Ricky Ponting has proved himself once again to be a cricketing genius with another accurate prediction in the commentary box during the first Ashes Test.
The former Australian captain has forged a reputation as a cricket clairvoyant since becoming a commentator and he did it again in Perth as Australia won a thrilling series opener against England to take a 1-0 series lead.
England were cruising at 1/65 with a healthy lead in the middle of Day 2, only before a rapid batting collapse saw the visitors lose 4/23 and open the door for an unlikely Australian victory.
Nineteen wickets fell on Day 1 in a frenetic opening to the series, but speaking early on Day 2, Ponting predicted batting to get easier later in the day.
“Is this going to be the best day in the match to be batting?” Channel 7 caller Tim Lane asked.
“Maybe late today,” Ponting replied. “The cracks have definitely opened up a lot from yesterday to today, which is really interesting.
“It was 28 degrees yesterday and looking at it this morning, you can see the cracks but it actually looked like a really good surface for batting.
Watch Ricky Ponting’s commentary prediction in the video above
“We know the history of this venue. Last year Australia lost 3/37. India then went back in for the second half of the day and were 0/172 at stumps. Jaiswal 90 not out and KL Rahul 62, and we know what happened after that. Day 3, Virat Kohli made a hundred.
“So it will definitely get better for batting but it might just be the second half of Day 2 where it’s at it’s absolute best.”
Clearly England didn’t listen to Ponting as the Poms refused to absorb pressure, throwing their wickets away with a series of loose shots as Scott Boland prised the match open for Australia.
It then proved to be a prescient call from Ponting as Travis Head, Jake Weatherald and Marnus Labuschagne made the batting look easy in the final session of the day as Australia chased down 205 in 28 overs.
Ponting went against the grain with his prediction when most commentators said Australia had little chance of chasing down the target on a pitch that appeared to have plenty of gremlins.
Damien Ractfliffe wrote on X: “Every commentator bar one: “Gee, it’s going to be extremely hard for Australia to score the largest score of the match in the fourth innings to win. Ponting:”
Head blasted the third fastest Test century by an Australian and was eventually dismissed for 123 off 83 balls after he dispatched England’s short-pitched bowling.
Ponting’s prediction about batting getting easier late on Day 2 was echoed by stand-in Australian captain Steve Smith after the victory.
“This wicket, I think it kind of gets better at the end of the day, end of Day 2, it’s probably at its best for the game, late this evening,” Smith said. “Last year as well.”
Sitting next to Smith in the post-match press conference, Head chimed in: “Oh come on mate! Stiff!”, cheekily suggesting Smith was downplaying his innings.
Smith chuckled, slapping his teammate on the back: “You played alright mate, you played alright!”
“Wow, that was incredible to witness,” Smith added, full of praise for Head.
“We came off at the tea break and we were umming and ahhing about who to put up top and Heady was like, ‘I’ll do it’.
“I was like, ‘Go for it’. We didn’t like how things functioned in the first innings with Marn going up top and me batting three and what have you. So Trav took it on and played one of the great Ashes knocks.
“The way he came out and played, it changed the game, putting pressure on.
“Him and Jake, that first partnership, if you can break the back of that and get off to a good start when you’re chasing a reasonably small total just calms the dressing room and everyone can sort of just relax a little bit.
“I thought Jake and Heady were magnificent.”
Earler in the game, an eagle-eyed Ponting also spotted Cameron Green ducking nervously while facing the lightning fast bowling of Mark Wood in a spell that saw the Aussie alll-rounder struck in the helmet.
“That actually looked like he premeditated the short ball there, Cameron Green,” Ponting said in commentary.
“Looked like he was almost on the way down to duck it before (the ball was bowled. Just watch his movements here. He actually did. He dipped into that early. That’s premediated. “He’s actually started ducking before the ball’s been released. That is not a good sign. That’s someone that’s not concentrating and not watching the ball, premeditating where he thinks they’re going to bowl.”
‘Don’t think they’ll do it’: Ponting on Khawaja call
Meanwhile, Ponting has cast doubt on whether Australian selectors would stick with Head at the top of the order for the second Test or stick with Usman Khawaja after the 38-year-old battled back spasms in Perth.
“The change for this Australian team has got to come at some stage, there’s got to be a regeneration at some stage,” Ponting said on Channel 7 on Sunday.
“Is that in the middle of an Ashes series? Maybe not. But if Travis does go up to the top they can then think about bringing Beau Webster back into the middle order or blooding a young kid down at No.6.
“(Head) doesn’t have to open the play that way either, anywhere in the top three. The No. 3 batsman has always been seen as being a counter-puncher – someone who can come out and be aggressive and change the momentum.
“He can do that regardless of what position he bats. Will it happen? I don’t think so. But, I would absolutely love to see it, as a fan. As a cricket fan, an Australian cricket fan, I would love to see them do it and see if we can actually break England early.”
Ponting told the SMH: “I don’t think they’ll do it, I think they’ll go back to Uzzie in Brisbane, but it was pretty irresistible watching it. If England want to come out here with all the huff and puff and (Mark) Wood and (Joffra) Archer and these guys, why don’t we fight fire with fire and put it back on them?
“I don’t think they will make any change and they probably shouldn’t. Being 1-0 up now, you wouldn’t think they’d make any change. [But] the only currency you have is runs, and if you’re not getting runs, then you leave yourself open for scrutiny and for someone to take your spot.”
The second Ashes Test gets underway at the Gabba on December 4.
