page_title: Ricky Ponting
section_title: Ashes regained and 10,000 ODI runs at 2007 World Cup
hierarchical_section_title: Ricky Ponting / 2004–2008: Appointment as Test captain / Ashes regained and 10,000 ODI runs at 2007 World Cup
caption_attribution_description: Taken by me at the WACA in Perth the day that Australia regained the Ashes. Celebration.
context_page_description: Ricky Thomas Ponting AO is an Australian cricket coach, commentator, and former cricketer. He is considered the most successful captain in international cricket history, with 220 victories in 324 matches with a winning ratio of 67.91%. Ponting was captain of the Australian national team during its 'golden era'; between 2004 and 2011 in Tests and 2002 and 2011 in One Day Internationals. He is a specialist right-handed batsman, an excellent slip / close catching fielder, as well as a very occasional bowler. He was named "Cricketer of the Decade 2000".
  He represented the Tasmanian Tigers in Australian domestic cricket, the Hobart Hurricanes in Australia's domestic T20 competition the Big Bash League, and played in the Indian Premier League with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008. He is widely considered to be one of the best batsmen of the modern era, alongside Sachin Tendulkar of India and Brian Lara of the West Indies. On 1 December 2006, he reached the highest rating achieved by a Test batsman for 50 years, though this was surpassed by Steve Smith in December 2017. He stands second in the List of cricketers by number of international centuries scored behind Sachin Tendulkar.
context_section_description: In November 2006, the England cricket team again took on Australia in the first Test of a five Test series that was widely expected to be a tremendous contest between Australia, the top team on the world cricket rankings, and the England team, whose aggregated results over the last few years had it standing second in the rankings. Despite Australia this time having the advantage of playing on its own soil, the England team that had wrested the Ashes from the Australians was expected to be highly competitive.
  In the First Test in Brisbane, Ponting top-scored in Australia's first innings with 196 runs, and he followed this up with 60 not out in the second as Australia took the initiative with a commanding win. In the Second Test in Adelaide, Ponting top-scored with 142, helping Australia to a total of 513 in response to England's 6/551. Australia went on to win the match by six wickets after a last day English collapse, Ponting making 49 in the chase. At the conclusion of the match, Ponting's batting average peaked at 59.99. The Third Test played at the WACA Ground saw another win to Australia by 206 runs to reclaim the Ashes; Ponting made 2 and 75. The 15 months they had been in English hands was the shortest period either nation had held the urn. Further wins in Melbourne and Sydney, made Ponting's team the second team (after Warwick Armstrong's Australian team in 1920–21) to win an Ashes series 5–0, and that against what had been thought to be a formidable team, the second strongest cricketing team in the world. Ponting was awarded Man of the Series for the 2006–07 Ashes series after scoring 576 runs at an average of 82.29 including 2 centuries and 2 half centuries. For his performances in 2006, he was named in the World Test XI by ICC.
  Australia then started the ODI series well, qualifying in first place for the final. However, they stumbled and lost 2–0 to England in the finals. Ponting was then rested for the Chappell–Hadlee Trophy ahead of the World Cup, and in his absence, the Australians were whitewashed 3–0, leading to suggestions that his team had slumped just ahead of the most important ODI tournament in world cricket.
  Australia left for St Vincent, Australia's venue for its two warm-up matches against Zimbabwe and England on 28 February without Brett Lee because of ankle damage. In the first warmup game against Zimbabwe, Ponting scored just 2 in Australia's 106 run victory. In Australia's second and last warm up game, this time against England, Ponting again failed to make an impact, scoring just 7 before he was bowled by off-spinner Jamie Dalrymple.
  Australia started its World Cup campaign with three group matches played at Warner Park, St Kitts. Ponting himself began successfully with an innings of 113 from 93 deliveries that included five sixes, as Australia were dominant in 203-run victory against Scotland. Despite scoring just 23 in the next match against the Netherlands, Australia still amassed 358 and proceeded to win by 229 runs. In their next match against South Africa, Australia amassed 377/6—their highest score in World Cups. Ponting also scored 91 from 91 balls, and became the seventh player to score 10,000 ODI runs. Despite South Africa being 160 without loss in the 21st over, they crumbled, losing 9 wickets for just 74 runs.
  Australia comfortably qualified for the Super Eights with their first match played at the new Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua. Ponting stated that he was not very impressed with the outfield labelling it "ridiculously sandy".
  The Australian captain was run out when on 35, with his team amassing 322 mainly thanks to 158 from Hayden. In a match spread out over two days, Australia comfortably defeated the home side by 103 runs. In their next match, Australia come up against lowly Bangladesh in another rain interrupted affair. This time the match was shortened to 22 overs a side. In the end Australia won by 10 wickets with Ponting not getting a chance to bat. In their next match against England, again in Antigua, Ponting scored a half-century, guiding Australia to a seven-
caption: The Australian cricket team with a replica of The Ashes urn
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