Ricky Ponting and wife Rianna expecting baby boy

Ricky Ponting of Australia with his wife Rianna and their children, Emmy and Matisse (2012)

Legendary Australian batsman Ricky Ponting and his 5-months-pregnant wife Rianna are elated at the prospect of a baby boy joining their family. The couple has already given birth to two girl children: Emmy, 5, and Matisse, 2.

Sunday Herald Sun quoted Ponting as saying: “We’ve got two little girls at the moment, so it’s good to know we’ve got a little boy coming along.”

“I’ll be able to spend some time in the backyard honing his cricket skills in.”

Following Ponting’s retirement from international cricket in December 2012, the pair permanently shifted to Melbourne. On their new life, the former Australian captain said: “It’s been really good. We thought long and hard about the move in the first place.”

“Obviously it’s more my lifestyle in Melbourne, coming from Tassie, being around footy and even the weather is a bit more what I’m accustomed to. But we’ve been here about nine months now and the move has been great.

“I’ve been on the road a bit of that time through the summer with the book tour and Big Bash commentary and stuff, but we’ve settled in really well.”

Shortly after bidding goodbye to international cricket, Ponting had a good Big Bash season with Hobart Hurricanes, but his IPL stint with Mumbai Indians in 2013 did not work out very well, with him volunteering to quit both as a player and a captain midway through the season. However, he has been with the franchise as a mentor since then. He had a highly successful Sheffield Shield season with Tasmania in the same year.