BBC SPORT | AUSTRALIA V SOUTH AFRICA | Healy praises Ponting promotion

Former wicket-keeper Ian Healy has praised the decision of the Australian selectors to axe Steve Waugh from the one-day side in order to allow younger players to come through.

Ricky Ponting replaced Waugh last week at the helm of the limited-overs team, although Waugh will remain as Test captain.

Healy - Test cricket's leading wicket-keeper in terms of dismissals - was dropped himself from one-day matches three years before his Test career came to an end.

"I thought it was a positive move, a gutsy call," he said.

"Ricky Ponting is the youngest, at 27, of the three contenders for the job and that tells all of the younger players in Australia that there's a chance for them to come into the side."

Ponting has little experience of captaincy at senior level, having led Tasmania only this season, and skippering Australia in two tour matches during last year's Ashes.

But Healy does not see that as a problem, saying that Ponting's greatest ability was to keep his tactics simple.

Ian Healy
Healy was dropped as one-day keeper in 1996
"He's prepared himself," he said. "I've got no problems with his cricketing brain, his ability to stay composed under pressure and to think outside himself, looking after other members of the team.

"If you get too far ahead of yourself - as the Australian side did looking at the World Cup in 12 months time - things can go wrong.

"You've got to keep it simple, especially under pressure, you've got to deal with the absolute basics."

'Tow-away zone'

Healy expected Shane Warne to be remotivated when the one-day squad is announced next week, with both Steve and Mark Waugh dropped from the side.

"The difference between the Waughs and Shane Warne is that Shane is five years younger, so he should get a real injection from this."

Shane Warne
Warne should take extra motivation from thje changes
And he felt that the Waugh twins still had something to contribute in the Test tside, which begins a three-match series with South Africa on Thursday.

"They're in the tow-away zone, as I was, where you've got to perform as enthusiasticly and as skilfully as at the start of your career.

"I think the two Waughs will get on and play really well."


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