Ricky Ponting has rubbished calls for Cameron Green to take over from David Warner when the veteran Australian opener retires, urging selectors to pick a specialist replacement. Ponting’s former teammate Simon Katich is among the prominent figures who believe...

Ricky Ponting has rubbished calls for Cameron Green to take over from David Warner when the veteran Australian opener retires, urging selectors to pick a specialist replacement.

Ponting’s former teammate Simon Katich is among the prominent figures who believe emerging allrounder Green could step up at the top of the order.

But legendary former captain Ponting believes a specialist is required with a long-term view towards blockbuster series against India and England in the next two years.

Asked on Thursday about the prospect of Green replacing Warner, Australia’s all-time leading Test run-scorer was blunt.

“No chance,” Ponting said on the Seven Network.

“Time to go back and find Australia’s next best opening batsman with the India Test series and Ashes in mind.”

Warner, who will retire after the third Test against Pakistan in Sydney, this week nominated Marcus Harris as his preferred replacement.

It sparked a stinging response from former Australian selector Jamie Cox, who said Warner should not be publicly voicing an opinion on the matter.

Harris is one of three specialist openers in the running for a recall for two home Tests against West Indies in January, along with Matt Renshaw and Cameron Bancroft.

Ponting has previously thrown his support behind Bancroft, who played the last of his 10 Tests away to England in July 2019.

Bancroft has elevated his game over the last two summers and was the leading run-scorer in last season’s Sheffield Shield, with 945 runs at 59.06.

The 31-year-old heads this season’s leaderboard with 512 runs at 56.88.

“If you look at those three guys, I think it’s quite clear that Bancroft is the one that’s got the runs on the board and I wouldn’t be surprised if they (selectors) go that way,” Ponting told SEN a month ago.

“If you wind the clock back about six months it might have been a slightly different order than what it is now.

“I think they probably had Harris as the one that would come back in a while ago.

“To me now it sort of feels (there’s) a bit more of a groundswell behind Cameron Bancroft getting first crack.”

Another of Ponting’s former teammates, Mike Hussey, also believes a specialist opener is required to replace Warner.

As well as calls for Green to open, there have been suggestions that Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head or Mitch Marsh could move up the order to make room in the line-up for the allrounder.

“Opening is one of the toughest jobs in the game,” Hussey said this week.

“So for me personally, if I was selecting, I’d be going for a traditional, proper opener; someone who’s done it for a long period of time, because if you haven’t done it much in your first-class career it’s going to be very difficult to come up the order.”

SA Premier slates Cricket Australia

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has taken aim at Cricket Australia for their scheduling of the Adelaide Test, calling the governing body ‘disgraceful’ for their treatment of his state after again giving them the West Indies as opponents.

“I hope there is a good turnout because we love our cricket,” said the Premier to local newspaper The Advertiser.

“We love our sport but fair’s fair.

“Cricket Australia really gave us a kick in the guts by giving us West Indies two years in a row, starting the Test on a Wednesday and prioritising Perth. Well, look how that turned out for them.”

Perth saw poor attendances with fewer than 10,000 in the ground on the day Nathan Lyon took his 500th Test wicket, causing widespread criticism of Cricket Australia’s scheduling.

“The fact that we get West Indies two summers in a row is frankly disgraceful, particularly given the deliberate decision to schedule Australia versus Pakistan, in Perth straight up over and above Adelaide,” said the Premier.

“Cricket Australia have reaped what they sowed by showing contempt to South Australian cricket attendees with the results of the crowd they got in Perth.”

Malinauskas also complained about the early start for the Adelaide game.

“But the second thing is starting the Adelaide Test on a Wednesday,” he said.

“It is a complete and utter disgrace. Now, I appreciate that international cricket scheduling is complex, but at some point or another, cricket officials have to be willing to put spectators and fee-paying members first.

“Starting a Test on a Wednesday means people have to take time off work in order to be able to attend the cricket.

“Now, buying a ticket to the cricket isn’t cheap as it is but when you lay on top the cost of taking a day off work, it really stacks up. It really adds up.

“And, for the life of me, I don’t know what justification there is for starting the test on a Wednesday. Maybe a Thursday or Friday – but a Wednesday is a disgrace.”

Pakistan slammed for ‘ridiculous’ time-wasting

Pakistan’s time-wasting tactics have drawn the ire of the ‘grumpy old men’ in the commentary box, with Ian Smith, Mark Waugh and Michael Vaughan unleashing an epic rant after a lengthy delay in play.

Batter Aamer Jamal was hit on the back by Cummins, with the tourists using the incident as an excuse to slow the game right down even after a start delayed by a wet outfield.

“All of a sudden we’ve got three attending the two Pakistan batsmen and the Australians are coming out with a drink as well,” said Smith.

“There’s 25 minutes gone and Cameron Green is coming out (with pads) because it looks like Nathan Lyon’s not too far away.

“We sound like grumpy old men up here. We’ve been going for 25 minutes and there’s 20,000 people who’ve sat patiently inside and outside wondering why they’re not out there anyway with a little bit of drizzle around.

“We talk about over rates and entertainment, value for money – what did he do then, the physio? It’s ridiculous. You’ve got to call it as you see it.

“It used to be a game of attrition and that meant you had a drink every hour. Towards the end of the session you started to get really thirsty, but that was it. It was called a Test match for that reason.”

Waugh questioned how much impact the physio could have on a body blow.

“This is where the umpires have to say ‘hang on’,” he said.

“He’s going to be worrying about his back, but that’s just part of batting, isn’t it? Wearing a few on the back or shoulder.”

“What’s the physio going to do for a ball on the back? What can he possibly do for him? You’ve just got to say no, off, it’s part of the game. He’s getting a little massage now. Seriously, he’s banging him on the back.”

Vaughan chose to see the funny side.

“(Umpire) Michael Gough is thinking he’ll have a drink,” he joked. “Get some coffees and teas and a few biscuits.

“It’s three grumpy old men but you’re right. 12 overs were lost yesterday, 12 out of the allotted overs of the day, that are put to one side and no-one bats an eyelid.”

With AAP

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