Ponting steps down as Australia captain

SYDNEY – Ricky Ponting stood down Tuesday as Australia cricket captain, ending a nine-year career that made him one of the country’s most successful skippers, but was marred recently by humiliating team performances at the World Cup and in the Ashes.

Ponting, 36, told a packed news conference in Sydney his resignation as test and one-day international captain was effective immediately, but that he wanted to be considered for selection as a batsman.’I think it’s the right time,’ he said. ‘Getting through the Ashes series the way that we did and the World Cup now over, I wanted to make sure I gave the next captain every opportunity I possibly could to make sure he had as much experience going forward into the next couple of events we’ll play.’He endorsed Michael Clarke as his successor as captain.Australia’s World Cup quarterfinal loss to India last week – the defending champions’ worst result at the competition in two decades – followed a 1-3 loss to England in the Ashes series that ended earlier this year.The losses added pressure to Ponting’s leadership and prompted Cricket Australia to announce a comprehensive review of all aspects of the team.’The fact that we went out of the World Cup when we did was the main reason for it,’ Ponting said. ‘I have had no tap on the shoulder from anybody. This is a decision that has been wholly and solely made by me and people close to me.’Ponting is Australia’s most successful captain on paper. Australia won 48 of the 77 tests Ponting led as captain – including a record-equalling run of 16 consecutive victories between December 2005 and January 2008. Australia also won 163 of 227 ODI’s under Ponting.Ponting has won three World Cups, two as captain when Australia didn’t lose a match, and a Champions Trophy. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard paid Ponting one of the highest tributes in the Aussie vernacular Tuesday, describing the resigning Australia cricket captain as ‘a great bloke’.’He’s our greatest batsman after (Don) Bradman … I think all of us would wish him well in whatever he chooses to do for the balance of his life,’ she said. – Nampa-AP

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