Concerned Ponting urges players to provide exciting Tests

Sydney, Jul 8 (UNI) Australia captain Ricky Ponting is worried over the future of Test cricket and has appealed to international players to provide entertaining matches to ensure its popularity in the wake of the Twenty20 phenomenon.

''A few 50-over games will make way for 20-over cricket but I'd hate to see it touch Test cricket,'' Ponting told Cricinfo. ''Right at the moment, (Test cricket) is probably not in its healthiest state. I think it's up to all of us to make sure that we're putting on a good enough spectacle to bring crowds back to the game.'' Ponting voiced his support for the proposed tournament-style Test world championship but said finding the right formula the for the tournament would be the biggest challenge.

''I don't think there's anything wrong with it, but I think the logistics of it is going to be the difficult thing,'' he said.

''What it does do, I guess, is make sure that every Test you play has a lot riding on it as far as points go. But I've always said that every Test match Australia plays always means a lot to us anyway.'' Ponting is resting after undergoing minor surgery in Melbourne for a tendon injury in his right wrist that forced him out of Australia's final two one-day internationals in the Caribbean.

Ponting suffered the injury during Australia's third one-day international in Grenada on June 29.

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