Aussie bouncer barrage will continue: Ponting
England's batsman Mark Stoneman (2nd L) avoids a bouncer from Australia's paceman Pat Cummins (R) on the third day of the first cricket Ashes Test between England and Australia
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting suggests that Australia’s bouncer barrage aimed at English batsmen is set to continue this summer.
England were bowled out for 195 runs in the second innings and it was not only the tailenders who were prepped up by some hostile bouncers. Specialist batsman and England skipper got a nasty one from Mitchell Starc that took off from nowhere and hit the Englishman on the front of the helmet, taking apart the ear guard. Starc walked up to the England skipper to check if he was okay.
In a furious 20-over spell late on day three, Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood bombarded the England lower-order with bouncers targeted at the head and the body. The plan worked as Chris Woakes, Jake Ball and Jonny Bairstow all fell either trying to fend off short deliveries or playing shots.
Ponting predicts that more bouncers are going to follow. "I don’t think a lot of their top order players play it (short ball) particularly well either," Ponting said.
"And that’s been on a really slow Brisbane pitch. When we get to Perth and places like that where there’s some really good pace and bounce it could be really interesting. Adelaide the last couple of years has a little bit (of pace) in it.
Ponting also believes that the Aussies have found a chink in the armor and will look to exploit it.
"There are some definite cracks there the Australian quicks have been able to open up already in this series. The tail especially.
"Even Chris Woakes, who’s a noted allrounder, he didn’t look comfortable against the short ball today either.
"(Australia) can take a lot from that. There was a lot spoken about that at the start of the game and with the way the pitch was on day one it was almost impossible to scare anyone with how slow the wicket was.
"But as it’s got quicker and the game’s gone on the quicks have enjoyed the challenge of bowling to the England fast bowlers, that’s for sure."