Ricky Ponting has issued another volley of barbs at Jofra Archer over the England quick’s fiery run-in with Steve Smith in the dying stages of the second Ashes Test.
The Australian great went viral for his savage response to the war of words between Archer and Smith, during a pacy spell during the Aussies’ successful chase of 65 to claim victory by eight wickets.
“Jofra’s finally come to life – six days into the series, when the second Test has gone, he starts chirping,” Ponting said on Channel 7.
“Too late for that, champ.”
Speaking on SEN, Ponting explained that his ‘champing’ of Archer was fuelled by Steve Smith doing likewise on the field, having audibly quipped ‘Bowl fast when there’s nothing going on, champion’.
“When I ‘championed’ him, I could actually hear what Steve Smith had said to him in the stump mic,” the 50-year old said.
“Smithy said champion, and then that’s just what came out of my mouth, but it just got me going and got the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
“There haven’t been many games that I’ve commentated where I wish I was back playing again. But I wished I was out there the other night as part of that, because that’s what you miss and that’s what it’s all about.”
When given the opportunity to further criticise Archer, whose significantly slower bowling during Australia’s first-innings 511 has been much maligned, Ponting didn’t hesitate, also taking aim at the 30-year old bringing a pillow to the ground before Day 3 of the Test.
“He just embarrassed himself, and he embarrassed his team the other night,” Ponting said.
“To bowl his fastest spell ever in Test cricket, when Australia’s chasing 60 … it has been there the whole time, it’s been up his sleeve, and England have needed him to do it, and he hasn’t been willing to do it.
“Day 3, when they needed him to do it, he rocks up with his pillow under his arm – that was always going to be a bad day for England from that moment.
“As soon as anyone saw that it was going to be ‘okay, there’s their mindset for the day. They’re just going to rock up and Australia’s going to fall over and we’ll bowl them out’.
“Well, that doesn’t happen against Australia. It doesn’t happen in Ashes cricket.”
Australia’s 2-0 series lead leaves England, who controversially headed to Noosa to regroup after the Gabba Test, needing to become just the second ever team to win an Ashes series with a two-game deficit.
The third Test begins in Adelaide on Wednesday.