Ponting rules Aussie markets, Symonds falls

Sydney: Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting remains Australia's most marketable sports star but teammate Andrew Symonds has lost his lustre with sponsors, a survey has found.

Ponting, who is preparing to lead the Australian team in defence of the Ashes in England over the coming months, has held his place at the top for the third consecutive year of the Sweeney Sports Report. The Aussie skipper tops the list ahead of recently-retired Olympic swimming champion Grant Hackett and semi-retired cricketer Adam Gilchrist.

But while Ponting is in favour, the controversial Symonds is on the nose with the marketeers and has tumbled to 36th in the survey after reaching a high of 10th position in last year's report.

Symonds last week missed selection for the Ashes tour following his struggle to regain form after a series of off-field incidents.

The problems started when Symonds was axed from the national team after his 'gone fishing' episode in Darwin last year, while he was also fined for a well-publicised alcohol-fuelled rant in a radio interview.

"His fall from favour continues a consistent attitude among Australians that sports stars involved in controversial behaviour are not regarded as highly marketable," Sweeney Sports general manager Todd Deacon said.

Fellow cricketer Shane Warne and tennis stars Jelena Dokic and Mark Philippousis have in the past suffered similar falls, Deacon said. Another sportsman to fall from grace was Sonny Bill Williams, who generated headlines last year following his controversial departure from Australia's National Rugby League to play rugby with Toulon in France.

The survey's top ten are: 1. Ricky Ponting (cricket), eq2. Grant Hackett (swimming), eq2. Adam Gilchrist (cricket), 4. Glenn McGrath (cricket), 5. Pat Rafter (tennis), 6. Ian Thorpe (swimming), 7. Stephanie Rice (swimming), eq8. Cathy Freeman (athletics), eq8. Steve Waugh (cricket), 10. Casey Stoner (motorcycling).