Does the Australian cricket team have an image problem?
That was a really interesting article which I think has an element of truth. People respect Ponting but they don’t like him. I don’t really think he has any major faults, it’s just his personality. He’s a sort of stroppy unpleasant guy that will say what he thinks and to hell with diplomacy. People go on and on about Australia’s on field behaviour but I think it’s nothing like what it used to be when Steve Waugh was captain, yet these things weren’t seen as a huge problem because people could relate better to Waugh. He didn’t have the precocious talent that Ponting has and really had to make the most of what he had. He was a fighter and Australians love that. Australians can’t stand a snob and I think that’s the way a lot of the team are perceived today. They’ve lost the common touch. I also think they play to much cricket. Sport seems to exist more and more for pay tv. You don’t get excited when there’s a series on because there’s always a series on. You’re lucky if the players play s
