Ricky Ponting Test series since 1992–93. Australia lost the series 2–1, the first time South Africa had won a Test series against Australian since 1970, and the first on Australian soil. Ponting totalled 285 runs at 47.50 for the series. With the retirement of experienced opening batsman Matthew Hayden—who was replaced by the uncapped 20-year-old Phillip Hughes—the Australian team that toured South Africa in February, March and April 2009 was its most inexperienced since the defections to World Series Cricket. This was further compounded by the loss of Andrew Symonds to injury, who was replaced by the uncapped Marcus North. The bowling
Ricky Ponting Ponting resigned his position as captain at both Test and ODI levels, endorsed Michael Clarke as his successor, and indicated his intention to continue playing. In 2011, Ponting was inducted into Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) 'Best of the Best'. He was selected in Michael Clarke's teams for the tours of Sri Lanka and South Africa in 2011, scoring an important half-century (62) in the fourth innings of the second Test against South Africa in Johannesburg, helping Australia chase down a target of 310 to draw the series 1–1. In the 2011–12 Australian summer, a disappointing series draw with New