I don't think Ponting is any danger of losing the captaincy but I think we might need to get used to the idea of more pain. I actually feel for Ponting - he may have to face what Border had to deal with when he became Captain.
Yeah there are similarities to when Lillee, Marsh and Greg Chappell all retired in a short space of time. If we fall away as badly as we did then in the 80s then it's going to take 5-6 years at least before we put another decent team together.
The selectors didn't find a medium pace bowler for the tour. Sure Warney and McGrath have tormented England previously but in England guys like Alderman, Moody and Reiffel have thrived. Yep WP, they have a lot to answer for.
Despite that Ponting still had a poor test series as captain. Sending England in on the first day of the second test on a good pitch, his reactive field placings and then even last night allowing Lee to continually bowl short especially at the tail
were major stuff-ups. Why against poorer batsman would you take away the chance to bowl them or get them out LBW. Sure they may get bat on some but at that pace one miss and their out
.