Any fears that captaincy has had a negative impact on Ricky Ponting's batting were formally laid to rest yesterday when the Australia skipper confirmed his status as one of the Test game's most exemplary leaders.
In reaching yet another half-century last night (AEDT) to strengthen Australia's grip on the second Test against South Africa in Durban, Ponting achieved a significant personal milestone.
Of all the regular Test match captains the game has seen (to have skippered in 10 matches or more) only the legendary Don Bradman boasts a better batting average while entrusted with the leadership.
In his 24 Tests as captain, Bradman averaged a remarkable 101.52 with 14 centuries and seven half-centuries.
While Ponting's average of better than 63 is scarcely Bradman-esque, it is better than any other Test skipper including Pakistan's Inzamam -ul-Haq (62.71), and West Indian pair Brian Lara (59.21) and Garfield Sobers (58.80).
It seems hardly plausible that as recently as 15 months ago, critics were questioning whether Ponting's strokeplay had been adversely affected by his elevation to the captaincy.
That was based on the fact the 31-year-old played 17 innings after taking over the Test leadership from Steve Waugh without posting a century.
But the tide turned with his 207 against Pakistan at the SCG in January last year. Since the start of that match, Ponting has churned out a century on average every four Test innings he has played and averaged more than 70 in the process.
He was at his dominant best at Kingsmead yesterday, combining with opener Matthew Hayden to push Australia's lead beyond 250, and the series increasingly beyond South Africa's reach.
South Africa's best batsman Jacques Kallis had already conceded that any fourth innings target in excess of 300 would be difficult to reach on a Durban pitch that continues to exhibit variable bounce.
"There's always something in that wicket, you never feel like you are in all the time," Kallis said after his lone-hand innings of 114 as South Africa was bowled out for 267 and a deficit of 102.
"There's quite a bit of uneven bounce, so as long as the ball landed in the right areas it wasn't easy to score.
"But (Sunday afternoon) it didn't misbehave as much, so that makes us a little bit happier.
"There's going to be a bit of turn, especially to the left-handers with the footmarks for Warney (Shane Warne).
"Perhaps a bit of uneven bounce also because there are a few cracks opening up a bit.
"Hopefully they don't open up too much and the bounce become too inconsistent otherwise it's going to be hard work."
Having resumed with a lead of 227, Ponting and Hayden mixed studious concentration with occasional bouts of aggression to further flatten the Proteas' morale.
The Australia captain also noticed that a damaged section of the pitch had been restored by ground staff overnight and, in consultation with match referee Chris Broad, demanded that it be returned to its original condition during the lunch break.
The Australian pair pushed their second-wicket stand beyond 100, and Hayden reached his half-century with two scorching offside drives off Makhaya Ntini.
Hayden has also enjoyed a renaissance of his Test form since coming perilously close to losing his place in the team at the end of Australia's unsuccessful Ashes campaign last year.
His career-saving 138 in the final Ashes Test at The Oval triggered a run glut for the left-hander, who has since scored more than 1250 runs at an average of around 75.
As Australia pushed its lead towards 300, strike bowler Brett Lee foreshadowed that batting would become increasingly difficult for the South Africans.
"The wicket is a little bit up and down, inconsistent is probably the right word to use," Lee said.
"It's the type of wicket where you have to bowl pretty much straight and if the ball keeps down you might get one that shoots through and hits or pops through.
"The ball has kept low on a few occasions. That one that (bowled South African opener) Herschelle Gibbs (last Saturday) kept pretty low."
- ANDREW RAMSEY