsprings of The Great Ones) against strong pack of wolves.
If Proteas win – it’s a expected glory, if Proteas fail (at home!) – utter disaster. So pressure is pretty much on hosts.
Should be interesting series.
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