Windies will get the respect they deserve

Australia batsman Ricky Ponting comes face to face with West Indies apprentice bowler Gavin Tonge on Saturday in a Champions Trophy clash....

Australia batsman Ricky Ponting comes face to face with West Indies apprentice bowler Gavin Tonge on Saturday in a Champions Trophy clash where the outcome appears foregone conclusion. It is not so much a question of whether the Australians will win but by how much against opponents lacking stars like Chris Gayle and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

Even at full strength the West Indies no longer rank among the giants of the game while Australia invariably are title favourites. The Aussies arrived here this week weary but jubilant after thrashing England 6-1 in an ODI series.

At the same time,the fall and fall of West Indies cricket continued with a home series loss to Bangladesh. Ponting may have a tongue as sharp as his bat,but he refuses to write off their first opponents. The West Indies will get the respect they deserve from us. There is nothing we can do about the contractual dispute, he told reporters as the squad prepared at university grounds.

Two days ago 26-year-old Tonge leapt out of obscurity with 4/25 against Pakistan,who won by five wickets. Tonge could not speak highly enough of the pitch at the Wanderers. Hopefully it will be behaving the same way when we meet Australia.