Ricky Ponting was on his way to making 197. Even then, this spell was vicious.
Champion Australian batsman Ricky Ponting has revealed the fastest spell that he faced in Test cricket.The frightening burst came during 1999 at the WACA, in the final Test of the Australia vs Pakistan series. Shoaib, who three years later bowled cricket's fastest-ever delivery , regularly broke 150km/h and extracted vicious bounce.
Pakistan were down an unrecoverable 2-0, coming off a controversial loss in Hobart in which a massive partnership from Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist helped Australia home. Langer nicked a ball off Wasim Akram during his innings of 127, but was given not out and the Aussies went on to win by four wickets, with Gilchrist making 149 not out.
Perhaps Shoaib was feeling aggrieved, or maybe he was inspired by the famously quick Perth pitch. Most likely he was frustrated; Ponting, batting No.6, had made the bulk of his first-innings 197 by the time that Shoaib unleashed the lightning spell, while Langer was nearing the end of his 144. Australia had recovered from 4-54 and went on to make 451, en route to a massive innings and 20 runs victory for a 3-0 series whitewash. Shoaib took 1-74; Langer was his only wicket, caught behind.Ponting, who made 13,378 runs for Australia in 168 Tests, had earlier revealed the best over that he ever faced.
That honour went to Andrew Flintoff, during the second Test of the 2005 Ashes at Edgbaston. It was the second innings and the ball was going reverse.
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