Ponting's birthday: 5 best innings played by Ricky Ponting

#4 196 vs England at Brisbane, 1st Test, 2006

Coming into the 2006-07 Ashes series, Ponting was under huge pressure as Australia had conceded the urn to England the previous year. It was going to be a make or break Ashes for Ponting as another defeat could well have spelt the end for his term as the captain.

But he soaked in the pressure and lived up to his reputation, leading his team from the front. He played a belligerent knock and remained unbeaten on 137 at the end of the first day's play.

Though he would agonisingly fall short of a double hundred by four runs, his knock of 196 was one of the finest innings he ever played. It set up the match for an Australian victory and eventually a 5-0 thrashing of England in that Ashes series.