Ponting, Clarke joint winners of Allan Border medal

Melbourne, Feb 4 (PTI) Under-fire Australian captain Rick Ponting has got a reason to smile in the toughest time of his career as he shared the Allan Border Medal with his deputy Michael Clarke.This is for first time in the 10-year history of the award that two people have jointly awarded the top honour.
Ponting and Clarke collected 41 votes apiece as the award panel considered 12 Tests and 17 one-dayers internationals over the last 12 months.
Ponting's medal votes were broken up into 22 from his team-mates and 19 from a combined media and umpires tally, whereas Clarke received 21 and 20.
Ponting, who has won the honour previously in 2004, '06 and '07, was surprised to win the award again and hit back at the criticism that Australian team was on decline.
"This is an amazing shock to me ... (I was) just waiting for either 'Pup' or Mitch to get up here tonight and accept the award," he was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press.
Australia's one-day team has lost its numero uno status and on the verse of being overtaken by India and South Africa in Tests.
"As we all know it's been an up-and-down year for the team and everybody right at the moment is writing us off," Ponting said. PTI