Ponting takes rookies on a spiritual journey at Lords
By ANIThursday, July 16, 2009
LONDON - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting became a tour guide for his rookie team at Lords on Wednesday.
Ponting, on his fourth Ashes tour, didn’t have to wear one of the green blazers of officials who guide visitors around the game’s spiritual home.
He took pacer Peter Siddle and spinner Nathan Hauritz, on their first visit to the home of cricket.
“It was their first time at the ground today … I had to show Sids the way out on to the ground. He didn’t know where he was going, he was walking around down the bottom there getting lost,” the Daily Telegraph quoted Ponting, as saying.
“I said ‘Out through that door, mate, through that Long Room there.’ He found his way to the nets.”
Australia boast of an imposing record at Lord’s, only losing here once in the last century _ and that was in 1934.
Ponting, who carries a scar on his right cheek after being hit by Steve Harmison at Lord’s in 2005, said his team was inspired by the history of the place.
“The history that comes with this ground and the very proud record that Australia have had here for so long makes you feel good about the place when you arrive,” he said.
“The guys in the team meeting were talking about our record here and how much everyone has been looking forward to playing here and what it means to a lot of our younger guys.
Whenever you play at these sort of venues around the world, you just feel better when you arrive,” he added.
Siddle, 24, will fulfil a childhood dream when he walks through the Long Room and charges out on to the ground when the second Test starts tonight.
“Growing up, there were two Tests I wanted to play in,” Siddle said.
“As a Victorian, it was always the MCG on the Boxing Day Test and I got that opportunity last year. The other one was an Ashes series playing at Lord’s. To get to fulfil them at such an early age is a great honour and it’s just amazing history and the tradition of playing ere. It’s going to be an amazing feeling running out on the first day,” he added. (ANI)
