CA chief to seek explanation from skipper on slow over-rates

Melbourne: Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland has said he will speak to captain Ricky Ponting to find out why the team struggled with over rates during the tour of India.

Australia has often been found short as far as over rates are concerned, and that forced skipper Ponting not to use his fast bowlers. The situation came to the fore in the Mohali Test, when Brett Lee was exasperated that he wasn’t used through a session and part-time bowlers like Michael Hussey and Simon Katich were used.

A similar problem faced the Australian captain on day four of the Nagpur Test when, despite going into the break after taking three Indian wickets for three runs, the Australian captain bowled his part-timers. Coach Tim Nielsen later explained that Ponting did so to make up for the slow over-rate.

When asked to comment on Ponting’s problem with slow over-rates, Sutherland was quoted as saying, “I haven’t had a chance to talk to Ricky [Ponting] about what went on during the tea break and what the messages were that came from the umpires.”

“And until I have had a chance to speak to Ricky it’s really difficult for me to comment.”

However he did say he would speak to Ponting when he returned what actually happened and transpired between him and the umpires during the tea break on day four of the Nagpur Test.

Sutherland said, “After the Test match I will look forward to having a chat to Ricky and getting a feel for the actual circumstances that he and (coach) Tim (Nielsen) faced in drawing the conclusions they did.”