Ponting wants to remain captain

Ricky Ponting has declared he still has the desire to remain Australia’s captain even after seeing the Ashes slip away for a third time under his reign.

But he added that any decision surrounding his future in Australian sport’s highest-profile job is out of his hands following the home side’s innings and 157-run defeat to England inside four days at the MCG.

England’s win means Australia cannot wrest back the urn won by the old enemy in 2009 and first regained under his captaincy after a nearly two-decade drought by the Poms in 2005.

But with Australia still able to salvage a drawn series if they win the Fifth Test at the SCG, starting January 3, Ponting believes he has an important role to play in Australian cricket’s future going forward.

“I want to keep playing and would love to keep leading the team. I still think I’ve got a lot to offer in those regards,” Ponting said.

“It’s never been about me, it’s about the team and what’s right for the betterment of Australian cricket. (Any decision) it’s out of my control, I can’t think too much about it the selectors are meeting this afternoon with a view of naming the team for Sydney tomorrow.”

“We go to Sydney next week with a chance of levelling the series and regaining some pride in our team performance. We have to give the fans around Australia something to be proud of as far as the Australian cricket team is concerned.”

Ponting offered no excuses for Australia’s disappointing performance in Melbourne, saying England had simply outplayed them with both bat and ball.

“The important thing to do is pay credit to England and the way they’ve played throughout the tour. They have played a high level of cricket all the way through,” Ponting said.

“They did what they needed to do when it really mattered, that’s something we haven’t been able to do for pretty much the majority of the series.”

“I think all of our players can look at this Test match as one we can learn a bit from. Look at the way they bowled on day one. Yes there was something in the wicket and yes they won the toss, but it wasn’t a 98 all out wicket. From that moment on we were behind in the game.”

“I’m obviously disappointed with the way the series has gone so far and really disappointed that this week’s turned out the way it has after a good week (in Perth) last week.”

For all his desire to be there in Sydney and providing he gets the vote of confidence from selectors, injury may well stand in Ponting’s way having undergone an X-ray on his fractured pinky finger on the morning of day four.

“At this moment I haven’t visited the specialist to go through the X-rays and see what mobility I’ve got in and around the joint,” Ponting said.

“The next part of the plan is to consult the medical staff overnight to see what I’m going to be like in Sydney. I was comfortable getting through this game I had a few more complications in the second innings than I did in the first, but it hasn’t played any part why I haven’t batted well.”

Ponting’s scores of 10 and 20 in Melbourne took his series tally to 113 runs at 16.14, not great numbers for a player boasting 12,363 career runs at an average of 53.51.

A frank Ponting knows that isn’t good enough and admitted he’s even contemplated a move down the order from his number 3 position.

“I guess there’s been a few doubts creep into my mind over the last couple of weeks, I’m not going to hide that,” Ponting said.

“I think I definitely have to re-evaluate where I’m at as far as a Test batsman is concerned. Obviously as a player I haven’t achieved what I needed to achieve for the team to be a chance to win the Ashes back which I’m very disappointed about.”