Ricky Ponting to ring Lord’s bell before start of second Ashes Test

Last year, Ricky Ponting’s contribution to cricket was recognised when he was elected as an MCC Honorary Life Member. (Source: AP)

Ricky Ponting will ring the bell to signal five minutes before the start of play on day one of the second Test between England and Australia at Lord’s on Thursday.

The five-time Ashes winner will become the seventh Australian to ring the bell, following in the footsteps of former teammates Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, as well as the late Richie Benaud.

Ponting played 168 Test matches during a 17-year career, averaging 51.85 with the bat. He is also Australia’s most successful Test captain of all time with 48 victories to his name.

He played four Tests at Lord’s – three against England and one against Pakistan in 2010 – and appeared in eight ODIs at the Home of Cricket.

Last year, Ponting’s contribution to cricket was recognised when he was elected as an MCC Honorary Life Member.

He also attended his first MCC World Cricket committee meeting earlier this week at Lord’s.