An analysis of Ponting’s captaincy career reveals that on the four previous occasions he has had the chance to enforce a follow-on, three times he opted to bat on. The only time he sent his opposition in again was during the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington two years ago, when he was attempting to force a result in a rain-affected match. This match at the Gabba, however, represents the largest first-innings lead he has held without enforcing the follow-on.
This is a captain who likes to press home his advantage, rest his ageing bowlers and give his leg-spinner, Shane Warne, last crack at the pitch. On the subject of cracks, the deteriorating Gabba surface was another big factor behind Ponting’s decision to bat late on day three. England were clearly worried about the cracks forming up and down the pitch.
“We were only 2½ days through a Test match, so it’s not how quickly you can try to win,” Glenn McGrath said, shedding light on Ponting’s tactics. “We just thought, ‘Let the bowlers freshen up a little bit’, even though we were keen to go again if required, and the wicket is getting worse.
“The cracks are opening up more and more. The longer the game goes, the tougher batting is going to be.”
But was England’s paltry first innings entirely the fault of the pitch? Australia finished day three on 181 for one, with Justin Langer and Ponting registering half-centuries with few problems. The only Australian wicket to fall was Matthew Hayden, and that was a run-out.
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England’s batting problems were with shot selection and the precision seam bowling of McGrath and Stuart Clark. Between them, the Australia metronomes collected nine wickets, most from deliveries that deviated off the pitch rather than through the air. McGrath was in superb touch, hitting the seam and constantly troubling the batsmen.
“When your confidence is down, it seems a pretty big hill in front of you and you really have to work hard to get out of it,” McGrath said. “Their confidence is down at the moment. As a bowler you’re sympathetic, but as an Australian you’re probably not.”
There is, of course, one other theory as to why Ponting opted to bat again, although you can file it alongside tales of grassy knolls and Area 51.
All five days of the match are a sell-out. To stretch it into a fifth day would ensure a further 40,000 people through the turnstiles. And 40,000 people through the turnstiles have a positive effect on Cricket Australia’s coffers.
The most likely reason for Ponting’s decision, however, is a combination of all of the above. There almost certainly is an element of knife-twisting involved, along with the odd tactical consideration. But with an overall lead of 626 after stumps on day three, and his bowlers rested entering the fourth day, the real test of his mean streak would be how long he opted to bat today. If it was anything more than a session, rest assured that revenge after the 2005 series has been a big factor.