Kamlesh Barjati
Banned
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- 26 May 2011
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Ricky Ponting and his Tasmania state captain George Bailey have decided to move in opposite directions for the Twenty20 Big Bash League, Ponting heading south from his Sydney base to sign with the Hobart Hurricanes while Bailey will play for the Melbourne Stars.
The decisions were motivated as much by private as cricket concerns, as Ponting wanted the chance to spend more time in his home state while Bailey has a Melbourne-based girlfriend.
"I've always said whenever I can I will be playing cricket for Tasmania," Ponting told the Mercury in Hobart. "If I was ever going to do that, I would have done it years ago and played state cricket for NSW as well but my heart and soul is into playing cricket for Tasmania and I will do it as often and as much I can.
"I've actually made some sacrifices to keep it that way. I haven't been able to train with a state squad the last few years, for the fact I feel uncomfortable going to train with NSW. That is just the loyalty I've always wanted to show towards Tassie. I'm really happy with the way that turned out. We know we are going to be playing one game and hopefully two for me and the rest of the [Test] boys."
Bailey's decision was something of a disappointment to Ponting, but he said he understood the increasingly transient nature of player loyalties, particularly in the T20 arena.
"From my point of view, to be completely honest, I think it is disappointing,'' Ponting said. "But, by the same token, you've got to understand the players' position on these things. That's the way the modern game is blokes are switching all over the place and playing for different states and whatever else. It is going to happen more and more the way the Big Bash is set to expand."
http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/522197.html?CMP=OTC-RSS
The decisions were motivated as much by private as cricket concerns, as Ponting wanted the chance to spend more time in his home state while Bailey has a Melbourne-based girlfriend.
"I've always said whenever I can I will be playing cricket for Tasmania," Ponting told the Mercury in Hobart. "If I was ever going to do that, I would have done it years ago and played state cricket for NSW as well but my heart and soul is into playing cricket for Tasmania and I will do it as often and as much I can.
"I've actually made some sacrifices to keep it that way. I haven't been able to train with a state squad the last few years, for the fact I feel uncomfortable going to train with NSW. That is just the loyalty I've always wanted to show towards Tassie. I'm really happy with the way that turned out. We know we are going to be playing one game and hopefully two for me and the rest of the [Test] boys."
Bailey's decision was something of a disappointment to Ponting, but he said he understood the increasingly transient nature of player loyalties, particularly in the T20 arena.
"From my point of view, to be completely honest, I think it is disappointing,'' Ponting said. "But, by the same token, you've got to understand the players' position on these things. That's the way the modern game is blokes are switching all over the place and playing for different states and whatever else. It is going to happen more and more the way the Big Bash is set to expand."
http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/522197.html?CMP=OTC-RSS
