Date:07/01/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/01/07/stories/2008010767221900.htm

Sport - Cricket

Clarke’s got the golden touch, says Ponting

Sydney: Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, said the final “30 or 40 minutes of play” on Sunday “was about gambling, about rolling the dice.”

Said Ponting, “Michael Clarke’s got the golden touch. He actually said to me when I gave him the ball ‘I think I’ve got about just enough time to win us the game here.’ He’s always had a fair bit of confidence in himself.”

Ponting hailed his team’s effort in winning its 16th consecutive Test — “especially after being behind on the first innings.” He said the game had been played in the right spirit barring once instance (the charge against Harbhajan Singh).

Asked why he had appealed (against Dhoni) despite grounding the ball running from silly-point, Ponting said, “Are you questioning my integrity? There’s no way I grounded that ball. Did that (the incident where he asked Dravid to continue, saying the ball hadn’t carried) not tell you how I play the game?”— Special Correspondent