Ponting - Ponting at the Close of Play

WRITING MY AUTOBIOGRAPHY was a pretty daunting thing to do and required support from so many people who I now want to thank. Normally these thanks and acknowledgments are placed at the back of a book but I wanted these pages to be at the front, as my story wouldnt exist if it wasnt for this long list of amazing people who have all played a part in my career.

My family means the world to me. Rianna has worked tirelessly on this book and has had the most profound influence on my life. I cannot thank you enough, sweetheart, for everything you do for us and for everything that we share. Emmy and Matisse I cant wait to share everything together, now that I have retired from travelling the world playing cricket. We are going to have so much fun together. Mum and Dad words cannot express my thanks for absolutely everything that you taught me and gave me the opportunity to do. My brother Drew and sister Renee I am so proud of you and your families. Brian, Leanne and the whole extended Cantor family thank you for making me so welcome in your family. I want to make special mention of Natalie for being a great sister-in-law, nanny and friend. We couldnt have led the lives we have without you. To our extended families on both sides, thank you for your love and support.

My story is predominantly about cricket. It wouldnt have happened without my team-mates, coaches and support staff who have been with me right through my career. Many of you are named in this book, but to everyone I played with or against, thanks for the contest, camaraderie and shared passion for the game.

This book has been a long time in the making. We made the decision back in 2009 to have HarperCollins publish it, and we have been working together on it ever since. The biggest credit must go to Geoff Armstrong, who has worked with me since my Captains Diary in 2006. Geoff, you did a mountain of work to bring my story to life and I hope youre as proud of the finished copy as I am thank you for your professionalism, quality work and mateship.

I also want to make special mention of Peter Lalor and my manager, James Henderson, who worked very closely with me over the final months of writing. We had a looming deadline and both of you gave me more than I could have asked for to get this book to the printer. Thank you to you both. James, youve been an incredible mate and manager. Your guidance in all aspects of our lives will always be cherished.

To the whole team at HarperCollins I am very proud of our long relationship and the books that we have published together. Thank you for letting me tell my story over the years and for the wonderful package of this book.

Finally, I want to thank all of the other people who have been a part of this story, including: my initial manager, Sam Halvorsen; all the team at DSEG, especially James, Jo Henderson and Richard King; my personal sponsors and confidants who have always been there for me; the cricket media for building the exposure of our game; and the volunteers and fans of Australian cricket, who are the backbone of all that we do. You have all been a part of my career and I thank you for being in my story.

Ricky Ponting

September 2013