Somerset Deny Ponting Talk

Somerset insist they are not in discussions to sign former Australia captain Ricky Ponting amid speculation he could join a county club this season.

Reports have suggested that Ponting could return to Somerset, where he enjoyed a brief stint in 2004, in the second half of the season to push his claims for an Ashes place next summer. 

The 37-year-old has found himself out of favour with Australia's one-day international set-up with his Test career only revived following a stellar home series against India in the winter. 

Ponting has previously admitted his desire to return to county cricket and while Somerset would not rule out a move, they have not begun talks. 

'We are not in active discussions for that to happen at this point,' a spokesman said. 'It would be wrong to suggest that you would not want to wish to sign a player like Ricky Ponting but it is not a highway we are travelling down at the moment. 

'We are keeping our options open at this point.'

Somerset have already signed South Africa's rising star Vernon Philander for the opening part of the season, but the quick bowler will be unavailable once the Proteas' tour of England begins in early July. 

That has opened up the possibility of a move for Ponting, with Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose saying it was an option he would like to explore. 

After captaining Tasmania to defeat in the Sheffield Shield final this week Ponting would be without any first-class cricket until Australia's series against South Africa next winter. 

The right-hander hinted he would like to fill that time with a county move earlier this year, when he held a press conference admitting his ODI career was over, but was concerned there would be no vacancies for him. 

'To be totally honest I think most of the county sides would already have their international players signed in and locked in for next season anyway - probably at the moment that's an outside chance for me to go and play county cricket,' he said. 

'There's no doubt that I need to be as well prepared as possible for I think it's the start of November in Australia when the Test series starts (against South Africa).'

But with Somerset, and a number of other counties, still yet to fill their overseas roster for the whole season Test cricket's third-highest run-scorer could yet appear in county ranks this term.

Ponting Makes Boxing Day Cut

Australia have dropped batsmen Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja for the Boxing Day Test against India at Melbourne - but former captain Ricky Ponting keeps his place in a 13-man squad.

Hughes and Khawaja were omitted after Australia's humiliating defeat by New Zealand earlier this month.

Uncapped Tasmania opener Ed Cowan is set for a Test debut at the top of the order as Shane Watson is out injured.

Seamer Ben Hilfenhaus and fit-again batsman Shaun Marsh are also recalled.

All-rounder Dan Christian, who played three Twenty20 internationals in 2010 but is yet to feature for his country in the longer formats of the game, remains an option after he was 12th man for that defeat by the Kiwis in Hobart.

Ponting had been warned by coach Mickey Arthur that his place was not guaranteed, but has not been discarded despite being outscored by both Hughes and Khawaja at Hobart.

Arthur told BBC Radio 4:"To be honest, I still think Ricky still has a little bit left in him. He's still fit enough, providing he's scoring runs, to play a role in that Ashes series in 2013 - but the ball's in his court.

"Any international cricketer's currency is runs if you're a batsmen and he's got to put those runs on the board."

Tellingly, Hughes and Khawaja were not part of a three-day batting "boot camp" organised before the squad was named - although Ponting, Christian, Watson, captain Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin were included.

Instead, Hughes and Khawaja played for a Cricket Australia Chairman's XI in a warm-up game against India, while Cowan's hundred in that game may have aided his selection.

The main choice for the final XI appears to be between Marsh and Christian, if the former's back injury does not resurface, while Hilfenhaus - who was dropped after the Ashes series defeat by England just under a year ago - will challenge Mitchell Starc for the third seamer's role, as Ryan Harris is not yet fit enough to return.

National selector John Inverarity said: "Ed Cowan has been in excellent form in recent weeks. His inclusion is in recognition of his consistently good performances and we anticipate that he can provide steadiness at the top of the order.

"Ben Hilfenhaus has regained form this season and he provides a strong and reliable bowling option.

"We see both Phillip Hughes and Usman Khawaja as developing players with bright futures and remaining as players of significance. They are determined young men and I know they will work hard to push strongly for further consideration."

The traditional Boxing Day Test at the MCG is the start of a four-Test series against India.

Australia squad for first Test against India: Michael Clarke (capt), Ed Cowan, David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Daniel Christian, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Ben Hilfenhaus.

India Test squad: Mahendra Dhoni (capt & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Umesh Yadav.

AUSTRALIA'S BATSMEN - 2011 TEST RECORD

Phillip Hughes: 8 Tests, 404 runs (av 26.93)

Usman Khawaja: 6 Tests, 263 runs (av 29.22)

Ricky Ponting: 6 Tests, 293 runs (av 26.63)

Ponting Given Test Warning

Australia coach Mickey Arthur has warned former captain Ricky Ponting he will only be picked for this winter's four Tests against India on merit.

Ponting, 37, is Australia's leading Test-run scorer, having compiled a total of 12,656 at an average of 52.29.

But since relinquishing the captaincy in March, Ponting has scored 293 runs in six Tests at an average of 26.

Arthur said: "Ricky is vital to where we want to take this team [but] I don't think anyone's guaranteed a start."

Ponting, who oversaw Australia's third Ashes loss in four series last winter, resigned following his side's quarter-final exit at the World Cup in India.

His recent form has prompted much debate in Australia as to whether he should be dropped or allowed to decide the manner of his own exit.

He has accumulated two half-centuries in his last four Test innings but scored just 21 runs in the defeat by New Zealand in Hobart earlier this month.

Ponting, who has scored 39 Test centuries, is third behind Indian duo Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid on the most Test runs list.

However, he has been sent to a batting boot camp along with captain Michael Clarke, Mike Hussey, Shane Watson, Dan Christian and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, in the wake of Australia slumping from 159-2 to 233 all out in losing to the Kiwis.

South African Arthur said: "We are really hoping that he finds his form and hopefully that form is just around the corner.

"I've backed Ricky Ponting like I've backed Mike Hussey for a period of time because I think they're crucial to the development of the side.

"For our young batters, to bat with guys like that is fantastic. But they need to keep giving us ammunition, they need to keep giving us performances.

"Nobody's guaranteed a start, nobody's got a privilege to play in the Australian cricket team. They've got to be producing the goods and giving us ammunition to play."

Arthur, a member of Australia's five-man selection panel, will help decide on Ponting's immediate future on Tuesday.

Australia begin the four-Test series against India with the traditional Boxing Day game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on 26 December.

PONTING'S TEST PERFORMANCES IN 2011

10 & 51* v England (Brisbane)

0 & 9 v England (Adelaide)

12 & 1 v England (Perth)

10 & 20 v England (Melbourne)

44 & 4 v Sri Lanka (Galle)

48 & 28 v Sri Lanka (Colombo)

8 & 0 v S Africa (Cape Town)

0 & 62 v S Africa (Jo'burg)

78 v N Zealand (Brisbane)

5 & 16 v N Zealand (Hobart)