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Showing posts with label Ponting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ponting. Show all posts
Thursday, 11 July 2013
I'd love to keep playing - Ponting
Ricky Ponting has said he would love to continue his career after an unbeaten 169 for Surrey against Nottinghamshire in his last first-class match.
Ponting will make his final appearances in the Indian Premier League.
The 38-year-old Australian told BBC London 94.9: "I'd love to keep playing, it's in my blood. I'm a cricketer and someone that wants to keep competing.
"But I've got some other opportunities back in Australia outside of cricket that I've got to look after now."
The former Australia captain revealed he had not planned to end his career when he started his two-month stay at The Oval.
"I really had no intention of retiring when I signed for Surrey. I was thinking about playing another season back at home and seeing where that went," he said.
"But things have changed a little bit in life and I've got to do the right thing by my family. Those days (of playing) are almost over and I've got some other things to keep me occupied."
The second highest Test run scorer of all time reached a total of 24,157 career runs at the end of his last first-class innings, which earned his side a draw in a game which they had been in danger of losing.
He added: "I had no idea going into the game how many runs I needed for that sort of figure but I guess when you've been around as long as I have and played as many games as I have those sort of milestones are going to come along.
"It was a nice way to finish my first-class career though it would have been nice if it was in a winning team, but we probably didn't play well enough in the first couple of days to give ourselves a chance to win the game.
"We had to fight long and hard today and someone had to take the responsibility and bat through the whole innings, so it just happened to be my turn.
"That's what I've always prided myself on, standing up when the team needs you most and probably, frustratingly, for me it's what I couldn't do at the end of my international career."Since I've finished that and gone back to Tasmania I've played well there and then I came and had a short stint here and played reasonably well so it's been nice to be able to do it when it's mattered."
Every Nottinghamshire player shook Ponting's hand as he left the field at the close and he received a standing ovation from the spectators.
"It was the first time I've had an ovation walking off at The Oval to tell you the truth - normally I'm getting booed walking off here so it was nice," he said.
"There were a few members in today and a few of them probably realised that it was going to be my last day of first-class cricket and it didn't really hit home (for me) until I started walking up the stairs that it was all over.
"Out there in the middle I'm just wanting to bat and bat and bat and I'm not really thinking about anything else other than doing what I have to do for the team.
"I've really enjoyed the time here, they are a terrific bunch of blokes and it's nice to get a few runs for them."
AUDIO: Ponting century in last first-class game
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Ponting ton in first-class swansong
Ricky Ponting marked his final first-class innings with a century as Surrey battled for survival against Notts.
The former Australia captain reached three figures before lunch by dancing down the pitch to spinner Samit Patel and hitting his 14th four.
The 38-year-old batted sensibly in the afternoon, but hit 10 off a Graeme White to reach 142 not out at tea.
Ponting's innings came as his former Australian team-mates were fighting back against England in the first Test.
It was the second century in his short spell at Surrey after he hit 192 on his debut against Derbyshire and the 82nd first-class ton of his career.Although he will not make any more Championship appearances, with South Africa's JP Duminy set to replace him as overseas player, he will be playing one-day cricket for the county until the end of July.
Resuming on 41 not out, he lost partner Arun Harinath in the first over of the day, bowled behind his legs by Harry Gurney for 69, and two overs later Zander de Bruyn was run out.
When Steven Davies was bowled by Andre Adams, Surrey were 218-5 and just six runs ahead, but Ponting and Zafar Ansari shared an unbroken sixth-wicket partnership of 64 up to the lunch interval to give their side hope of avoiding defeat.
His efforts during the afternoon took Surrey to 356-8 - a lead of 144 with one session remaining.
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