Australia Cricket / Frank Gregan / 17 January 2011 /

Ok, so he's not quite called it a day just yet but the fantastic cricketing career of Ricky Ponting must be nearing a close. Frank Gregan wonders what his next job will be.

Australian cricket has managed to find a little respite in the last few days. Strangely, the catalyst might have been a game in the format that they famously referred to as 'a hit and a giggle.' They have built on their Twenty20 win with a much needed victory in the first game of the seven match One Day series.

Our beer swilling cousins Down Under don't need much of an excuse for a party and the players have probably been enjoying themselves with a few tinnies, barbecued shrimp and a spot of karaoke. Injured skipper Ricky Ponting might be struggling with his broken finger but there's nothing wrong with the vocal chords as he steps up to the mike and does his impersonation of Old Blue Eyes. "And now, the end is here and so I face the final curtain."

Yep, afraid so Ricky, it looks as if the end of a fantastic cricketing career is nigh. It's time to be looking ahead and considering future employment options. He's famous enough and made enough dosh in his time not to have to worry about joining a government training scheme and re-training like most of us mere mortals. He'll want something high profile with great remuneration for very little work. There's not many jobs like that unless you've recently been elected to work in Westminster!

He could do a Mark Butcher and join the rock scene. There's already been a band named Badfinger so he'd have to come up with something different. Picking a few tracks for him to cover is child's play. Bowie's Ashes to Ashes and Sherbet's Howzat top the list but some original thought would be needed to come up with something more apt. A little tweaking of the lyrics of the Lionel Ritchie classic would fit, "you're once, twice, three times a loser....."

The obvious career move for Ricky is to join the ranks of the media and like his former colleagues, Shane Warne and Matthew Hayden, he could take his place behind the microphone or in front of the camera. Radio might be a better option for him. None of those old jokes about him having a face for radio. It's just that it might look a bit weird seeing him standing alongside those not quite so vertically challenged.

For example, let's imagine Ricky Ponting out in the middle with Michael Holding, before the start of the first Test in England in the 2013 series. The camera shot would have to be from the waist up so that Ricky could be stood on a box in order to create the impression that he is the same height as other cricketers and doesn't have to look up when talking to Frankie Dettori!

Michael: "Well Ricky, we've had a look at the track. It looks a decent batting surface although there might be a bit of turn in it later on in the game. If you were the Aussie skipper what would you do?
Ricky: "Lose!"

We English have spent a long time gloating over the results of this tour and the last two blips have done little to shut us up. That's because for the first time in many a year there is a genuine belief amongst the supporters that this side can and will bounce back.

England are now [2.8] to win the One Day series having been matched as short as [1.46]. Now is a good time to be either adding to the portfolio or getting in on the action because victory in Tasmania on Friday will likely see England odds-on again.

As for Ricky Ponting, he's going to cop a bit of flak from the English because of his unwanted record in Ashes cricket. But it's all just a bit of fun, deep down the vast majority of cricket fans over here know what a tremendous player and skipper Ponting has been. He's been a credit to himself, his country and to cricket. He'll be remembered with great affection by supporters all over the world.

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