RETIRING champion Ricky Ponting's timing could prove perfect for his home state Tasmania.
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Not only will Ponting return to finish the domestic season with the Tigers and the Hobart Hurricanes, he will put away his pads just as Tasmania embarks on its search for a new coach.
Current boss Tim Coyle, the state's most successful mentor, will leave the post at the end of ?the 2012-13 season, and captain George Bailey says that Ponting would be the ideal replacement if he wanted the job.
``I think he'd make a good coach of anything,'' Bailey said yesterday as the Tigers prepared for today's one-day clash with Western Australia in Burnie.
``His ability to coach and to pick things up in individuals and as a group I think's second to none in the country.
?``He really could be an outstanding coach.''
Coyle has tapped into Ponting's already renowned coaching of batsmen, but said it was his ability to read the game and out-think other players that would make his excel as a coach.
``He sees things in individuals, batters and bowlers, that us mere mortals take years to identify,'' Coyle said.
``But he sees them very quickly.
?``He's just got an innate understanding of what has to happen, whether it's with the ball or with the bat.
``He's brilliant in that area.
``If he goes on and coaches somewhere, and I'm pretty sure he will somewhere, he'll be a tremendous asset and hopefully that's an asset to Australian cricket.''
Cricket Tasmania says it is too early to comment on who might Leg 4?replace Coyle and the Tigers will focus on helping Ponting win his first trophy with them as a player.
``He addressed the group after our Shield (final) loss last year,'' Coyle said.
``You could tell in his words that it hurt like nothing else. I know his determination.'' ?ql