Ponting survives axe, CA endorses him as skipper

MELBOURNE - Despite calls for his sack getting louder everyday, Ricky Ponting looks certain to survive the axe as his deputy Michael Clarke and Cricket Australia (CA) have endorsed him as the Australian skipper after he returns from injury.

CA’s chief executive James Sutherland also endorsed Ponting’s continuation as skipper upon return from his injury and quashed assumptions that a new captain would be appointed should the team lose the fifth and the final Ashes Test.

CA board unanimously endorsed a recommendation from the selection panel of Andrew Hilditch, Greg Chappell, David Boon and Jamie Cox, to appoint Clarke as captain for the Sydney Test in the absence of Ponting.

Ricky will undergo surgery to repair a broken left little finger in a bid to lead the side in the one-day World Cup in February.

“There’s no question of looking beyond the immediacy of this Test match and [Ponting's] return ahead of the World Cup, which we’ve obviously flagged as being incredibly important, which is why he’s being wrapped in cotton wool from now,” Sutherland was quoted as saying by The Age.

Clarke said that his appointment as the Australian captain for the final Ashes Test in Sydney is only a temporary arrangement as he can’t think of a Test side without Ponting.

“No, I’ve always said from day one Ricky Ponting is my leader, my captain, and I’m certain he’ll be back captaining ASAP. For me the focus is right now on this Test match, and doing as well as we possibly can to try and level the series, and I’m certain Punter will be back ASAP,” Clarke was quoted as saying by the daily.

Ponting also said that he had no intention of giving up the captaincy despite his record as the first skipper since 1890 to have lost the Ashes urn three times.

“I think I’ve got a lot to offer as a player and as the captain of the Australian team and I want to continue to do that. I want to play Test cricket post-World Cup as well, so that’s what’s in the future for me,” he said.