To the fore: The Aussie Ponting has tipped to ‘set the international scene on fire’
Ricky Ponting knows a thing or two about batting – and about forearms.
His arms, dubbed the world’s hairiest by Shane Warne, were one of the symbols of Australian cricket’s power era in the 2000s, swatting pull shots, uncoiling drives and back foot forcing shots at number three for the world’s undisputed best team.
Jake Fraser-McGurk in action in the second Twenty20 against England.Credit: Getty Images
Among the group who have been near the top of the game for Australia over the past decade, Glenn Maxwell has similarly powerful forearms – the better to conjure sixes out of nowhere and snatch victories when defeat looked much more likely.
On one occasion a few years ago, Ponting and Maxwell actually sat side by side to compare forearms, and another such comparison this week has underlined why Jake Fraser-McGurk is being talked about in similar company.
For Ponting, who mentored Fraser-McGurk in the Indian Premier League this year, it isn’t a question so much of hair but of power. With refinement, Ponting believes it can take the 22-year-old to an all-format career of the kind sculpted by David Warner.
‘If you look at his physique and shake his hand, he’s got big, strong hands, strong forearms and he’s a natural cricketer.’
Ricky Ponting on Jake Fraser-McGurk
“He hasn’t set the international scene on fire yet, but he will,” Ponting told Sky Cricket this week.
“I’ve had an eye on him for a few years now, seeing him in the Big Bash and some of the cameos he’s played there. We got him to Delhi in the IPL and some of the things he did there were just unbelievable.
“He hits the ball as cleanly and as hard as anyone I think I’ve ever seen, and he’s ... slightly taller than me. He’s not a big bloke. But he’s one of those guys who ... you just get around people and they’re just born cricketers. If you look at his physique and shake his hand, he’s got big, strong hands, strong forearms and he’s a natural cricketer. In the field as well, he’s a gun in the field.”
In June, Fraser-McGurk was a World Cup reserve while Warner played his final tournament for Australia. They have spent plenty of time together for franchise and country, discussing Test cricket, constant travel and plenty else in between.
David Warner with Fraser-McGurk.Credit: WhatsApp
“As a young kid, he understands what the game’s about, what it’s like to be around the group as a team player. He asks a lot of questions and he loves the game, which is great,” Warner has said.
The possibilities ahead of Fraser-McGurk were demonstrated by his first Twenty20 international half-century, notched from 29 balls against England in Cardiff in game two of a three-match series that will conclude on Monday morning.
That innings showed some evidence of the rounding process that Ponting, Warner and others agree will be required for Fraser-McGurk to progress from white ball to red for Australia. He has a trusted source of advice in Richmond Cricket Club coach Shannon Young, and will also need to filter the many other technical tips sure to follow him around the world.
“He needs a bit of refinement with his batting,” Ponting said. “He almost stands like a baseballer all the time and he’s got very much almost a single hitting plane that he’s got to keep continually working on to keep opening up different areas of the ground.
“That was the only thing I worked on with him at Delhi last season, was don’t cut the ground in half and thinking you can only hit the ball down here [over the on side], so I just had him setting up slightly differently and allowing him to hit the ball over mid-off and over extra cover and things like that.”
Nevertheless, it is Fraser-McGurk’s ceiling that has so many keen observers talking. Right now, there’s no real indicator of how high it may be.
“He is a bit like Warner ... where they are at about the same age is very similar,” Ponting said. “Davey bursting on the scene in the T20 game, no one really thought he could turn himself into a Test match batsman let alone a Test match opener, but I think when you’ve got that much ball-striking talent and skill, I think he can do it. If he wants to.
“I’m sure he will want to but there are so many other things you can do now domestically and white-ball wise, but I hope he has that dream and want to play Test cricket, because I think he can do it.”
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