'Struggling' Cowan, Ponting stuck in 'weakest link in squad' crosshair

Dominica, Apr 27(ANI): Australian cricketers Ed Cowan and Ricky Ponting are set to spend the rest of the season tackling claims of being the weakest links in the Test squad.

Both players are under tremedous pressure to retain their positions in the top six batting order, The Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Ponting, who averaged 24, has been plagued by bad luck in the current series, as illustrated by his bizarre "periscope" dismissal in the second innings of the Dominica Test.

But Cowan wants a more considered assessment of their performances.

"I try not to read too much of it, but if you're in the Australian cricket team, and you're not consistently getting big scores, of course you are going to be under pressure. You don't need to be a genius to work that out," Cowan said.

"The only disappointing aspect is I think you guys here on the ground would appreciate how hard batting has been through the series but people, because of the time zone, probably haven't watched a lot of cricket but they click on a link to see the score in the morning and they go 28, oh, Ponting 30, these guys are struggling," he added.

The West Indies have unveiled a series of sluggish tracks that have offered tremendous turn - in some cases as early as the first day and only Michael Hussey and Shivnarine Chanderpaul have tamed the local conditions. (ANI)