Melbourne, Nov. 14 : Australian Test captain Ricky Ponting today endorsed the recall of Andrew Symonds to the national team, describing him as an invaluable asset.

"He''s a great team man and a great player. He''s someone we look forward to having around," the Courier Mail quoted Ponting, as saying.

Launching his sixth book of the series Captain''s Diary in Sydney, Ponting''s praise of Symonds came just a couple of hours before the all rounder was named in the Test team to play New Zealand.

Sydney, Nov. 13 : The New Zealand cricket team see captain Ricky Ponting as the key to their chances of beating Australia in the two-Test series that gets underway from tomorrow.

New Zealand paceman Chris Martin, who will lead a likely four-pronged pace attack on the hard and fast Brisbane surface, said Ponting''s wicket remained the key for the tourists.

Hobart (Tasmania), Nov. 13 : The Tasmanian Parliament is debating Ricky Ponting''s captaincy of the Australian cricket team.

Sports Minister Michelle O''Byrne has put a notice of motion to the house regarding the leadership qualities of the Apple Isle''s favourite son, who is under fire for his handling of the losing Test series in India.

Sydney, Nov. 13: Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting has received strong backing from Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland over the over rate debacle in the fourth Test against India.

Speaking at the launch of Ponting''''s Captain''''s Diary 2008, Sutherland backed Ponting''''s decision to bowl spinners and part-timers in a bid to reel back a slow over rate when wickets were needed to salvage the series, ultimately lost 2-0.

Sydney, Nov. 13: Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting says the current over-rates controversy ranks with last summer''s Sydney Test turmoil as his toughest time in cricket.

"(Sydney) was probably the most difficult time I''ve had to deal with as an Australian captain and an Australian player and I''m probably confronting the other one right at the moment," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ponting, as saying.

Sydney, Nov 11 : Aussie cricketing greats and former skippers have blasted captain Ricky Ponting for his selection of bowlers on day four of the last Test in Nagpur which India won by 172 runs, thereby winning the four-match series 2-0.