News: At present Oz has best group of pacers: Ponting

Australia skipper Ricky Ponting has rated his team's fast bowler as the best in the world after Aussie's whitewashed Pakistan completely in all three formats of the game-Tests, One-day Internationals and a Twenty20 game last week.

Ponting's reaction comes after a match winning performance by pacer Shaun Tait in the T20 match on Friday, which Australia managed to win by just two runs. Tait, who was playing after a year’s gap, finished with figures of 3 for 12 runs and Punter was truly impressed.

"We saw in our last World Cup campaign in the 50-over game just how valuable he can be there. He was probably our best bowler through that tournament and we used him in different roles as a real strike bowler, as Michael Clarke did last night," Ponting said.

The skipper further added that Tait would be a key player in the World Twenty20 starting in May.

"He definitely is somebody that you have to manage particularly well, so I'm sure with the World T20 coming up that they'll be doing everything in their power to make sure he's right for that. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he won't play 50-over cricket for us," he added.

The T20 game on Friday was also highlighted due to some terrific bowling display for the Australian fast bowlers. Tait, Mitchell Johnson and Dirk Nannes all reached the speed of 150kph thus raising the bar of the Aussie bowlers.

"There were three guys last night all pushing 150, or two guys pushing 150 and Taity pushing 160. That's great to have around your group. You've got incredible strike-power then and all of those guys are a good chance of playing 50-over cricket for us as well and it adds a lot to the spectacle of the game, when you see bowlers bowling that sort of pace," the skipper said.

Meanwhile, Ponting emphasised that it is the new players who have come up and stood out for the team. Young pacer Clint McKay, who had his debut in November has already taken 17 ODI wickets, while Ryan Harris has played just four one-dayers and already has a Player-of-the-Series title.

Doug Bollinger, on the other hand, continues his stronghold in the team while Shane Watson's all-round performance is proving as an asset for Australia.

"I think the depth that we've got now as far as our fast-bowling goes is outstanding. It would have to be the best group of fast bowlers anywhere in the world right at the moment. We were most stretched in India in the one-day series we had over there a few months ago and we had probably five or six of our guys injured and back in Australia but ... the depth is terrific," Ponting said ahead of the first ODI against West Indies.