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Ponting, Border peas out of the same pod: Botham
Ian Botham believes Ricky Ponting is in the same league of his compatriot Allan Border, the first ever man in the history to cross 11,000-run mark.
Melbourne:
Legendary England all rounder Ian Botham believes Australian captain Ricky Ponting is in the same league of his compatriot Allan Border, the first ever man in the history to cross 11,000-run mark.
Ponting (11,100) became just the second Australian to score 11,000 Test runs behind Border's record of 11,174 on way to his 38th century in the Ashes Test.
"If you look at the guy he's closing in on, Allan Border, those two could be two peas out of the same pod," said Botham, who played against Border many times for England and with him briefly for Queensland.
"The way they play, their doggedness, they're tough, they get stuck in and once they're in you, need dynamite to remove them. Ricky Ponting is a fantastic player. He's one of those guys you really enjoy watching," he was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'.
"He can play all the shots, but you know he's not going to give anything away. He was in total control."
Another former England captain David Gower also lavished praise on Ponting.
"He's a lovely player to watch but he's got a core of steel," Gower said.
"If you look at all those guys at the top of that (run-scoring) list, guys like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Allan Border, they're driven," he said.
Ponting (11,100) became just the second Australian to score 11,000 Test runs behind Border's record of 11,174 on way to his 38th century in the Ashes Test.
"If you look at the guy he's closing in on, Allan Border, those two could be two peas out of the same pod," said Botham, who played against Border many times for England and with him briefly for Queensland.
"The way they play, their doggedness, they're tough, they get stuck in and once they're in you, need dynamite to remove them. Ricky Ponting is a fantastic player. He's one of those guys you really enjoy watching," he was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'.
"He can play all the shots, but you know he's not going to give anything away. He was in total control."
Another former England captain David Gower also lavished praise on Ponting.
"He's a lovely player to watch but he's got a core of steel," Gower said.
"If you look at all those guys at the top of that (run-scoring) list, guys like Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Allan Border, they're driven," he said.
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