Ponting keeps focus on team - Ninemsn

Ricky Ponting's drought-breaking century was cold comfort as he came to terms with Australia's World Cup quarter-final exit.

The captain's first international ton in 13 months shored up his shaky hold on his role and could hardly have come at a more crucial time for his team.

But Ponting was feeling anything but heroic after answering his doubters with his defiant and inspirational knock of 104.

"I don't think I'll actually think much about it at all," said Ponting, looking drained and demoralised after the five wicket loss to India.

At age 36, Ponting has played in five World Cup tournaments, including Australia's loss to Sri Lanka in the 1996 final and the three titles which followed in 1999, 2003 and 2007, the last two under his captaincy.

He has scored five World Cup hundreds, saving his best for last after scraping together only 102 runs at 20.40 in Australia's group matches of the 2011 tournament.

"If I end up having made a hundred in my last World Cup game, then I guess I can be pretty happy," he said.

"I've always been one of those guys that's never really reflected on what I've done until a lot later.

"I've never really been a stats man, that doesn't worry me," added Ponting, who became only the second player to score 30 one-day international hundreds, behind Sachin Tendulkar with 48.

"What motivates me is winning games and doing the best I can to try and win games for Australia.

"Whenever it is that I finish and retire from the game, I'll be able to sit back and think about stats and all the things that I have achieved."

Ponting was asked if he felt like a tragic hero.

"I honestly don't know how to answer that question," he said.

"Am I the tragic hero? I don't feel like much of a hero at the moment."

Ponting carried a broken finger into the tournament and winced with pain several times while fielding, including an incident against India while attempting a catch.

He said he would have been okay to play in the semi-final if Australia had qualified.

"I don't think I've done any more damage," he said.

"The two screws and the wire that I've got in there, I'm not sure if they can actually be dislodged anyway.

"It's just really painful when I get a knock on it like that.

"I'll have it looked at by the physio, but it should be okay."