Ricky Ponting be the best 17-year-old batsman Academy coach Rod Marsh had ever seen. Playing five games for Tasmania for the 1992 Under–19 carnival in Perth, Ponting scored 350 runs, earning him selection in the 13-man national Under–19 development squad for the upcoming tour of South Africa—the first Australian cricket team to make an official tour to the country since Bill Lawry's team in 1970. After scoring 114 not out in club match against Riverside, Ponting became the youngest player to appear for Tasmania in a Sheffield Shield match, breaking Boon's record by 14 days. In November 1992, with Ponting just 17
Ricky Ponting with the Australian cricket team in India in 2008–09 allowed to happen again." The barrage of Ponting's decision continued, with then Australian leading Test run-scorer (since overtaken by Ponting) saying on Fox Sports, "I don't know what to make of this. They go into the tea break on a high and come out worrying about over-rates. I am glad Ricky can't read my mind right now because he is not going to like it." Ponting later admitted that Border's comment was the one that hurt him the most, despite News Limited reporter Jon Pierik describing his captaincy as a "joke", while Malcolm Conn from "The Australian" wrote it was