Top guns Smith and Ponting square up

By Shahid Hashmi

BASSETERRE – Ricky Ponting and Graeme Smith have more than one thing in common at the World Cup.

They are not only aggressive batsmen and captains, but also lead from the front.

Today, both men will be in the thick of things as defending champions Australia lock horns with their bitter and closest Group A rivals South Africa, who displaced them as world number one last month.

Ponting took just one game to remind bowlers that they would struggle to get his wicket, hammering a century against Scotland here to give his team a flying start to their dream of achieving a hat-trick of World Cup titles.

The 32-year-old Ponting is six years older than his South African counterpart, but it hasn‘t affected his team‘s lofty standards.

He‘s been here before. At the 2003 World Cup, held in South Africa, he lost Shane Warne to a doping ban on the eve of their first match and then ace paceman Jason Gillespie once the tournament had got under way.

It was a tribute to Ponting‘s leadership qualities that his team remained undefeated and he himself played a key role in the final, smashing a belligerent century against India to help Australia to a second successive title.

Ponting was a let-down when Australia lost the Ashes to England two years ago, but since then his form has been phenomenal.

Former Australian captain Bob Simpson said Ponting‘s 12-month batting exploits, with the Ashes safely regained, was comparable to Sir Donald Bradman.

“The demands of captaincy and the strain that it imposes have seen the decline of many a fine batsman, but not Ponting,” said Simpson.

“Smith, who has had a dreadful run in Tests against Australia, both in Australia and at home, suffered.”

Ponting refused to be drawn into criticisms of his opposite number. “I don‘t comment on captains. It‘s something I always get asked – how does Graeme Smith go as a captain? He‘s a very good player and he was thrust into the leadership role at a pretty young age.

“I think he‘s grown into the role and probably learnt a lot of lessons from his tour to Australia 12 to 15 months ago.

“He‘s a good competitor, that‘s for sure.”

Smith was not in the best of form in the lead-up to the World Cup.

But he hit 67 and 91 against Scotland and the Netherlands respectively and now awaits the Australian bowling attack who, as is their tradition, target the skipper.

The last 18 months have seen South Africa achieving good results, and Smith‘s leadership role has played its part.

Former school pal, Ryan Watson of Scotland, found Smith in good stead.

“He looks to be in good form and happier with himself.

“He looks a lot more mature and comfortable in the role.

“He comes hard at the bowlers and he is likely to be a crucial factor in this World Cup,” said Watson.

Both Ponting and Smith – who was promoted to the captaincy after the last World Cup in 2003, at the age of 23 – are adept at man management.

While Ponting has defied calls from old campaigner Glenn McGrath to be given the new ball, Smith has tackled his predecessor Shaun Pollock in the best possible manner and has brought out the best in him.

The aggression Smith has infused in his team led them to achieve the highest run-chase of 434 at Johannesburg in March last year against the Australians.

Today‘s clash will not only be a tussle between two seasoned and proud teams, but will also be a test of who is the better general of his army.