Ponting: Symonds will not distract us
Australia captain Ricky Ponting is confident of retaining his team's focus after key all-rounder Andrew Symonds was sent home from the World Twenty20 in disgrace.
Ponting's team made light of Shane Warne's departure on the eve of the 2003 World Cup, winning the tournament at a canter, and they will need to put the jettisoning of Symonds behind them in similar fashion. Symonds, 33, was dismissed from the 17-day event for disciplinary breaches, including one involving alcohol.
"Hopefully we don't miss a beat from here," said Ponting, whose team begin their campaign against West Indies at the Oval on Saturday. "It's no good thinking about what we might miss. It's all about moving on and moving forward and putting our best foot forward on Saturday."
He continued: "We're on the eve of the biggest Twenty20 tournament we're going to play, and it's about moving forward and finding ways to move forward with Australia.
"I know reasonably well how to handle these situations - we managed to get through a World Cup undefeated and won the final pretty easily. That's the sort of challenge we'll have to handle.
"Judging on things so far it's had no effect on us whatsoever. I gave all the guys the opportunity to ask questions before training. A couple were asked and answers were given. We've moved on."
