Ponting defects to NSW in bid to save test career

Former Australian test captain and life-long Tasmanian, Ricky Ponting, has reportedly taken the extraordinary step of defecting to New South Wales in order to ensure his selection for the upcoming Boxing Day test match against India.

Sources close to Ponting, a former tourism ambassador for the Apple Isle, say he is seeking to take advantage of a clause 99.9(iv) of Cricket Australia’s constitution which stipulates that, at any given time, the Australian cricket team “must comprise at least six New South Welshmen” regardless of “form, ability or merit.”

“It’s certainly an innovative approach… much more innovative than anything I could ever come up with, that’s for sure.” chairman of selectors John Inverarity said yesterday. “It’s allowed us to drop Khawaja, in spite of his superior form, without breaching the quota.”

The White Maggot understands the controversial clause, ratified in 1992 as a means to justify Dean Jones’ still not yet fully explained omission from the test team, was behind Cricket Australia’s indefensible retention of Philip Hughes for the recent New Zealand series.