Ponting goes mad as the substitute fielder runs him out.
During the extremely tense Ashes series of 2005, Australia captain Ricky Ponting was run-out by unknown England 12th man Gary Pratt and then went mad at the English balcony.
In the Australian’s defence there were some suspect tactics going on by the Three Lions out in the field, with bowlers being replaced by specialist fielders during comfort breaks.
However, this time around after hurling a torrent of expletives at the England staff it later emerged that seamer Simon Jones was actually in the medical room for a serious injury.
Not that the Aussie skipper should have even been in that position at Trent Bridge, with batting partner Damian Martyn calling for a wild single that Ponting should have immediately called ‘no’ to.
Yet he ran and was undone by a superb piece of fielding from Pratt, running in and collecting the ball before shying it accurately at the stumps in one fell swoop.
The whole incident served as a metaphor for the shift in power from the Australians – who had not lost an Ashes series since 1987 at the time – to England, who have now won three of the last four.
In dismissing Ponting the home side realised that their opponents were not immortal; how could they be if an unheard of substitute can dismiss him in such an undignified way, trying and failing to make his ground.
England would go onto win that Test, taking the series 2-1 and delivering the famous urn back into English hands for the first time in 18 years.
Ponting meanwhile was fined 75% of his match fee, apologised for the incident and in a moment of great character often only found in cricket, the skipper presented Pratt with his boots at the post-series party.
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