Somerset eyeing Ricky Ponting – Cricket News Update
The English County club, Somerset, have set their eyes on the Australian cricketer, Ricky Ponting. The Division One side wants to acquire the services of Ponting for the latter-half of the 2012 season.
At present, Somerset’s capacity of signing overseas players is exhausted; as they have bagged two South African cricketers Vernon Philander and Albie Morkel, while Chris Gayle the West Indian batsman is also part of their contingent.
However, they will get a chance to sign another foreign player before the end of the championship and the name of Ponting is on their radar.
Brian Rose, director of cricket Somerset, was hopeful that the iconic Australian will once again don Somerset colours.
He said, “Ricky Ponting had a great time for Somerset and everybody is delighted to see he's still interested in playing cricket. If at some stage both our interests come together then that (signing him) would be a possibility. I've made no direct contact
with Ricky and I don't know his intentions, but now that that's come out Somerset will be enquiring about the situation.”
He further said, “After the t20 finishes we still have the ability to register another overseas player and we have been looking at that consistently since Christmas. With the future tours programme and other commitments that players have got these days,
the choice is somewhat limited.”
Ponting played for Somerset during the 2004 season. The right-hander had a short stint with the English county side and it was an effective one, as the batsman scored heaps of runs.
Ponting showed his intentions to play for Somerset again back in 2010. He hopes that he can be off some service to them whether as a player or a mentor.
Somerset’s County Championship campaign kicks-off with a game against Middlesex at Taunton.
Somerset squad: Marcus Trescothick (captain), Max Waller, Peter Trego, Alfonso Thomas, Arul Suppiah, Vernon Philander, Albie Morkel, Craig Meschede, Steve Kirby, Craig Kieswetter, Chris Jones, Gemaal Hussain, James Hildreth, James Hayman,
Calum Haggett, Lewis Gregory, Chris Gayle, George Dockrell, Adam Dibble, Nick Compton, Jos Buttler, James Burke, Alex Barrow