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| March 23, 2003 | Sunday | Muharram 19, 1424 |
Ponting has no time for myth
JOHANNESBURG, March 22: India have recent history on their side when they attempt to end Australia’s 16-match winning streak in Sunday’s final.
The last time the Australians put together such a run of consecutive victories — 16 Tests wins, also a world record, between October 1999 and February 2001 — it was ended by Saurav Ganguly’s side in an extraordinary match in Kolkata.
“I’m not really superstitious and it had not really occurred to me,” Australia captain Ricky Ponting said when that statistic was presented to him.
“I’m not a big one for awareness of those sorts of statistics anyway. They (India) can make something of it if they want but I don’t know it will make them play any better on Sunday.”
Australia arrived in South Africa with six wins in succession, having won a home tri-series against England and Sri Lanka. They have won all 10 of their Cup matches.
Ganguly was also not looking back to his side’s win in Kolkata, where India became only the third side in history to win a Test after being forced to follow on, for inspiration on Sunday.
“I am not superstitious about it,” he said. “We won in Eden Gardens by playing very well and we have to do the same in Wanderers if we are to repeat it.”—Reuters
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