Ponting prepares for World Cup “casualties”

Ponting, 36, confirmed in his column in The Australian newspaper Saturday that he has played in his last World Cup and that his immediate playing future was up to the discretion of the national selectors. -Photo by Reuters  . Dawn News Updates

MELBOURNE: Captain Ricky Ponting said Saturday his fate was in the hands of the selectors after Australia’s shattering early exit from the World Cup.

Ponting, whose captaincy has been under attack since Australia’s Ashes series debacle against England in January, scored a fighting 104 but it was not enough to prevent India from knocking the champions out in Wednesday’s quarter-final in Ahmedabad.

Australia’s greatest Test runscorer has endured a torrid time and a majority of cricket fans, according to newspaper polls, want him to step down as team leader in a rebuilding phase.Ponting, 36, confirmed in his column in The Australian newspaper Saturday that he has played in his last World Cup and that his immediate playing future was up to the discretion of the national selectors.“I was asked before the quarter-final and at the media conference immediately after if I was retiring. I am not,” Ponting wrote in his column.

“It is my intention to keep playing cricket, I might not be the best judge of what my contribution to Australian cricket is.“There are a panel of selectors who have that job and I am happy to accept their judgment.”

Ponting said his focus now was on what was best for Australian cricket.“We need to rally together to review all aspects that have contributed to our performances over the past six months,” he said.“There will be casualties and change come out of this (Cricket Australia) review but I am also confident it will highlight a number of programs, structures and people that remain the best or very close to the best in the world.

“Building on our strengths while working hard on our weaknesses will ensure that we are in the best possible shape to win back the World Cup in 2015 as well as the Ashes and other major trophies in the years ahead.”

Ponting said he was “shattered” at Australia’s earliest exit from the World Cup since 1992.

“In some ways we performed to expectations in this World Cup. People did not expect us to win and we didn’t,” he said.“It is fair to say that we need to examine our performances in depth and begin to plan for the future.“A clear-the-decks policy is fraught with danger. Young players need to be nurtured and the best way for that to be done is with senior guys around them.“It’s been a difficult six months for us with the disappointing result in the Ashes and now this early exit from the World Cup.”