Punter Ponting: the man behind the grimace

The Tasmanian has captained Australia to two World Cup crowns - both unbeaten campaigns - winning three as a player, and has scored 10,000 ODI runs with 25 centuries in wins, which is second only to Sachin Tendulkar.

Ponting has become Australia's most successful run-maker and only sits below Sir Donald Bradman in the country's overall ratings.

There can surely be no doubt whatsoever in regards to his greatness once he has strode purposefully to the crease, spat on the floor and taken guard - but his leadership has frequently been scrutinised and subsequently criticised.

Ponting's utter disdain for respectable over-rates, penchant for hurling abuse at umpires and propensity to engage in furious mid-pitch rows with opposing players leaves him about as liked on the world stage as his opposite number Graeme 'they don't like it up em' Smith.

In yesterday's blog, Cowers compared Ponting to the proverbial tub of vegemite: you either hate him or pretend to like him. But that is not strictly true: his vice-captain Michael Clarke has a certain fondness for his skipper - the feeling has just not spread.

Away from cricket Ponting does have a wide range of hobbies: he likes gambling on the horses, betting on the dogs, and even having a cheeky flutter back home. What further insight do you want?

The 36-year-old's tenure at the Aussie helm has been blighted by three Ashes defeats and stumbles against South Africa and India.

But those setbacks have not prevented him from becoming the most successful captain in Test history after he surpassed Steve Waugh's 41 wins in the 2009-10 Boxing Day Test.

Ponting has yet to lose a World Cup match as captain, and his only ever defeat at the tournament came back in the 1996 final against Sri Lanka. Can anyone suggest that he is not a winner?

There are many sides to 'Punter' Ponting - the front, the back, the left and the right - but the Australia captain divides opinion more than Mitchell Johnson's tribal tattoos.

A fierce competitor, a fearsome battler and a wonderfully angry man, Ponting's career has seen black eyes, admissions of alcoholism and numerous on-field scuffles.

Even within the context of a regulation victory over Canada, Ponting still managed to hurl the ball to the ground and stalk off away from his charges in unbridled fury and disgust after he nearly collided with team-mate Steve Smith in the outfield.

He was then dismissed for just seven runs before no doubt embarking upon round two with the TV set in his side's dressing room where Smith probably incurred another dose of his skipper's wrath for drilling Haribo while watching one of his favourite soaps.

But his stats stand out for themselves. Only Tendulkar has more centuries in both Tests and pyjama cricket than dead-eye Rick, and the records mount up for him like ICC disciplinary invoices.

Ponting deserves more credit for what he has achieved in the game, and more respect for everything he has contributed to it.

The Tasmanian's character may not be to most people's liking, but his achievements both as an individual and within a ground-breaking team must be appreciated.

Ponting will go down as one of the greats of the modern game, and cricket fans the world over should enjoy watching the Australia skipper for the remainder of what may well prove to be his final World Cup bow.

You would have to be incredibly naive to discount his prospects of making it a third successive title under his leadership.

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SHOT OF THE DAY: Perhaps it should be termed the 'shot of the tournament' - Hiral Patel rocked back in his crease before murdering a full 90mph delivery from Tait and depositing it into the stands over extra-cover. To make it all the better, the Canada opener then leant nonchalantly on his bat as if to say 'What? I can do that in my sleep!'

STAT OF THE DAY: As a result of their victory over Canada today, Australia have now gone 34 World Cup matches unbeaten.

TWEET OF THE DAY: "Sir Elton John has just sent me some champagne! Wow!" (A newly liberated Steve Davies reveals what he's up to while not on England duty.)

USER COMMENT OF THE DAY: "In all honesty, I'd rather swallow my Adam's apple and chew my own toenails than publicly admit it, but given the Aussie's ODI record (particularly in World Cups) how can anyone look further than Ponting?" (Royjohn4.)

COMING UP: Tomorrow sees the big one: the match which will, to a large extent, decide which four sides will emerge from the scrappy and chaotic Group B into the quarter-finals. England face the West Indies at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chepauk, Chennai, and the stakes could hardly be bigger.

CAPTION COMPETITION: Peter.evans73 is the big winner of yesterday's caption contest with his Younis Khan-related banter. Below is today's offering, so do your best to find the perfect line to fit in the comments section and the victor will be announced in tomorrow's blog...