Ponting backs under-pressure Hussey to come good in Ashes

SYDNEY - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has backed under-pressure batsman Mike Hussey to regain form for the Ashes starting on November 25 in Brisbane, and also endorsed him to stay with the one-day side, despite making a golden duck and three in Western Australia’s Sheffield Shield match at Adelaide Oval

Ponting, who will miss Wednesday’s first one-day international against Sri Lanka at the MCG to attend his grandmother’s funeral, does not think that more state cricket would benefit the middle-order batsman.

“I haven’t looked that closely at it, if he’s missing any state cricket while he’s around here with this team. There’s probably a debate around that, at the end of the day all the players want to be playing as many games for Australia as they possibly can,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

“It’s important then that you maximise your training time and the time you get in the middle, to make sure your game is where it needs to be,” he added.

Ponting believes that Hussey would regain his form ahead of the Ashes, but the middle-order batsman is under mounting pressure to retain his Test spot.

“Unfortunately for him he missed out twice, but I’ve had a good chat to him today, he’s very clear in his own mind about what he needs to do and he feels he’s on the right track,” Ponting stated.

“His preparation has been good for every game that he’s played - class players like him generally find a way to get it done and I’m sure that over the next few one-day games against Sri Lanka, you’ll see him score some runs,” he added. (ANI)