Ponting backs battling Brett Lee’s return to Test arena

October 30th, 2009 more images more imagesMELBOURNE - Australian fast bowling spearhead Brett Lee, suffering an elbow injury, has been ruled out for the remainder of the one-day series against India and will be flying back to home for treatment, Cricket Australia (CA) said Friday. Lee was unable to complete his 10-over spell during the first ODI in Baroda and was not available for selection in subsequent matches in Nagpur and Delhi.

October 30th, 2009 more images more imagesSYDNEY - To regain lost glory by winning back the Ashes, Cricket Australia selectors should select Ricky Ponting along with entire New South Wales team, according to leading Australian daily. The New South Wales team has proved themselves as the dominant provincial side in the world, let alone Australia, so the selectors might pick the Test side with 10 players from Blues plus captain Ricky Ponting, who lives in Sydney.

October 30th, 2009 more images more imagesNEW DELHI - Ahead of Saturday's third ODI against India, Australia skipper Ricky Ponting on Friday accused the groundsmen at Ferozshah stadium of hampering their morning practice session by watering the pitch. "I was disappointed when I had a look at the practice wicket which was watered this morning.

September 7th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting announced Monday that he will retire from international Twenty20 matches. Ponting will remain captain of the Australian Test and one-day sides but will step away from the international Twenty20 matches in an effort to prolong his playing career.

August 20th, 2009 SURREY - Australia vice-captain Michael Clarke has warned England that they should fear the Australian captain Ricky Ponting as he plays the fifth and final Ashes Test match at The Oval that will determine his legacy. "You see Punter in World Cup finals or huge matches and he always stands up,'" The Daily Telegraph quoted Clarke, as saying.

August 8th, 2009 EDGBASTON - Australian captain Ricky Ponting has vowed to deal with the issue of deepening differences among several Australian players over selection matters. With every spot in the in the Ashes team being so keenly contested by players, including Brett Lee, Shane Watson and Stuart Clark, there was bound to be some unhappiness over selections and Ponting has conceded that he needs to deal with the issue.

August 7th, 2009 LEEDS - Australian captain Ricky Ponting still appears wary about calling on Brett Lee, his most experienced bowler, to do duty against England in the fourth Ashes Test, which begins here today. "As we know it's not just one day of bowling.

August 4th, 2009 BIRMINGHAM - Australian skipper Ricky Ponting claims injured spearhead Brett Lee may be bowling at "100 percent" in the next couple of days as he makes a bid for Ashes selection for Friday's fourth Test at Headingley. "The way things are coming along I'd expect him to be able to bowl 100 percent over the next couple of days.

July 14th, 2009 MELBOURNE - Australian captain Ricky Ponting insists pace bowler Peter Siddle will be even more threatening at Lord's in the second cricket Test against England starting Thursday. A fired-up Siddle bowled his heart out in drawn first Test in Cardiff and struck scared tailender Graeme Swann on the body three times in four balls in a pace onslaught.

July 8th, 2009 LONDON - Australian captain Ricky Ponting has asked his inexperienced squad to create its own Ashes legend following the upheaval of several retirements and injuries to senior men, including Brett Lee. Ponting's Australians have been preparing for the Ashes series for the last six months, during which they have rebuilt their team after seasoned players -Mathew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Warne, Damien Martin and Glenn McGrath- retired from international cricket.

July 7th, 2009 LONDON - Shane Warne feels that Brett Lee's absence from the first Ashes Test is a huge setback for Australia. Lee has been ruled out of the opening match against England, starting in Cardiff Wednesday.

July 7th, 2009 LONDON - In the absence of an injured Brett Lee, Australian captain Ricky Ponting has asked his inexperienced fast bowlers to become Ashes heroes. Australia's Ashes defence campaign suffered a major blow as Lee, making a comeback from an ankle injury, was ruled out of the first Test at Cardiff starting Wednesday after he pulled an abdominal muscle.

June 30th, 2009 WORCESTER - Australian captain Ricky Ponting appears to be quite desperate to get as much information about the pitch at Cardiff, the venue for the first Ashes Test against England, that he is preparing to send a spy to unravel the confusion surrounding the controversial Sophia Gardens pitch. Reports about how the new strip will play in the first Test, beginning Wednesday week, have been so contradictory that Ponting is desperate for more information.

June 24th, 2009 LONDON - Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has said that he is prepared to call up a batting replacement to the Ashes squad because of Shane Watson's knee injury. The injury-hit all rounder was ruled out of the four-day tour match starting on Wednesday against Sussex in Hove after undergoing scans on his knee on Tuesday.

June 8th, 2009 SYDNEY - Australians remain satisfied with Brett Lee's progress since returning from a foot and ankle surgery, despite getting a good thrashing from Chris Gayle. Few bowlers could have withstood the West Indies captain's assault, but Gayle did query Ricky Ponting's decision to persevere with Lee after his first two overs yielded an ominous 24 runs.