Hayden and Warne back Ponting

Matthew Hayden, the Australian batsman, and Shane Warne, the Australian legspinner, have voiced their support for Ricky Ponting, their captain, who is facing strong criticism for losing the Ashes 2-1 to England, ahead of the ICC Super Series beginning on October 5, 2005.

"One billion percent [backing Ponting]. Ricky Ponting is a fantastic little leader. To be quite honest I'm sick and tired of even thinking about even reading anything about it. It's just ridiculous," Hayden was quoted as saying by AFP. "He's won a World Cup; he's won series away from home in Sri Lanka and India."

Hayden disagreed with former Australian cricketers such as Ian Chappell and Dennis Lillee who wanted Warne to replace Ponting as captain. "I don't think Shane Warne would be better," said Hayden. "Four Tests and suddenly now you want change. I don't think so. I don't agree with that."

Having been dropped from the one-day team for the Super Series because the Australian selectors wanted to adopt a new approach for the World Cup in the West Indies in 2007, Hayden said that it would be "very unwise for them [the selectors] to shut the door" on him as a one-day player. "A form slump is just how you approach it. It's nothing to do with your technique. You just don't slide off the wall with your technique," added Hayden. "With the analysis of our game it's the first thing that people go to but in my mind it's got nothing to do with that."

Warne also said that he fully supported Ponting as captain. "He [Ponting] is his own man and he's done a pretty good job. I'm sure he will become better and I'm sure we all will." He added that Australia was still the team to beat in spite of losing the Ashes to England. "There are two ways of looking at it, like a heavyweight title fight if Bangladesh beat Australia in a one-day game they'd be the best side in the world. You can't really look at it like that. It's over a period of time in home and away games when you play against most countries, that's when you become the best in the world. You've got to, over a period of time, prove that. You can't just have one good series. I think everybody will acknowledge that we have been the best team for a long period of time. Hopefully, it's [the Ashes] just a hiccup."