ESPNcricinfo, the world’s leading digital cricket brand, has announced that Ricky Ponting is joining ESPNcricinfo as both a columnist and video commentator.
Ponting, one of the most uncompromising players of his generation, will offer his insights and comments on the key cricket action of 2015 including the ICC Cricket World Cup and the Ashes, joining ESPNcricinfo at a time of tremendous growth. With 21 years of heritage, ESPNcricinfo continues to expand and enhance its offerings of content and video, taking storytelling to the next level.
Sambit Bal, editor-in-chief of ESPNcricinfo, said, “With three marquee events – India v Australia, the World Cup and Ashes – coming back-to-back over the next 12 months, Ricky Ponting is a massive signing for us. Apart from being a legend of our game, and a World Cup and Ashes hero, he is also a keen and articulate student of the game. His insights and intimate knowledge of the contemporary game will be an invaluable addition to our coverage.”
Ponting said, “I’m really excited to be joining the team at ESPNcricinfo. I’ve been an avid consumer of the site for many years and now can’t wait to share my insights as a contributor especially as the next 12 months will have so many highlights and gripping contests.”
The signing of Australia’s most successful Test captain and triple ICC Cricket World Cup winner forms part of ESPNcricinfo’s wider ICC Cricket World Cup coverage and content plans. On Wednesday, November 5 ESPNcricinfo will launch a 100 day countdown to the start of the tournament with a completely responsive microsite dedicated to World Cup 2015 which will include:
- ICC Cricket World Cup trivia section
- Daily World Cup editorial and blog features covering the teams, players, and venues alongside video and photographic content
- A comprehensive World Cup travel site highlighting key information for anyone wanting to attend any of the match venues during the ICC Cricket World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
ESPNcricinfo will also give global cricket fans the World Cup Timeline section which deep dives into each of the previous World Cups, including galleries, quizzes, overview and videos from each of the World Cups. World Cup Vignettes, a new video series, will allow fans to relive 50 landmark moments from the ten previous World Cup tournaments. From exceptional individual performances to the raw emotion of the crowd, each vignette will feature interviews from players, umpires and journalists and be accompanied by a written article.
Additionally, Mark Nicholas will present Men of the Finals, a series analysing the individuals who have produced exceptional performances to help their country win cricket’s most coveted international trophy. Hearing from the players themselves and those who witnessed their exploits first-hand the backstory and performance will be critiqued during each episode of the series. Users in the United States, Canada and the West Indies will be able to watch actual match clips for both World Cup Vignettes and Men of the Finals.