Punter punched!

ADELAIDE: He is an international cricketer who has scored over 10,000 runs in Test cricket and over 11,000 runs in One-Day Internationals, but Australian captain Ricky Ponting failed to get bat to ball against a plucky 10-year-old survivor of Victoria's bushfires on Wednesday.

To the crowd's delight, and with a wry smile, Ponting headed for the sheds as the youngster, Koby, took over batting duties.

"I was actually trying today," news.com.au quoted a grinning Ponting, as saying. Not bad for a boy from Kinglake who had the day off because his school Middle Kinglake Primary was razed in Saturday's inferno.

Ponting's misfortune at the crease was part of a whirlwind visit by Aussie cricketers to the Whittlesea Tennis and Cricket Club Oval which has been transformed into a firefighting staging area and relief centre for those left homeless after the fires that ravaged Kinglake and a string of other small townships in the area. Ponting described meeting families traumatised by Saturday's bushfires as "very moving and very hard".

http://cricket.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Punter-punched/articleshow/4114984.cms

Katich anchors Aussies, Ponting joins 10k-run club

St John's (Antigua): Simon Katich fashioned his third Test hundred and overshadowed the 10,000-run milestone of captain Ricky Ponting to lead a solid Australia batting performance in the second Test against West Indies on Friday.
Katich was undefeated on 113 as Australia, choosing to bat on a hard, docile pitch, reached 259 for three in their first innings when bad light stopped play eight overs early on the opening day of the inaugural Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground. The venue has became the 11th ground to host Tests in the Caribbean and the 98th in the world.

Katich reached his landmark when he drove his 197th delivery from Dwayne Bravo languidly through mid-on for his eighth boundary.

But Katich was fortunate that Runako Morton dropped the straightforward chance he offered on 90.

The left-hander, promoted to open the batting in the absence of the injured Matthew Hayden, tried a cut, failed to keep the ball down, and it flew straight into Morton's lap, and the fielder floored it.

Katich, however, had to share centrestage with Ponting. The Australia captain supported with a serene knock of 65 which made him the seventh batsman to pass 10,000 runs in Tests.
Ponting drove a full length delivery outside the off-stump from Ramnaresh Sarwan through extra cover for two to move to 61 and reach the milestone about 15 minutes after the tea break.
West Indies had a scare early in the morning, when Edwards slid on the fresh pitch, as he was about to deliver his first ball of the Test. The fast bowler recovered to continue his opening spell, but he bowled raggedly, and the Aussies were able to get away to a sound start.

After lunch, Katich and Ponting completed contrasting half-centuries to build a solid platform for Australia.

Making full use of the plu-perfect conditions, the pair carried Australia to 151 for one at the tea break.

Source: http://www.cricketnext.com/news/katich-anchors-aussies-as-ponting-joins-10000run-club/31916-13.html