Dejected Ponting looks to end on winning note
Australian skipper Ricky Ponting has accepted that his team was outplayed in the ongoing series in South Africa. However, he hopes that his boys can put in a collective effort in the final one day international and end, a lost series, on a winning note.
After beating Australia 2-1 in the Test series, South Africa defeated the visitors 3-1 in the five-match ODI series. This means that Australia now moves to third place in the ICC ODI rankings as India close in to claim its vacant second position, behind leaders South Africa.
After winning the first ODI, Australia lost three consecutive games to the hosts, the most recent one being Monday’s defeat by 61 runs. Herschelle Gibbs’ century and Dale Steyn’s four-wicket haul helped the Proteas wrap up the series, with one match still to be played.
"We weren't able to do well this time, and the South Africans outplayed us in the last three games in all facets of the game, so they deserve to be where they are," Ponting said on Monday.
Australia will play the final ODI on Friday, before it heads to United Arab Emirates to take on Pakistan in another limited overs series.
"We'd like to finish the tour on a high, so hopefully there'll be a bit of character in the team when the guys pitch up on Friday."
In Monday’s do-or-die encounter, Ponting won the toss and elected to field, a decision he was made to late regret after some exuberant batting by South African opener Herschelle Gibbs (110) and middle-order batsman AB de Villiers (84) propelled the home team to a winning total of 317.
"Herschelle obviously played beautifully, he played a sensational innings. I thought de Villiers was also outstanding. We needed someone at the top to go on and make a big hundred, but we didn't really have that," said Ponting.
Smith wants players to stay grounded
In the meanwhile, Proteas skipper Graeme Smith is excited about the talent and all-round commitment being displayed by his players.
Apart from the experienced players, newcomers such as Roelof van der Merwe and Wayne Parnell have made their presence felt with some good contributions in the ongoing series.
"There are some really exciting players coming through," said the Proteas skipper, "Everyone's contributing with bat and ball. There's a really good energy in the squad. We just need to keep our feet on the ground and take one step at a time.”
“We'll look to finish the series on a high note at the Wanderers and if we do make it 4-1, then it will really make a top-standard series for us."
The venue for the Friday’s fifth and final ODI will be the Wanderers at Johannesburg, the venue where South Africa successfully chased down Australia’s mammoth total of 434 two years ago.