Thaindian News

Hobart, Dec 8 (IANS) Runs have dried up for Ricky Ponting and the former Australian captain would be looking to bounce back to form with a big one at his home ground Bellerive Oval that has been lucky for him in the past.

Australia will take on New Zealand in the second Test here Friday.

The last time Ponting played a Test here, he scored a career-best 298 runs which came agianst Pakistan in January 2010. Since then, he has averaged 28.74 without any century to his name.

In six Hobart Tests, he averages 80 with two tons well above his career average of 52.6.

He also has a Test pair at his home against Pakistan in 1999.

“I didn’t have much success early on but thankfully the last couple of visits have been pretty good,” Ponting was quoted as saying in the Australian media.

“I have always cherished every game I’ve had to play for Australia and any game for Tasmania at Bellerive,” he said.

“It is very rare I get to play international games down here in front of what has been my home crowd.”

“It always takes a bit of extra special meaning for me to come and play this game and I guess over the years it took me a little while to come back here and play international games.”

Many have speculated this could be Ponting’s final Test at his hometown, but the former captain, who turns 37 Monday, said he was not approaching it that way.

“This week is no different and that’s the way I’ve approached it.”

“All of us are very aware you don’t know when your last game is going to be. I think that is a really good thing to have around our team,” he said.

“No one has got a spot forever and you just have to keep performing if you want to keep on playing in this side.”