Ricky Ponting: “I feel deeply honoured to be recognised by the ICC in this way”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting, legendary India batsman Rahul Dravid and ex-England women’s batsman Claire Taylor were all inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame on Sunday night in Dublin.
“The ICC Cricket Hall of Fame is our way of honouring the greats of our game,” ICC chief executive David Richardson was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo. “Only the very best players in the world are recognised for their contribution to cricket in this way and I would like to congratulate Rahul, Ricky and Claire who are wonderful additions to the list of cricketing luminaries in the Hall of Fame.”
Ponting is the second-highest scorer in Test cricket as he accumulated 13,378 runs in 168 Tests, which included 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries, at an average of 51.85.
He is also the third-highest run-scorer in ODIs with 13,704 runs in 375 matches, which included 30 hundreds and 82 fifties, at an average of 42.03.
“I feel deeply honoured to be recognised by the ICC in this way,” Ponting, who is the 25th Australian player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, said. “I loved every moment of my journey as a player and am so very proud of the team and personal achievements along the way.”
Dravid, meanwhile, is the fourth-highest scorer in Test history as he scored 13,288 runs in 164 matches, which included 36 centuries and 63 fifties, at an average of 52.31.
In regards to ODI, Dravid occupies ninth place on the all-time run-scorers list with 10,889 runs in 344 games, which included 12 hundreds and 83 half-centuries, at an average of 39.16.
“It is a matter of great honour to be named by the ICC in the Cricket Hall of Fame,” Dravid said. “To find your name in a list of all-time greats across generations is something one only dreams of while setting out on a cricket career and the kind of recognition that would delight any player.”
As for Taylor, she is the seventh woman to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame.
The 42-year-old represented England in 15 Tests and scored 1,030 runs, which included four centuries and two fifties, at an average of 41.20.
She also featured in 126 ODIs, scoring 4,101 runs, which included eight hundreds and 23 half-centuries, at an average of 40.20.
Her Twenty20 career consisted of 27 matches, where she amassed 615 runs, which included three fifties, at an average of 27.95.
“It’s a great honour to be inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame alongside some of the greatest names of the men’s and women’s game from across the world and throughout the generations, players who I looked up to during my playing career and hold in great esteem,” Taylor said.