Ricky Ponting blames Ashes loss on Billy Bowden

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There's a new article at stuff.co.nz where Ricky Ponting blames losing the Ashes on Billy Bowden. Turns out Billy gave an LBW decision not-out on Simon Jones in the second Test that cost Australia 2 runs. How much did we lose by? Wow, 2 runs! So it wasn't our crap batting, our feeble bowling (Warnie aside), our dud catching, our feckless coach. It certainly wasn't Ricky Ponting's decision to send England in that probably cost us 100 runs or more by denying Warnie the chance to bowl in the 4th innings. Nope, the entire series was decided by one dodgy LBW decision. Oh that and sub-fielders.

Is there no accountability in Australian cricket (for anyone besides Damien Martyn)? I don't think a single Australian cricketer has admitted they took England lightly, few have conceded they were outplayed for most of the series. And Ricky Ponting seems to be doing what previous England teams have done - scapegoating and focussing on minutiae. The sooner he gets his head out of the sand and admits he had a crap series as captain, the sooner he can start doing things right.

Incidentally, the Billy Bowden article is a good chance for me to post a cartoon I drew a while back, venting my frustrations on his gratuitious signalling.

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Posted by JC on Mon 31 Oct

20 comments

He is right though, I remember when it happened and Jones was plumb. That decision cost us the match and a 2-0 lead. Of course you can't say the Australians played well and deserved to win the ashes, but we had no luck either.

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Posted by Matt on 2005-10-31 16:58:41

What disturbs me most is Ponting's preoccupation over things he has no control over. He can't do anything about the odd dud umpire decision. Or England's sub-fielders. But this is what he mouths off about. Maybe he should be more concerned with our bowler's noballs. I'm pretty sure they cost us more than 2 runs. Factor in wickets taken on no-balls and they cost us many, many times more than 2 runs. In such a tight series that went down to the wire, you could say it was our no-balls that cost us the Ashes.

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Posted by JC on 2005-11-01 01:08:46

Ponting not concerned with McGrath no balling when he clean bowled Vaughan before the England capt went on to make 166 at OT? Anyhow after Gary Pratt England's real 12th man was umpire Alim Dar. He pulled more shockers then a life time of Bowden crocked finger dismissals.

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Posted by dave_v on 2005-11-02 15:13:54

ricky ponting .. the punter .. the bunder .. blames billy bowden for ashes loss ..

and he thinks the second test between india and world champions (hic .. sigh) was fair?

get a spine .. get a life .. get some courage .. be a man dude ..

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Posted by indian on 2008-01-07 02:06:47

Now that is really silly. How come none of the Australians chastised Ponting for having said that. So rubbish. He is a crook in the game.

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Posted by Nobody on 2008-01-10 16:00:48

did you not read the comments above?

So it wasn't our crap batting, our feeble bowling (Warnie aside), our dud catching, our feckless coach. It certainly wasn't Ricky Ponting's decision to send England in that probably cost us 100 runs or more by denying Warnie the chance to bowl in the 4th innings.

Perhaps we should have boycotted the 3rd test? HTFU!

Besides, the original stuff.co.nz article is no longer up, but I reckon it's just as likely that Rick(y) is taking the piss.

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Posted by Moses on 2008-01-10 16:07:06

poo

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Posted by jill on 2008-02-17 20:17:24

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