BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

My Alty investment may pay immediate dividend

I DON'T take much interest in cricket generally, but I might have a bit of South Africa for the second Test against Australia.

You see, just when Ricky Ponting should have his mind on improving his fifth-ball duck last weekend - he's hoping to last a full over next time - the Aussie legend's going to be all wrapped up in Altrincham's FA Cup run.

Ponting is a major shareholder at Altrincham having struck up a friendship with chairman Geoff Goodwin, who was the Aussies' bus driver on their Ashes tour in 2009 in his guise as head of coach company Go Goodwins.

Goodwin gave Ponting shares in the club in return for his efforts raising funds and he might be well advised to reinvest in a bit of the home side to beat Burton in Thursday's first-round replay.

Indeed, Altrincham are unlucky not to already be through to the second round as Burton needed Calvin Zola's last-gasp equaliser to rescue a replay.

Altrincham had been ahead three times and even the Burton boss suggested they should have had a few more goals in the first half, so not even Gianfranco Zola could save the League Two club this time.

Get on the Blue Square Bet North boys to hit them for six.