Ponting joins list of great batsmen

Australian Ricky Ponting has edged out West Indies captain Brian Charles Lara for the top Test aggregate batting honours for 2003 and joined the elite group of great batsmen who dominated their eras.

The Aussie vice-captain recently registered his career best individual Test score —- a masterful 257 in the First Innings of the Third Test against the Indians at the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground. And he ended his best year in international cricket on a triumphant note when he sparked Steve Waugh’s world champions to a commanding nine-wicket victory, which levelled the four-match series 1-1. Fittingly, the 30,000-odd people who witnessed the final rites of the historic victory at the MCG and who were present to pay tribute to Test cricket’s most successful captain Steve Waugh, will always remember Ponting’s winning boundary which set off wild celebrations among the MCG faithfuls. Their pride was restored and the stage was set for an absorbing contest in the Fourth and final Test at Perth, which ushered in the 2004 Test calendar year last Friday.

 Ponting finished the second innings with an unbeaten on 31 and together with the robustly-built Matthew Hayden who blasted an undefeated half-century, walked off to a rousing reception from their jubilant supporters. He copped the “Man of the Match” award and with his new career best of 257 and 23 not out, the right-handed strokemaker took his overall annual aggregate to 1503 runs, which is now the second best in the all-time records.

Only West Indian world record holder Sir Viv Richards, with an imposing tally 1,710 runs (average 90.00) scored in 1976, have scored more than Ponting in a calendar year. With his third double century for the year, Ponting overhauled Lara who led the aggregate table going into the Boxing Day Tests at the MCG and Kingsmead Gound respectively. Lara had 1261 runs before the Test started and with scores of 72 and 11, took his overall tally to 1,344 runs. But Ponting’s magnificent match-winning double, his third for the year, the 29-year-old Tasmanian leaped ahead of  Lara’s overall 2003-calendar tally. Ponting chalked up his sixth century, including three “doubles” for the year, and carried his overall aggregate to a new Australian record of 1503 runs for an imposing Bradmanesque average of 100.20.

 Ponting entered his name indelibly in the records once again by scoring three double centuries this year after getting his first double (206) against West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port-of-Spain during the Aussies victorious trip to the Caribbean. And only one week ago he was heralded with his majestic 242 against the Indians at the Adelaide Oval. To show his class and greatness, Ponting bettered that performance and equalled Bradman’s 1930 world record feat of three double centuries in one year. The difference is that the immortal Bradman, regarded as the greatest player to have played the game, registered memorable knocks of 254 at Lord’s, 334 at Headingley and 232 at The Oval.

Ponting’s new career best of 257 will be immortalised because of its historic significance and restoration of Australian pride, after India had taken the series lead with an historic four-wicket victory at Adelaide the previous week. He, however, shared the year’s batting honours with his redoubtable teammate Matthew Hayden who wrested away Lara’s former cherished individual Test highest of 375. The pugnacious left-hander with a superlative 380 scored in the First Test against Zimbabwe at the WACA ground, Perth two months ago became the world’s new record holder. And he entered his name in the aggregate record books with his third consecutive annual 1,000 runs or more when he finished third overall with 1312 runs (77.17).

South Africa’s captain also shared the spotlight with two magnificent double centuries against England. The 22-year-old left-hander scored 277 in the First Test at Birmingham and followed it up with a new record score of 259 at the famous Lord’s. Those were back-to-back “doubles” and he became the youngest captain to achieve those phenomenal feats. And with his Test century against West Indies (First Test) at Johannesburg, the new South African captain completed the year with South Africa’s new overall aggregate record of 1,198 runs (63.05). His teammate Herschelle Gibbs also enjoyed a very productive year, which started in a blaze of glory with the first of fourteen double centuries for the year. Gibbs notched his career best 228 in the Second Test against Pakistan at Cape Town and ended the 2003 aggregate with 1156 runs, which included another brilliant tonne, 132 versus West Indies at Kingsmead.

England’s new captain Michael Vaughan, who topped last year’s aggregate with 1481 runs (six centuries) and  scored the first century of 2003 season — 183 versus Australia at Perth, ended up in eighth spot with 958 (three centuries). Pride of place went to India’s reliable Rahul Dravid who scored two memorable double centuries and topped the year’s overall averages with 100.37, fractionally ahead of Ponting (100.20). India played only five Test matches for the year and Dravid placed 12th overall on the aggregate list with 803 runs.