The Defense of Ponting Act

One rather extraordinary claim has been that Ponting putting his elbow out there was rather a defensive act.

To illustrate here is Symonds tackle of the streaker. The elbow is jutted out to make contact not as a defence mechanism.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW4mSNBeMYM&NR=1

Or see any number of baseball collisions. At the home plate where there is a deliberate attempt to impede the path of the onrushing player the elbow usually makes its appearance. In cases where the attempt is to avoid collision the motion is to try to move the body out of the path of collision. If the collision is about to happen and there is no way to get out of its path then there may be some bracing. In this case, as Aamer's action showed, there was ample time to get out of the way. There is no bracing by Ponting but rather a jutting out of the elbow (Elbow toss). In fact one could argue it was an attempt to reach out and touch someone.