Last Updated on 1 year by Charbel Coorey

Cricket News: Spirit of cricket? Ricky Ponting pelted with grapes at The Oval | Fans throw grapes at Ricky Ponting

Commentator and former Australian captain Ricky Ponting was pelted with grapes after the first day of the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval.

The incident occurred as Ponting was speaking about the day’s play with fellow commentator Ian Ward and Australia offspinner Todd Murphy.

Ponting was visibly annoyed. He said he’d like to find out who it was throwing the grapes. One fan funnily tweeted that it may be Piers Morgan, who has been vocal in his discontent at Australia retaining the urn yet again.

Ricky Ponting pelted with grapes after first day’s play at The Oval

Ward, speaking to Murphy, said, “thanks for your time, appreciate you coming over and speaking to us you better go because we’re getting pelted by grapes.”

“I actually am someone’s just hit me with a grape and I wouldn’t mind finding out who it was actually,” replied Ponting.

Earlier, Ponting rubbished Joe Root’s wish for play to go till 10pm in the aftermath of the Old Trafford draw, which may have upset some England fans.

“You can’t just choose to change the laws of the game whenever you want to,” Ponting said on The ICC Review podcast.

“I’m sure there have been times when England have wanted to not get back out there and play themselves. I mean, that’s just a ridiculous thing to say.”

Some England supporters, many of whom have talked endlessly of the “spirit of cricket” in this Ashes series, have not covered themselves in glory. In the second Test at Lord’s, Australia’s players were subject to abuse and taunts in the Long Room on their way back to the dressing room after a perfectly legitimate and fair stumping.

The result in that Test gave Australia an advantageous 2-0 series lead. A win for England at Headingley kept the series alive, before the Manchester rain confirmed Australia’s retention of the urn.

Now, the Aussies are aiming to win their first Test series win in England since 2001. After opting to field at The Oval, Australia bowled England out for 283 thanks to a much more disciplined display particularly after the first hour.

England were 61/0 and quickly fell to 73/3. After recovering to 184/3, the hosts then lost their last seven wickets for 99 runs, with Australia’s seamers focusing on a consistent length in the offstump corridor.

Australia, in response, finished in a good position at 61/1. Usman Khawaja ended the day on 26*, crossing 1000 balls faced in the series in the process. Marnus Labuschagne, fresh off an excellent hundred at Old Trafford, is not out on two.