Sreesanth-Ponting altercation in warm-up game

Bangalore, Feb 13 (PTI) Temperamental India speedster SSreesanth was involved in a brief altercation with Australiancaptain Ricky Ponting during the World Cup warm-up game heretoday.

Sreesanth, who was drafted in the 15-member Indian squaddue to non-recovery of Praveen Kumar from injury, exchangedwords with Ponting twice during Australia''s run chase at theChinnaswamy Stadium.

Ponting, who returned to competitive cricket for thefirst time after injuring his finger in the second Ashes Testlast December, was beaten on quite a few occasions in the 10thover of the Australian innings bowled by Sreesanth.

A pumped up Sreesanth went up to Ponting to say a fewwords to which the Australian skipper responded verbally. Nextball a loud shout for caught behind was turned down by theumpire and Sreesanth expressed his frustration with signs byhis hands.

Sreesanth took one wicket at the expense of 21 runs fromhis five overs.