Ponting eyes Ashes as one-day career ends

Ricky Ponting has retired from one-day cricket (GETTY IMAGES)

Ricky Ponting, Australia's most successful one-day cricketer, yesterday accepted that his limited-overs international career is over. However, he said he hoped to play in the 2013 Ashes.

Ponting is without peer in the 50-over game, having scored 13,704 runs in 375 matches at an average of 42. He won three World Cups, two as captain. The end of his limited-overs career – he retired from Twenty20 in 2009 – was signalled when he was dropped, after making 18 runs in five games against India and Sri Lanka.

Ponting said he had spoken to the chairman of selectors, John Inverarity, who had told him that he was not in Australia's plans for the 2015 World Cup.

Speaking at a press conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground, Ponting said: "It's a bit hard to say I've retired, given I've been dropped, but I don't expect to play one-day international cricket any more and I'm sure the selectors don't expect to pick me either. I have been dropped, which is disappointing, but my performances haven't warranted me being there. This is closure on my one-day international career but it's certainly not closure on my international career.

"I just love the game and I just love every opportunity I have to play for my country."