London, July 14 (Inditop.com) Former England coach Duncan Fletcher has blasted Ricky Ponting for doubting the integrity of Andrew Strauss in the drawn Test at Cardiff, saying the Australian captain himself violated the spirit of cricket during the 2005 Ashes series.
He said England captain Strauss would have been amused at Ponting’s criticism of England’s time-wasting tactics, sending a physiotherapist out with gloves in the tense final minutes.
“We’re left with the ridiculous situation of being told off by an Australian captain for transgressing cricket’s spirit – a notion he seems to only vaguely understand himself,” Fletcher wrote in his column in the Guardian Tuesday.
“If any side in the world doesn’t play within the spirit of the game, it’s Ponting’s Australians.
“Yet here he is sitting in judgment on England because he’s frustrated that his bowlers failed to complete the job. Ponting getting frustrated – does that remind you of anything?”
Fletcher, abused by Ponting in the 2005 Ashes series for the use of substitute fieldsman Gary Pratt, said England would have been delighted to get under Ponting’s skin in the first Test.
“Ponting has to be careful. Someone needs to sit down and ask him what he understands by the spirit of the game. The way he plays is definitely not in the spirit,” said Fletcher, who was England coach during their Ashes victory in 2005.
Ponting let fly with a furious outburst at Fletcher in 2005 when he was run out by England substitute fielder Pratt during Australia’s fourth Test loss at Trent Bridge. Fletcher said Ponting’s frustration was starting to overflow as it did back then.
“Can the Australians really argue that England’s tactics are worse than the way Ponting places pressure on the umpires and makes them look bad in front of a huge crowd and TV audience?” Fletcher said.
“England will be delighted they left Cardiff with a draw – and no doubt amused they head for Lord’s with a lecture about the spirit of the game from Ricky Ponting, of all people, still ringing in their ears.”
rounak