Ponting caught with pants down

Jan 22, 2007 11:01:42

AUSTRALIA captain Ricky Ponting appeared to have pulled a masterstroke by sending Michael Clarke in to bat at No. 3 against New Zealand on Sunday but it was prompted by an embarrassing little mix-up. Fans may have wondered if Ponting was simply trying to give Clarke, 25, more experience at the top of the order before the World Cup in the Caribbean in March-April. But as teammate Mike Hussey revealed yesterday, the skipper was actually meant to bat in his normal spot at the fall of the first wicket but was caught with his pants down. "It was a quick toilet break and he couldn't get his gear back on quickly enough," Hussey said yesterday at the team's hotel in Sydney. "It was a bit of an unfortunate situation. I don't want to go into it too much. I think you can ask him about it." Ponting made just five runs batting in the unaccustomed position of No. 4. However, Clarke's 75 and Hussey's unbeaten 65 at No. 6 guided Australia to a tense two-wicket win in Sunday's one-day international at Sydney Cricket Ground, scoring 8-224 in reply to New Zealand's 218. Australia has already qualified for next month's best-of-three finals series with four wins from four matches. The home side's next game is against England in Adelaide on Australia Day, with Ponting expected to be back at No. 3.