Ponting v Vaughan: there is no argument
This winter's Ashes in Australia has taken a new look.
Nothing sums up the difference between both sides than the state of both captains. Since that awesome Ashes series last summer came to a euphoric end at The Oval in September, Ricky Ponting
has gone from superb talent to virtual phenomenon, while Michael Vaughan has slumped from leader of a new era to hobbling, crippled has-been. Ponting's brilliant face-saving hundred against Bangladesh in early April was his ninth in 14 Tests - including an average of 76 in his last 10 - and the manner in which he scored those runs has been incredible. Forget Tendulkar, Lara, Hayden, whoever. Ponting is the most dangerous batsman in world cricket.
His jaw-dropping run began with a magnificent 149 at the Gabba against West Indies - none of his team-mates went past 50 - and progressed to a superb hundred at the MCG on an opening day when eight wickets fell, a double-bill at Sydney (his 100th Test), and culimated with two more hundreds again…
Nothing sums up the difference between both sides than the state of both captains. Since that awesome Ashes series last summer came to a euphoric end at The Oval in September, Ricky Ponting
has gone from superb talent to virtual phenomenon, while Michael Vaughan has slumped from leader of a new era to hobbling, crippled has-been. Ponting's brilliant face-saving hundred against Bangladesh in early April was his ninth in 14 Tests - including an average of 76 in his last 10 - and the manner in which he scored those runs has been incredible. Forget Tendulkar, Lara, Hayden, whoever. Ponting is the most dangerous batsman in world cricket.
His jaw-dropping run began with a magnificent 149 at the Gabba against West Indies - none of his team-mates went past 50 - and progressed to a superb hundred at the MCG on an opening day when eight wickets fell, a double-bill at Sydney (his 100th Test), and culimated with two more hundreds again…