The Ashes: Slump in form puts pressure on Ponting and Co..But don't dismiss Ponting as skip!



Australia have endured a torrid time of late.. (Cricinfo)



Australia are currently going through a slump in form, and one that you would rarely see from such a massive cricket nation. Ponting wants to end bad run.

Ricky Ponting's side have now lost seven matches in all forms of the game, and right now, it couldn't of come at a worse time. With the Ashes series just over a fortnight away, Ponting has got to arrest this slide, before his position and many of CB Australia's position becomes under scrutiny.

England's most famous rivals in cricket have been renowned for their most famous cricketing sons', such as Lillee, Chappell - long before I was born, players who have graced us and those I can remember watching at a young age, those of Steve and Mark Waugh, Gilchrist and Healy, Hayden and Langer, most recently, Glenn McGrath, and current captain Ricky Ponting, who himself has had the pressure of the Aussie public, calling for his head.

Legends McGrath, Warne and Ponting celebrate a five-nil Ashes Win..(PA)

But, who better than a level-headed professional, the most experienced in the side who has won the Ashes as captain, and as a player, producing memorable performances. Going back to the 2006-7 series in Australia. The First Test in Brisbane and what a way to start, in their first attempt to win back the Urn since losing it in England. Ponting lead from the front and produced a fantastic 196. Australia surpassed 600 before declaring, skittling out the tourists for 152, and winning the First Test by 277 runs. Brisbane First Test, 2006-7. In Adelaide for the Second test, again in their first innings, he destroyed England's bowlers, hitting a masterful 142 as he lead Australia to 513, despite being 38 runs behind, England failed in the second innings, giving Australia a very low target of 167 on the last day, and England went 2-0 behind. Adelaide Second Test, 2006-7. 

In the Third Test at Perth, England lost the Ashes. Ponting steered home this test with a 206 run victory, and despite only scoring 2 in the first innings, he helped guide the Aussies home with a 75 before getting out. England got it all wrong here down under, the last time they came, and Ponting along with his boys, Hayden, Langer, Clarke, McGrath and Clarke, they helped destroyed England and went on to record a 5-0 whitewash over the tourists. Perth Third Test, 2006-7.

Four years on, the golden oldies of this generation retired. Ponting, Clarke and Hussey are the most notable of the survivors from the last Ashes down under, and a whole new breed of players have grown, but haven't reached the heights of those that had the whole of the cricketing world fearing them. Brett Lee, one of many to retire from Test Cricket.

Now we see the likes of inexperienced Phil Hughes, Clint McKay, Nathan Hauritz to a certain extent. Australia, yesterday, crashed to their seventh defeat in their ODI vs. Sri Lanka. The Aussies of old, never lost to Sri Lanka on home turf, but how times have changed. OK, we still see Shane Watson and Mitchel Johnson, who in comparison with some of their current crop at the moment, are the older heads of the team, have not produced the goods that have had Australia tagged as the greatest nation of all time. Sri Lanka win 2nd ODI.

Murali celebrating yet ANOTHER wicket in Aus.. (Cricinfo)

On Wednesday, in the same fixture, Australia set 239 for Sri Lanka to chase. This was not a huge target, but a respectable one and one to bowl at. The Australians took the attack to them. Sri Lanka soon found themselves in real trouble. After being 84/4, the tourists went on to find themselves at 107/8. But your unlikely heroes would be Angelo Matthews and Lasith Malinga. At number 10, and with Australia having the upper hand, there should of been only one way this result was going, and it did NOT go to Australia. Matthews hit a wonderful 77 not out and shared in a 10th wicket partnership of 122 before Malinga (56 off 48 - six 4's and two 6's) was run out by Steven Smith caused the biggest upset in years, and one that Ponting would want to forget as soon as. Shock upset as Malinga and Matthews guides visitors home.

How can they stop this rot? It all goes back to basics, but the Ashes is not far now, and will somehow have to come up with something to prevent what could be an 8th and possibly 9th match defeat in succession in all competitions.

Ponting (right) will be looking to lead Hauritz (left) and co to Ashes Glory..(cricinfo).

But don't get rid of Ricky. If anyone, you want someone with a vast amount of experience in such an inexperienced squad, and this is where you need Ponting. At 35 years of age, Ponting has amassed 12,250 Test runs in 251 innings. In 148 matches, the Tasmanian born number three bat has an impressive average of 54.68. Hitting 39 centuries and 55 half centuries, if records are anything to go by, you can not dismiss Ponting for Australia's recent demise. His stats are outstanding, his records are unbelievable and his presence on this pitch is priceless.

England may be the favourites, and as an Englishman myself, I would love to see Strauss and the boys bring home the Urn, for the first time since Gatting brought it back in 1986/87. But as a neutral, I would love to see Australia bring back that form, that can devastate anyone, at any point. (But only after The Ashes).