MELBOURNE: Former Australia skipper Ricky Ponting on Friday posted picture of the bat with which he played a knock of 156 against England in the 2005 Ashes Series- an innings which he is "most proud of" in his entire career.
"In the back half of my career I marked the hundreds I made on the handle of my bats under the grip. This is the bat I used when I made 156 against England at Manchester in the 2005 Ashes. It's probably the innings I'm most proud of from my whole career," Ponting said in a tweet along with two pictures of the bat.
In the third Test played in Manchester at the Old Trafford in the 2005 Ashes series, Ponting had played an unbelievable knock courtesy which Australia were able to draw the match.
Chasing 423 to win, Australia could manage to reach 371/9 on the final day before the match ended in a pulsating draw. It was an unbelievable last-wicket partnership between Brett Lee and Glenn McGrath -- who remained unbeaten on 18 and 5 -- that saved the match for the visitors.
England had won that Ashes series 2-1 against Australia. Australia had emerged victorious in the opening Test at Lord's, but then the side went on to lose the second and fourth Test match.
Ponting had earlier said that 2005 Ashes was one of the most enthralling contests that he has been part of in his entire career.
"It was my childhood dream to play some Ashes cricket. I have played in eight or nine Ashes series so there are some fond memories and then there are some which are not that fond memories," the former Australian skipper had said in an Instagram video he uploaded after David Warner's request.
"One such not so fond memory includes the 2005 Ashes series, where we were beaten by Michael Vaughan's England. It was probably one of the all-time great series, Vaughan's team was too good. We won the first Test at Lord's but then came the Edgbaston Test, it was one of the all-time great Tests and we came up short, then in the third Test we had to battle it out for a draw," he added.