Throwing the baby faced out with the bathwater

Ricky Ponting's appalling series with the bat has culminated with a 2-0 defeat in the CUB final series and the punters are tearing into Punter faster than a Brett Lee yorker. One of their key complaints is that Lee was preferred in the closing stages of India's batting innings in Brisbane than almost-match winner James Hopes. The argument being pushed is that Ponting himself should hand in his captain's arm band before he is pushed.

This course is a little knee-jerk in its nature. Peregrine called for Ponting to be rested early in the series and Michael Clarke to be given a run. There are two main styles of leadership among cricket captains: performance-based and tactic-based. Ponting is a performance based skipper par excellence, relying on dominating the game with his broad bat and imposing his character on his team and their efforts in the field. The one failing that performance-based skippers have is when their performance drops, so does this captaincy. Ponting has gradually developed some tactical nous, mainly through having to handle the formerly freewheeling Shaun Tait, and latterly through utilising Nathan Bracken. However he does have a tendency to rely on Lee to take wickets, even when Lee's form does not suggest this is a likely outcome.

Clarke demonstrated great tactical skill in his demolition of New Zealand and India in the 20/20 fixtures. He is the obvious choice to lead the next World Cup campaign. The resting Ponting theory would have allowed Clarke a trial run and given some more match experience to the likes of Haddin, David Hussey and perhaps George Bailey from Tasmania. It is extraordinary that Victoria and Tasmania played the one day final and none of their respective squads appeared in the one day international team. The staleness and stagnation of that national team, coupled with some inspired opposition led by the multi-talented MS Dhoni, have produced this igminious result.

The challenge for selectors now is to balance the need for rejuvenation against the need for continuity within the team. The trip to Pakistan, if it goes ahead, represents an opportunity to pick an in form, balanced squad, particularly if Symonds (who has clearly laboured under his injured ankle for much of the summer) does not go. The selectors erred by not persuading Ponting that a rest of his back and his mind were best for his and the teams long-term interest. Ponting now probably has one season to decide whether he should continue in the one-day format.

Symonds was treated in a similar manner. By my reckoning, he played every match of the season even when only 75% fit. As a bowling allrounder, he contributed less than ten overs for the one day series, while his best replacement in David Hussey massacred attacks in both 20/20 and one-dayers. Pakistan represents a chance to correct these mistakes. If the team decides to go. That is another matter entirely.