5 careers which never took off under Ricky Ponting’s captaincy

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting led his country in what turned out to be a golden era of cricket for them; players like Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist dominated the world with one stupendous performance after another. Post their retirement, a number of names made it into the national side but were rarely recognized as a result of either their inconsistency or sudden selection decisions.

Five of those names have been mentioned below: cricketers who had immense ability, but whose careers never took off during the Ponting days.

#1 David Hussey

An inability to convert starts into big scores hurt David Hussey's cause

The younger Hussey did have his opportunities in international cricket, albeit at a relatively older age, just like Mike Hussey. Slotting into the middle-order on the West Indies tour in 2008, David Hussey made his ODI debut just days before turning 31 – he had played only two T20 internationals until then, one of which had come on the same tour – and responded with a 50 in a one-run win at Basseterre. Another half-century followed two days later, but a big score took some time to come, with his maiden – and only – ODI hundred coming against Scotland in mid-2009.

Hussey hit a purple patch during the 2011-12 tri-series at home against India and Sri Lanka, when in 11 innings, he struck five fifties, including a quickfire 61* from 30 balls against India at Melbourne. He ended the tournament with an average of 54.88 and a strike rate of 101; but with age catching up fast and fresher legs waiting in the wings, Hussey was shown the door after 69 ODIs and 39 T20Is, his last international game coming in 2013.

#2 Stuart Clark

Stuart Clark started his Test career with a Man of the Series performance in South Africa in 2006

A medium-pacer who tried his best to squeeze into the Australian side in the presence of the mighty trio of Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie, Stuart Clark was only offered sporadic opportunities, though they became more frequent once Gillespie was dropped in 2006. Beginning with a bang on the tour of South Africa in the same year, Clark was the Man of the Series with 20 wickets at a measly 15.85, having taken the place of McGrath, who was away to attend to his sick wife.

That form continued in the 2006-07 Ashes, where he tormented the Englishmen with his accuracy which brought him 26 wickets at 17.04, and against India the following summer, having dismissed Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman each twice in the series. When in West Indies in 2008, Clark bagged 13 scalps at 19.31, including career-best figures of 5/32 in the first Test at Jamaica, where he was named the Man of the Match.

But 24 Tests and 39 ODIs were all that came his way, though he was never entirely injury free as well.

#3 Nathan Hauritz

Nathan Hauritz's finest series came against Pakistan at home in 2009-10

A bowler tested during the lengthy period that Australia were in the hunt for a respectable spinner post-Shane Warne, Nathan Hauritz’s debut came in a low scoring encounter on a treacherous track at Mumbai in 2004, but he was forgotten once Warne retired, with Brad Hogg getting the nod even in the longest format.

Come the 2008 home summer, by which time even Hogg and Stuart MacGill were gone, the tall off-spinner made a memorable return to the national side, against New Zealand. Labelled a player who could mix attack and defense in a fine manner, Hauritz then found success during the 2009 Ashes in England, where he got 10 wickets in the first three Tests.

He did well against West Indies in that home summer too, but his finest hour was foxing the Pakistan batsmen, always renowned as better players of spin bowling, during the 2009-10 series at home. Hauritz won the 2009 Champions Trophy with Australia, but was done away with after consecutive series where he averaged sixty plus with the ball in 2010.

#4 Doug Bollinger

Despite bringing the variety of left-arm pace, Doug Bollinger could not succeed at the highest level

Being a left-arm fast bowler meant Doug Bollinger brought variety, but he soon found himself out of the reckoning with the more fiery Mitchell Johnson finding greater favour. A career which began in 2009 across formats ended in 2011, though his final appearance came in a T20 international in 2014. The strongly built Bollinger always threatened with his pace and over-the-wicket angle – particularly to right-handers – but could not last more than 12 Tests and 39 ODIs.

In his second Test series, he got his only five-for, against West Indies at Perth in 2009, and followed that up with 12 wickets against Pakistan. When he went to New Zealand in the new year, he left an imprint there with 12 further scalps; and on the dry pitches of India late in 2010, his swing and movement impressed the selectors enough to give him a go in the Ashes that followed. But in the second Test at Adelaide, just one wicket in a massive loss meant they never turned to him again, though he featured in ODIs until late 2011.

#5 Ben Hilfenhaus

Ben Hilfenhaus' Test career eventually ended with 99 wickets in 27 matches

Yet another tall fast bowler with the ability to swing the ball both ways, Ben Hilfenhaus struggled with injuries and often found himself out of the national side as Australia rebuilt themselves post the days of the stalwarts of the early twenty-first century. Despite being presented with an opportunity to cement his place in the team considering Glenn McGrath’s retirement and Brett Lee’s fragility, Hilfenhaus could not make the most of his chances in either format.

He performed exceptionally against a strong Indian batting line up at home in 2011-12 – 27 wickets in 4 Tests came at 17.22 – bowling out Rahul Dravid thrice. An equally good outing in the West Indies followed in 2012, but against South Africa at home the following season, he struggled against potent batsmen. Eventually, Hilfenhaus ended with 99 Test wickets in 27 matches to go with 29 in 25 ODIs.