Ponting plunders the spoils ... again

Ricky Ponting: the best cricketer in the world today © Getty Images

The last time Ricky Ponting walked off a cricket pitch he was holding the World Cup after Australia's victory-in-the-dark in Barbados. Five months later, having not played a match since, he was back in the familiar position of clutching prizes after winning the ICC Player of the Year for the second year running, and also taking away Captain of the Year, plus spots in both the Test and one-day teams of the year.

Ponting only stepped off a plane from Sydney hours before mingling with the world's cricketing elite in Johannesburg at the fourth ICC Awards. His family health issues have improved and he has made it in the nick of time as he prepares to lead Australia's campaign for another trophy. The team were given a sound beating by South Africa in their final warm-up game and Ponting admitted they had "some cobwebs to blow away" but after five months off (a rare luxury and not something any of the Australians will moan about) it isn't surprising.

Neither was it surprising that Ponting was so heavily featured in this year's awards. When he took Player of the Year in Mumbai, last November, he and his team had only just begun on their glorious seven-month period in which they regained the Ashes, retained the World Cup and won the Champions Trophy for the first time. At the time he said there was more to come from himself and Australia. He said similar this year. It's a scary thought for all opponents and one of the major reasons why there are plenty of fingers crossed that it isn't Australia's name on the ICC World Twenty20 trophy in two weeks' time.

Besides the Twenty20 being a chance for a team to exploit Australia's rustiness - although they'd better act swiftly - it is also a vital tournament for ICC as they attempt to regain their image, which was left in tatters during the World Cup. Major judgments can wait until the final, in Johannesburg on September 24, but the Awards evening continues to be an event which struggles to be as slick and dazzling as it wants.

The double act between the two hosts - Harsha Bhogle and Kass Naidoo - didn't quite work, with a few of Bhogle's attempts at humour going down like Ramesh Powar at third man. However, they can't be blamed for the brief power failure on the big screen, but it's no wonder the show isn't broadcast live - the background vanished midway through Mahela Jayawardene's speech for Sri Lanka's Spirit of Cricket Award. Jayawardene later had to be at his diplomatic best when asked, five months on, about the squash ball Adam Gilchrist used in his glove during the World Cup final.

Thomas Odoyo: a surprise pick as Associate Player of the Year © Getty Images

At least it was possible to hear Jayawardene's speech. In the media centre the first batch of awards, including Shaun Tait as Emerging Player and Thomas Odoyo as the first Associate Player of the Year, was a vision-only opportunity as journalists were instead offered extended versions of pop songs. What made this more problematic was that Tait's acceptance speech was a recorded video with the player unable to make it to South Africa.

Odoyo, one of the leading allrounders from the Associate nations, made it to the press conference but didn't exactly face a grilling. The countries below Test status still have a lot of work to do to maintain interest in their cricket. Given Ireland's success at the World Cup, boosting their and the game's profile in an Associate nation, it was disappointing they came away with nothing. None of their players were nominated on the short list - Cricinfo understands that the votes were spread too thinly for one player to make the cut - and Sri Lanka took the spirit award, which would surely have suited Ireland.

But it was the two honours handed out to Mohammad Yousuf and Michael Vaughan which offered the most interesting stories. Yousuf's international future is uncertain now that he has signed up to the Indian Cricket League and he too appeared via video to accept his award. Whether he gets the chance to repeat the form that earned him the Test Player of the Year is unclear, but it merely emphasised what a loss he would be to Pakistan cricket.

However, Vaughan's position as an opening batsman in the Test team completes a return to the top of a game he feared he might never play again after his serious knee problems. The voting period for these awards runs from August 8, 2006 to August 8, 2007; Vaughan's year only started in May and included six Tests (five within the 12-month period). His hundreds against West Indies, on his return at Headingley, and his stunning 124 against India at Trent Bridge showed him at his best.

But no-one can argue with the award given to Ponting, one of the greatest batsmen of his generation and destined to be recalled as a legend of the game when he eventually retires. That day, however, remains a while off yet and there are more trophies for him and Australia to collect. It's about time someone challenged them in a major tournament. The Twenty20 is a perfect opportunity.