Aussies talking the talk: Ponting

RICKY Ponting has a simple guide to gauging a cricket team’s confidence levels – volume.

A chatty team is a happy team while a silent team paints an ugly scene.

After spending three days with Australia as an assistant coach, this World Cup squad reminds Ponting of the legendary teams he used to captain.

“The general feeling around the group is drastically different than it was 12 months ago, when I was around the team as well,” Ponting said.

“You can just tell they’re a really happy group (and) they’re enjoying being around one another. Which is a real standout and it’s a trademark of great sides that I’ve been around in the past.”

Ponting told captain Aaron Finch and his players at a team meeting that “this feels like a lot of the teams I was part of as a player” and cited a group trip to the bar – instead of “sitting back in your room” – as evidence.

“You generally get scared around teams when things are quiet and individuals are quiet, but I certainly haven’t seen that,” Ponting said.

“You can just tell there’s a lot of laughter, a lot of banter, there’s a lot of noise (in the change rooms), which means the boys are generally happy.”

Ponting texted coach Justin Langer during Australia’s 5-0 whitewash of Pakistan saying he wished the World Cup started tomorrow. But with Australia’s campaign now just one week away, Ponting hopes Finch’s team is “almost feeling underdone”.

“The biggest thing you have to be wary of with World Cups is just how hard you train, how often you train and don’t use your whole tank up too early in the tournament,” he said.

“Try to build up and start playing your best cricket through the middle of the tournament and hopefully peak at the right time.”

Ponting said Australia’s trophy hopes hinged on spin bowling – both how they play it and bowl it.

“We’ve obviously got the fast bowling side of things really well under control, and I think all of our batsmen play fast bowling well,” he said.

“But (spin bowling) has been an area this team has been working hard at and trying to address for a long time.

“Then you wind the clock back a few weeks and the boys win a one-day series in India against quality spin bowling. So all the hard work they’re doing is starting to pay off.”

The Aussies brought defensive offie Nathan Lyon in to support attacking leggie Adam Zampa and culled spin strugglers Chris Lynn and D’Arcy Short.

Will Lyon get his chance to partner Zampa at the World Cup?

“Absolutely, in the right conditions and the right opposition,” Ponting said.