Ricky Ponting reckons Billy Stanlake could be 'one of the all-time great fast bowlers'

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Up-and-coming Australia pacer Billy Stanlake has attracted big praise from the legendary Ricky Ponting, who believes the lanky fast bowler has the wherewithal to become one of the all-time great fast bowlers.  

"I just love the look of what he's got," Ponting told the Cricket Australia website. "He's almost seven feet tall, bowls close to 150 kilometres an hour, he can swing the new ball. He's got a little nasty streak in him as well - he likes bowling bouncers.

"When we see him get a bit more of a tank and grow into his body a bit more and put on a little bit of weight, I think he's someone that could be one of the all-time great fast bowlers. That's all there ahead of him, we just hope he stays in one piece and becomes the kind of cricketer we all think he can be," he added. 

Stanlake made his ODI debut in January last year against Pakistan and shortly after also represented Australia in T20Is. So far he has two ODIs and six T20Is to his name.

Stanlake, who plays for Queensland and Adelaide Strikers in Australia, will turn up in Sunrisers Hyderabad colours this Indian Premier League season after representing Virat Kohli's Royal Challengers Bangalore last year. 

Only recently he also agreed to play for England's Yorkshire Vikings in T20 cricket. 

Ponting continued: "Billy's in his early 20s now, just starting to fill into his body," Ponting said. "I know Cricket Australia have got every intention of looking after him as well as they can and making sure they do bulk him up and don't break him too soon.

"I know coming out of the Big Bash and even being around this group, we've been trying to pump his loads up to get him to bowl seven or eight overs a day.

"But I'm sure if there's an opportunity for Billy to play a Shield game at the back end of the season, I think we'd all be silly not to let him have that opportunity."