Punter can’t keep gambling on costly hook: Roebuck

SYDNEY - Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting would need to be mindful of not repeating his weakness for impulsively hooking the short ball when he squares up against England in the Ashes series that begins from November 25, says columnist Peter Roebuck.

According to Roebuck, Ponting is a gritty customer and loves it when he is challenged on the field, but cautions that his wayward batting performance against New South Wales while playing for Tasmania, is a pointer as what he needs to avoid.

Ponting, Roebuck says in an article for the Sydney Morning Herald, has been in the habit of defining the contest, and in seven days hence, it might fall to him to set the tone for a day, a match, a series.

Roebuck says that in his last innings before the Ashes, Ponting needed to set an example, but failed to do so, as the pace bowlers of New South Wales had his number.

New South Wales did not spare him. Doug Bollinger sent down a lifter and the first drop responded by cracking it over square leg. Another bumper flew higher and faster, and in the nick of time the batsman abandoned his hook. England is, according to Roebuck, going to try the same tactic.

“Everyone is going to try it because it keeps working,” he says.

Apart from Bollinger, Trent Copeland, Shane Watson and Scott Coyte worked him over. It was Watson, who eventually snared him with a short one that allowed the ball to drop unerringly into the lap of deep fine leg. NSW celebrated.

The best batsman to emerge from Tasmania, and one of the greatest Australia has produced, had fallen into an obvious trap. Again. (ANI)