Ponting to skip first Lanka ODI to attend grandmother’s funeral

MELBOURNE - Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has decided to skip Wednesday’s opening ODI against Sri Lanka at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to attend his grandmother’s funeral.

Ponting said that he would travel to his home town of Launceston in Tasmania for his grandmother’s funeral following her death last weekend.

“I will be flying out tomorrow morning to attend the funeral and then flying straight back to the ground tomorrow afternoon,” Fox Sports quoted Ponting, as saying.

“I wanted to be here yesterday (Monday) and today to maximize my time around the team and get my preparation right for the coming games,” he added.

Michael Clarke will lead the team in Ponting’s absence.

Australia and Sri Lanka are scheduled to play a three-match ODI series, before the first Ashes Test begins in Brisbane on November 25.

The team had lost their Test and ODI series against India last month before being beaten in Sunday’s one-off Twenty20 match against Sri Lanka. (ANI)