Ponting’s Cup job as bat coach

RICKY Ponting has been appointed as an assistant coach for Australia’s looming World Cup campaign.

Ponting (pictured above) will work with Australia’s limited-overs batsmen, with regular batting coach Graeme Hick to focus on batting preparations for the following Ashes Test series against England.

Ponting, who competed at five World Cups including three as captain, will also help head coach Justin Langer with game-plan strategy.

“Ricky knows what’s required to win World Cups and I know he will be a valuable mentor to not just the batting group, but the broader squad,” Langer said yesterday. “He has an impressive understanding of the game, he knows what’s required to prepare and perform at the elite level.”

Ponting, who has previously worked short-term with Australia’s ODI and Twenty20 squads, will start his new role after Australia’s limited-overs series against India and Pakistan.

Australia’s World Cup campaign starts on June 1.

“I’m really excited to be joining the coaching group for this year’s World Cup,” Ponting said. “I’ve enjoyed my previous short-term roles with the ODI and T20 teams but World Cups take on a whole different meaning for me. I have enormous confidence in the players available to the selectors and know we will be as tough to beat as any team.”

Cricket Australia’s high performance manager Belinda Clark said Hick would be redeployed to focus on the Ashes series starting on August 1.

“With two major events back-to-back we believe it is important to focus a number of staff specifically on one event,” Clark said. “The appointment of Ricky is part of this strategy.”