Every so often the ordinary county cricketer such as me has the privilege of playing against someone not so ordinary.

It could be when we come up against Durham and Steve Harmison is playing.

At least once a year we play the touring team. This year a few lucky Sussex bowlers had a go at trying to dismiss the world record holder, Brian Lara.

On Sunday at Taunton, we had the chance to bowl at probably the best player in the world on current form - Ricky Ponting.

I'd like to say it was a lot of fun and, whilst it certainly was fascinating to see a world class player at close quarters, being hit for a boundary every time you strayed a millimetre from the perfect line and length somehow took the gloss off the proceedings.

My first over started okay. Five good length balls on off stump were treated with respect but the fifth was crashed to the midwicket boundary.

In my next over, I thought I would bowl one of my cunningly disguised slower balls. This is the slower ball that has been known to have batsmen ducking (thinking it was a beamer) before just jamming the bat down in time when the ball dips viciously.

Ponting waited just a fraction longer than usual before swivelling on the front foot and pulling the ball for a four, one bounce into the crowd. Cunning plan indeed Baldrick.

What to do next? He seems to be seeing the ball quite well. In fact he is playing it as if he's facing a beach ball in a relaxed game of beach cricket.

Well, I thought I'd bowl another slower ball. The reason behind my thinking? I was going for the double bluff of course. Ponting must have been thinking: "Well there's no way in the world he's going to try to bowl another one of those pathetic slower balls after the treatment the last one received."

This time, therefore, he couldn't have been anticipating it. Whether he was expecting it or not, the next ball ended up once again in the crowd, this time a little bit further in front of square leg than the last one.

I strongly suspect that when you are as good as Ricky Ponting, there is no need to try and second guess the bowler. It's what all the coaches tell you: "Stand still, watch the ball and react." Never have I seen a batsman do this as well as Ponting.

In the car on the way home, I asked Mushtaq what he thought separated players like Ponting and Lara from the rest of us. He said it was their ability to pick up the length of the ball earlier than everyone else.

They used to say the same about Bradman. People thought Bradman must have some sort of freakish eyesight. But when opticians tested his vision they found it to be no better than average.

I dare say tests on Lara and Ponting would reveal similar conclusions. What did Mushtaq think? "It is a God-given talent. You can't coach it," he said Bother. He did, however, go on to say you can maximise the talent you've been given by keeping a clear mind and having a little courage when you are batting.

Incidentally, whilst my slower balls struggled to trouble Ponting's psyche, Mushtaq did pose him a few problems.

He was never entirely comfortable against Mushie's variations and was eventually caught at slip trying to hit the ball out of the ground.

Two legends of the game (Ponting and Mushie, not me!) were battling it out - that's why county cricket is sometimes such a great spectacle.