CRICKET Australia yesterday congratulated Ricky Ponting and his team after it improved on its formidable recent record in ICC ODI events – three successive ICC World Cups and then the second successive ICC Champions Trophy.

CA Chief Executive Officer James Sutherland said the win – the 10th in the last 11 ODI matches Australia have played – was also a tribute to the depth of talent in Australian one-day cricket.

“To cement our world number-one ranking by winning this world championship after losing critical players such as Brad Haddin, Nathan Bracken and then Michael Clarke to injury was a great effort by the group, and is an encouraging sign for our imminent series against India and the summer ahead here in Australia,” he said.

“We often say that Australian interstate cricket is the toughest domestic cricket in the world and clearly, the Ford Ranger Cup, which starts again this Sunday at the WACA, with a Retravision Warriors game against the XXXX Queensland Bulls, is continuing to produce talented players capable of stepping up and succeeding at international level.”

Sutherland also noted that the rejuvenated, shorter and tighter Champions Trophy format had been a success and showed that 50-over international cricket still has plenty of life in it when packaged and presented appropriately.

“I had the good fortune to see one of our matches when I was in South Africa for last week’s ICC Chief Executive Committee meeting, and I congratulate the ICC and host body, Cricket South Africa, on their collective efforts in pulling together an action-packed tournament that was enjoyed by millions of fans around the world.” (CA)