Pontings celebrate Rianna's graduation

Dec 19, 2003

Rianna Ponting resisted the temptation to blow her famous husband Ricky a kiss when she graduated with her Arts/Laws degree today from the University of Wollongong, but she was clearly delighted to have the Australian Test cricket vice-captain by her side.

Ponting blew Rianna a kiss when he reached 200 in last Saturday's Test against India at the Adelaide Oval to acknowledge the contribution his wife of 18 months has made to his career - the gesture recorded on national television and in newspapers across the country.

By contrast Rianna stuck to protocol at her own moment of glory, when she received her Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws at the University's graduation ceremony. However, she said she was grateful Ricky had been able to attend the ceremony - foregoing the chance to captain Tasmania in a Pura Cup game against NSW starting today in Sydney.

"I don't mind being the woman in the background, but it is nice that Ricky is here today to help me celebrate," said Rianna, who admitted to feeling a little nervous about her big day. She said there was "no way" she would have blown her husband a kiss when she was on stage receiving her degrees.

While Ponting credits Rianna's steadying influence for his rich vein of form - he has scored nine centuries culminating in last week's 242 and averaged 85 in Test cricket in the 18 months since they married, as well as being named to take over from Steve Waugh as Australia's next Test captain - Rianna wasn't so sure about her husband's contribution to her studies.

"He makes good coffee, but he definitely doesn't understand the no-talking rule when I am trying to finish assignments!" she joked. "But he has been very supportive."

Ponting said the Tasmanian Cricket Association had been "pretty understanding" about his decision to attend his wife's graduation rather than captain his home State against NSW at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"This is one of the biggest days of Rianna's life, and we've been excited about if for a while. Rianna's given up a lot to support my career, and deferred her studies a few times to come away on tour to England and South Africa, so this was a chance for me to repay her and I wasn't going to miss it," he said.

"Rianna won't take any credit for the way my career has gone since we got married. She always deflects any praise, but she has been a huge influence."

Rianna said she has no immediate plans to work as a lawyer. "Ricky is the ambassador for the Children's Cancer Institute of Australia, and I'm going to be working with the Institute raising funds," she said, adding that she had plans for an annual Ricky Ponting Dinner as a major fund-raiser.

Rianna, who grew up in the northern Wollongong beachside suburb of Bulli, was following a family tradition today. Her father Brian Cantor, a teacher at Picton High, graduated 25 years ago with a Bachelor of Arts/Diploma of Education from the University of Wollongong and was at today's ceremony with his wife Leanne.

Today is a double celebration for the Pontings, as it is Ricky's 29th birthday. He said the birthday celebration would definitely take a back seat to Rianna's graduation, and the couple planned to spend the evening drinking champagne and celebrating with family and friends.