Pundit ... Punter steps into the booth for this year's Big Bash. Source: Hamish Blair / News Limited
Channel Ten has scored a major coup in its cricket war with new rivals Nine by signing Ricky Ponting as a marquee commentator for the Big Bash this summer.
Nine has traditionally been the home of retired captains as the centrepiece of its world class coverage but Ten has usurped the cricket network.
The most successful Test and one-day captain of all time, Ponting has signed a two-year deal with Ten as the network continues its drive to attract more elite sport.
Nine has a 55-year lineage running through its former skippers with Richie Benaud first leading Australia in 1958.
Together with Billy Lawry, Ian Chappell and Mark Taylor the quartet collectively led their country in 133 Tests across more than four decades.
The sudden and tragic death of Tony Greig late last year robbed Nine of a fifth international captain.
Ponting led Australia in 77 Tests for a record 48 victories and his 165 wins in 230 one-day games as skipper is also unmatched.
"I'm very excited to be joining Network Ten and being part of their commentary team this summer. I can't wait for it all to start in December," said Ponting, who is currently in England playing county cricket for Surrey.
With Ponting moving to Melbourne there was speculation he would join the Melbourne Stars Big Bash team as a replacement captain for Shane Warne.
However the proud Tasmanian recently announced he would be quitting all cricket in October.
It was only last month that Ten pushed Nine to the brink in an attempt to steal the international cricket rights.
Nine was forced to pay almost double to keep Test, one-day and Twenty20 internationals, outlaying $450 million over five years.
Ten claimed the Big Bash League at $20 million a year, outbidding Fox Sports after the pay television network did an outstanding job with the first two seasons of the expanded and revamped BBL.
There was a widely held view in cricket circles that Ten would pick up many of the Fox commentators but Ten's head of sport David Barham insisted the Network would be distinctly different with its cricket coverage.
"We're taking our cricket very seriously and we are very committed. We think we can be the future of the game," said Barham, who expects Ten to make more significant signings in the coming weeks.
"We're obviously keen on big sport and we think this is big sport.
"We need good talent and people who are going to be with us for the long term. We're hoping that's Ricky."
"We're very excited that Ricky has decided to join us as we build a new team.
"He's comfortable with the people he's going to be working with. I think that had a pretty big impact.
"I think there is something new and fresh about us that was pretty attractive and he likes Twenty20 cricket."
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