Ponting rubbishes 'trained seals' claim
Australian captain Ricky Ponting has rubbished claims his players go up like trained seals in a systematic approach to trying to intimidate umpires into giving batsmen out by over-appealing.
South Africa goes into Monday's third and final Test against Australia at the SCG trailing the home side 1-0 in the series.
The touring teams coach Mickey Arthur says Australia, especially leg-spinner Shane Warne, put pressure on umpires by constantly going up for loud appeals.
But while ICC Match Referee Chris Broad says the Australians are pushing the line with their appeals, Ponting says his team is doing nothing wrong.
"I probably will have a chat to him (Broad) at some stage (this) morning about it, but there's been no complaints made to me, certainly from the referee or the umpires," Ponting said.
"The bottom line is we are only appealing for what we think is out or is certainly very close to being out.
"The ones I think we were appealing mostly the other day were ones where batsman weren't playing shots so I think you're fully entitled to appeal for ones like that, because obviously they can be given at different times.
"We certainly don't stand around in team meetings saying that as soon as the ball hits the guy on the pad, we're all going to jump up together, that's a load of rubbish."
Rival skipper Graeme Smith said it was Broad's job to decide if umpires were being put under pressure and being pushed into "making decisions".
"It's not our place to sit here and moan and groan about those things. We've just got to go out and make things happen for us," Smith said.
South Africa is considering promoting uncapped off-spinner Johan Botha to partner or replace Nicky Boje. Left-arm spinner Boje failed to take a wicket in Melbourne, where Australia won by 184 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Australia is expected to include opening batsman Justin Langer who missed the second Test with a hamstring injury but trained strongly in heatwave conditions at the SCG nets on Sunday.
The match starts at 1030 AEDT.
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