Skipper Ricky Ponting was forced to defend his tactics after Australia wrapped up the series over New Zealand with a 213-run win in the second Test. Ponting was criticised for not enforcing the follow-on in Adelaide and declaring after his side took 56 overs to make 139-2 in their second innings.
"I was out there copping most of it, but you've got to do certain things.
"One two-hour period and it's all over the papers. We achieved what we wanted to achieve," Ponting said.
"It's not the way I play my cricket most of the time, but it was the way we discussed it.
"There are different times when individual players are asked to do things different.
"I can understand the crowd, but I'm disappointed when I read about it because we've entertained a lot better than any other side in the history of the game."
Ponting said it was a deliberate ploy to keep New Zealand in the field in the heat of the South Australian capital.
"We wanted to keep them in the field as long as we could and keep them out of the game so they had no momentum whatsoever in their second innings," he explained.
"We worked things out really well and came away with another win."
New Zealand were dismissed for 250 on the final day with each of Australia's five bowlers taking two wickets.
"This group of bowlers is something very special and the way we were able to build and maintain pressure was something very special," Ponting said.
"They did a fantastic job."
MMIX
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We've entertained a lot better than any other side in the history of the game 
