Durban, Mar. 12 : Ricky Ponting is as happy as he has ever been in his long and successful cricket life, and he credits the new kids on the block for it.

"This is as happy as I''ve been in my whole career as an Australian player," Fox Sports quoted Ponting as saying after completing a series triumph against the South Africans in Durban.

Sydney, Mar. 11 : Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting and his side have deservedly retained their position as the best Test cricket side after handing out a two-nil series defeat to the South Africans, but if they add a canny spinner and improve catching around the bat, they will be hard to beat.

According to Peter Roebuck, Australia''s new team is a work in progress, but adds that lessons in cricket history should not be ignored.

Sydney, Mar 4 : Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and his South African counterpart Graeme Smith expressed support for the video-referral system after Australia’s 162-run victory in the first Test at Johannesburg.

Ponting revealed Hot Spot technology would be used for the remainder of the series against South Africa to assist the video umpire.

Johannesburg, Feb. 23 : The key to Australia defeating South Africa will be team skipper Ricky Ponting, who averages more than 50 per innings in Tests.

If the captain grabs the Proteas by the scruff of the neck and overshadows rival skipper Graeme Smith to make the series his own, not only will Australia''s chances of retaining the world No. 1 ranking go through the roof, but Ponting will go close to overtaking Steve Waugh in fourth place on the list of Test run-scorers," says in an article for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Potchefstroom, Feb. 20 (ANI): Australia's cricket captain Ricky Ponting has ruled himself out of the Indian Premier League Twenty20 competition this year, saying that he would prefer to devote his time to Australia.

Ponting said that he had conveyed his decision to the management of his IPL franchise Kolkata Knightriders. He said that the latter have accepted his decision and also his commitment to appear for side in the 2010 edition of the tournament.

Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting said that his inexperienced side would do all it can to hang on to their number one spot when they would take on South Africa in the upcoming test series.

Speaking with the reporters, Ponting said, “We have had quite a few injuries, but we have brought a fully fit squad to South Africa. We always enjoy playing here. The conditions are fairly similar to those at home, and we know the series will be challenging. We just hope Australia come out on top this time.”