Ponting's advice for South Africa ahead of Lord's run chase
13-Jun-2025 12:41 PM 7561
London, June 13 (Reporter) ICC Hall of Fame Ricky Ponting believes South Africa's batters must look to attack Australia's bowlers when they get the chance to bat on Friday in the ICC World Test Championship Final at Lord's. Kagiso Rabada and South Africa's potent fast bowling attack showed their class on an exciting second day in London on Thursday, with the Proteas fighting back hard with the ball after their batters could only manage 138 in their first innings. But they get the chance to make amends for their earlier misdemeanors, with the side now facing a thrilling run chase on Friday if South Africa are to win the one-off Test. Ponting thinks both sides have been guilty of not looking to score against the new ball and wants to see South Africa's batters play with more aggression and put the pressure on the Australian bowlers early. "One thing I do know about the game and when you are facing the best of the best and the South African top-order were definitely doing that, you've got to look to put pressure back on the bowlers," Ponting told ICC Digital. "You can't just sit there and wait for them because they just don't make mistakes," he said. None of South Africa's top six scored more than 45 in the first innings at Lord's and only four of their batters even reached double figures as Australia's pacers dominated proceedings on the back of six wickets from skipper Pat Cummins. Ponting wants to see the Proteas change tact when they get the chance to bat on Friday. "Sometimes you've just got to do things a little bit differently," Ponting said. "You have got to find some way to put some pressure back on those bowlers and actually force them to bowl more bad balls," he said. "It's easy for us to sit back and say they didn't show enough intent, but unfortunately you have to," Ponting said. "You've got to put pressure back on them, otherwise the scoreboard goes nowhere," he said. "You lose two quick wickets and all of a sudden you're two for none when you maybe could be two for 20 or 30 even," Ponting said. "And it's a different game from there, but they'll learn their lessons and they'll have to try and find a way to change things up in the second innings," he added...////...
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