Ponting shows he's got captaincy clues

Ricky Ponting has wasted no time making his mark on the Australian one-day captaincy and has clearly learned well from Steve Waugh's leadership manual.

Just two matches into his reign, Ponting has shown the same aggressive edge which made predecessor Waugh one of the most formidable leaders in world cricket.

There were shades of Waugh too when Ponting boldly declared his patched up team had taken a mental stranglehold on South Africa after securing a 45-run win at Centurion Park yesterday to go 2-0 up in the seven match series.

Ponting's confidence reflected his approach to the leadership in the first matches since Waugh's axing, bringing together a team minus injured players Shane Warne (hamstring), Michael Bevan (hamstring) and Ian Harvey (shoulder).

Replacements Jimmy Maher, Shane Watson and Nathan Hauritz were key figures in the second match and Ponting defused another late blast from Lance Klusener (59 in 59 balls) as South Africa was dismissed for 181 in reply to 8-226.

Ponting used Darren Lehmann's part-time spin to outwit Klusener, who holed out to deep mid-wicket, and also claimed the key wicket of Jacques Kallis to a catch at a specially-placed short cover-point.

They were clever moves and showed Ponting had learned well under Waugh's relentless captaincy.

Ponting and his brains trust of vice-captain Adam Gilchrist and the vastly-experienced Lehmann have been one step ahead of the Proteas, who have lost five of their six matches against Australia this summer.

"We've got a little bit of a stranglehold over them at the moment," Ponting said.

"It's been really solid without being anything fantastic or flash yet but I think that will come once we work our way into the series."

Ponting faced a potentially bumpy ride in his first matches at the helm, with the Waugh brothers gone, Warne out and South Africa buoyed by a stirring win in the final Test in Durban last week.

Klusener's cyclonic knocks added to that danger as the left-hander thumped a combined 142 from 136 in two matches, but Ponting said he was enjoying his new role.

He made Klusener put his own pace on the ball when he brought Lehmann into the attack and the veteran South Australian returned 1-22 from his six overs in the unusual containing role with Glenn McGrath waiting in the wings.

"There are a lot of things going through your head but it's better to have it that way," said Ponting.

"You're better off having a back-up than not knowing what to do at all and I think we're very well planned going into each game.

"The two games have been great fun for me. They have probably been a little closer than they needed but that's because we made a few mistakes along the way."

Ponting has continued Waugh's consultancy-style of leadership, noticeably drawing on the thoughts of Gilchrist and Lehmann as Australia twice defended totals less than 230.

"(Lehmann) and Gilly would be the two guys I go to the most," Ponting said.

"Stephen always had a few guys likely to bring out different plans and different theories and he was always good at accepting those and taking them on board and using them if he thought they were there to be used.

"It's exactly the same for me now and I'll probably go to Darren more than he will come to me."

Ponting failed with the bat yesterday, falling first ball to a return catch by left-arm spinner Nicky Boje, but his contribution in the field was excellent with two catches and two brilliant run-outs.