Ricky Ponting was one of cricket's greatest batsmen and most competitive players — but his temper was as short as his backlift. His tantrums, particularly during the 2005 Ashes, became the stuff of legend and provided endless entertainment for fans and opposition alike. Ponting competed at a temperature setting that was permanently set to "about to boil over," and it didn't take much to push him from simmering frustration to volcanic eruption.
The Gary Pratt run-out tantrum was just the tip of the iceberg. Ponting was involved in numerous fiery exchanges with umpires, particularly during DRS (Decision Review System) decisions that went against him. His face would turn beetroot red, his jaw would set like granite, and the veins in his neck would pop like garden hoses about to burst as he unleashed his displeasure at anyone within earshot. He once remonstrated so vigorously with an umpire that his teammates had to physically guide him away, like handlers managing a particularly angry bull.
His competitive fire also led to some amusing moments of poor sportsmanship — he once claimed a catch that clearly bounced, leading to replays that showed the ball hitting the ground first and Ponting's "Who, me?" expression that fooled absolutely nobody. The look of innocence on a man who clearly knew the ball had bounced was itself a masterpiece of unintentional comedy.
Despite — or perhaps because of — his temper, Ponting was enormously entertaining. You never knew when the volcano would erupt, and when it did, it was appointment viewing. His tantrums were democratic — he would shout at umpires, opponents, teammates, and occasionally inanimate objects with equal vigor. The cricket bat, the stumps, and the dressing room furniture all bore the scars of Ponting's competitive fury.