Ponting scores 162 in a warning to Proteas

24 Oct 2012, 7:48 pm   -   Source: AAP

Tasmania's Ricky Ponting has warmed up for next month's South Africa Test series with a stunning 162 not out against Victoria at the MCG.

Ricky Ponting averaged over 100 in last summer's Test series against India but the veteran says he's in even better form ahead of the three-match series against South Africa.

And Ponting has laughed off South Africa captain Graeme Smith's taunt about his technical weaknesses, saying the No.1-ranked Proteas know playing those sort of mind games won't work with him.

Ponting played a superb knock of 162 not out on Wednesday as Tasmania declared their first innings closed on 5-439 after lunch on day two at the MCG.

The visitors tightened their grip on the contest late on day two by claiming four wickets as the Bushrangers reached 4-132 at stumps.

Ponting struck 20 fours and one six in stunning 242-ball display in an innings lasting almost six hours.

The 37-year-old former Test skipper has scored 290 runs at an average of 145.00 in Shield cricket this season.

Ponting conquered Victoria's Test pacemen Peter Siddle (1-99) and James Pattinson (0-89) and said it was vital he had a good preparation in this match ahead of the first Test in Brisbane on November 9.

"For me against a really good Victorian attack to spend that amount of balls at the crease and come away undefeated with a big hundred under my belt is perfect for what I've got coming up in the next few weeks," Ponting said.

"I feel like I'm actually on top of batting again. Batting is starting to feel a bit easier than it did 12 months ago."

South Africa captain Graeme Smith said this week he felt he had the fast bowlers at his disposal to exploit Ponting's previous issue with falling across his stumps and being vulnerable to lbw dismissals early in his innings.

"It's water off a duck's back. I've had opposition teams trying to pick my technique apart for 20 years and I've managed to find a way to combat things most of the time," Ponting said.

"Australian teams have been able to mentally pull apart opposition teams and opposition players. But I'm pretty sure Graeme knows it won't work with me."

Despite averaging 108.80 in last summer's four-Test series against India, Ponting still felt his batting was a work in progress at that stage.

"I had to work exceptionally hard on things through the summer on my game. I haven't had to work as hard on those little aspects," he said.

"I feel like I'm in control of things again.

"Any batsmen will tell you if they're hitting the ball well down the ground, it generally means that they're playing well.

"All the shots of old this week were there. The on-drives and lots of good pull shots this game as well."

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