Experimentation has been fruitful for us: Ponting

Mumbai, Oct 11 (UNI) Australian captain Ricky Ponting said experimentation is necessary in one-day cricket and it has proved beneficial to them.

''We always do experiments and it has proved to be fruitful,'' Ponting said at a promotional event here.

Australia used as many as 18 players in the recent DLF Cup Tri-series in Malaysia in an effort to find out who fits in which position.

His statement assumes significance against the backdrop of criticism of Indian team's constant change of batting order.

Asked whom he considers the best batsman of his times, Ponting, who himself has scored over 9,000 runs in both forms of cricket, said he regarded Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest batsman, while he rated West Indian pacer Curtly Ambrose and Pakistani left-arm seamer as the best bowlers he had faced.

''Ambrose used to pitch the ball in the right spot,'' he said.

Responding to a query about the strenghs and weakenesses of his side, Ponting said, ''We have got lots of experienced chaps who are used to performing well in any weather condition.'' He, however, admitted that having too many experienced lot and few younger players could be considered as their weakness.

Ponting said his side was looking forward to winning the Champions Trophy, the only major tournament Australia had not till date.

When asked on sledging at the field, which Australian teams are famous for, Ponting diplomatically said, ''Every team and every sport is involved in some sort of sledging but it is as good as it last and does not cross the limit.'' UNI JM KU PDS KN1020