"They can play whatever way they want to play. We came to play by the rules and the spirit of the game. It's up to them to do what they want to do." - Australia Captain, Ricky Ponting, Sunday 12th July 2009.
There are times when the pot is calling the kettle black, there are times when hypocrisy reigns, and then there are times when Ricky Ponting criticises someone else's behaviour on a cricket field.
You see, Ponting would have you believe his talents as a batsman entitle him to a divine right to say and do how he sees fit whilst everyone else must adhere to his almighty opinion on just how 'the spirit of the game' should work.
Yes Ponting's comments came directly after Australia failed to take one wicket from 69 balls, and of course England slowed the pace with their gamesmanship, but Ponting should remember his own previous before saddling on to the high horse.
Australia have been fined 33 times for 'slow play' since 1995 with 20 of them under his captaincy, and Lord Ponting himself has been fined 6 times by the ICC for breaking the code of conduct.
Matthew Syed could not have put it better this week when he wrote in The Times;
"Had the words been spoken by just about anyone else on Planet Cricket, they might have carried some weight, but from the diminutive Aussie they smack of crass hypocrisy."
Ponting is old enough and wise enough to know all bets are off when it comes to The Ashes. The fact of the matter is simple: Australia played out of their skin in the first Test while England acted like recluses in theirs - and the game was a draw!
So with the second Test drawing near, it's time for Ponting to put up or shut up.
It promises to be an interesting few weeks.
Ann Devereux, SPEKE around 2 years, 6 months ago