The first in a series of slideshows that showcase the best sporting images of 2012.

Australia's Ricky Ponting retired from Test cricket after the third Test match against South Africa in Perth.

'"A few hours ago, I let the team know that this upcoming Test will be my last,' Ponting had said, as he signed off.

Ponting ended with 13,378 Test runs at an average of 51.85 and scored an Australian record of 41 centuries.

Cricket Australia paid lavish tribute to their retiring former captain, describing him as a "leader by example" and one of the "best prepared players in the modern game".

Yamaha MotoGP world champion rider Jorge Lorenzo falls during the Valencia Motorcycle Grand Prix.

Lorenzo was denied a victorious season finale on home soil when he crashed out while leading an incident-packed Valencia Grand Prix on Sunday to hand victory to fellow-Spaniard Dani Pedrosa.

Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany (C) celebrates winning the world championship with Technical Chief Adrian Newey (R) and Team Principal Chrisian Horner (3rd L) after the Brazilian F1 Grand Prix at Interlagos circuit in Sao Paulo.

Vettel became Formula One's youngest triple world champion at the age of 25 at the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The full moon rises through the Olympic Rings hanging beneath Tower Bridge during the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Serena Williams of the U.S. celebrates after defeating Zheng Jie of China in their women's singles tennis match at the Wimbledon tennis championships.

Spain's Alvaro Negredo and Portugal's Bruno Alves (R) jump for a header during their Euro 2012 semi-final soccer match at the Donbass Arena in Donetsk.

Jamaica's Usain Bolt (R) celebrates with Britain's Mo Farah on the podium after each receiving gold medals, Bolt for men's 4x100m relay and Farah for men's 5000m at the victory ceremony at the London 2012 Olympic Games at the Olympic Stadium

New York Yankees' Nick Swisher (L) yells out looking back at first base after Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar (2) turns a double play during the second inning of their MLB baseball game in Anaheim, California.

Canada's Amber Thomas competes during the women's 200m individual medley - SM11 heats in the Aquatics Centre at the London 2012 Paralympic Games September 8, 2012.

Thomas was competing against other athletes who were also visually impaired.