Sydney, Jan 4: Australia captain Michael Clarke hopes that his unbeaten double century against India will “earn him respect” while his former captain Ricky Ponting, who marked his return to form with a century, described the second day as an “unbelievable one” for his team.
“Hopefully, it would earn me respect. That's all I can do—to put the team in good position to win another Test.
‘Punter' had told me while I was starting as skipper that as a leader, I should be standing up in the field, leading from the front and scoring runs. That's what I have tried to do,” said Clarke who is in line for triple century tomorrow.
For Ricky Ponting, who got his 40th Test century, it was about capitalising on a good start having failed to seize the initiative on a number of occasions.
“There have been plenty of frustrating moments. It's not when you get out early. It's when you have had a decent start and not capitalized. It's a game where the low scores are always going to happen. But when you are 40, 50 and 60, the great players make big scores,” Ponting said.
“The last few weeks have been frustrating for in between the two hundreds, I was getting starts but not capitalizing,” added Ponting.
Ponting recalled how he had a “brain fade” while going for his 100th run.
“I was probably run-out by two yards (if the throw had hit the stumps while Ponting ran for his 100th run). I had a brain fade. Thankfully, the ball missed the stumps or it would have been pretty sad end. When I got up, my shirt was destroyed, the grill was pressed against my face and I changed my shirt which probably made it the whole day out for the crowd,” Ponting said in jest.
