Ponting pounds India

An unbeaten 176 from Ricky Ponting, combined with solid support from Simon Katich (75) & Justin Langer (58), has Australia in a strong position on an Adelaide belter.

The news before the match was all injury related, with India announcing Harbhajan Singh & Zaheer Khan would both be unavailable for the match due to their respective injuries.
Experienced leg spinner Anil Kumble & left arm paceman Ifran Pathan were chosen as their replacements.

Steve Waugh won the toss & suprised no one by batting on a seemingly perfect strip.
Matthew Hayden was looking set for another big score, already with 2 boundaries to his name, when debutant Pathan drew a faint edge for Parthiv Patel to accept the catch, Hayden out for 12.

Ricky Ponting & Justin Langer were troubled early by Pathan, Ponting dropped by Sehway at slip & repreived of some close LBW shouts, the pair then took Australia to a safe position at lunch, as the Adelaide weather threatened to spoil the occasion.

Langer exploded soon after lunch, hitting Kumble for 20 in one over, however his aggression soon got the better of him, ballooning an easy catch to Virender Sehwag at mid wicket for an entertaining 58 (7 fours, 2 sixes).

Damien Martyn batted like he owned the Adelaide Oval, stroking 6 boundaries in his 30 before falling to a superb catch by Laxman at 2nd slip off Nehra.

Steve Waugh got his standard applause on the way to the middle, he quickly blasted Agarkar for 4, yet was slow from this point on as the Indian seamers kept a tight line.

Ponting brought up his 19th test hundred during the middle session, his 2nd in consecutive years at Adelaide.

The Indians then tied things down as tea drew near, Nehra in particular bowling a very tight line.

Steve Waugh succumbed soon after tea, bowled by a superb inswinger from Nehra for 30, raising his bat in nonchalant fashion for what may well be his final innings at this ground.

Simon Katich struggled for timing early & was content to play second fiddle to Ponting, however he soon began to find the middle of the bat, late cutting Pathan elegantly & racing to his 50 as the Australians closed in on 400, as stumps drew near Katich continued to attack, and he paid the price, hooking at Agarkar he was superbly caught by the athletic Akash Chopra for 75 (9 fours, 1 six), Adam Gilchrist then hit 2 boundaries, perhaps giving the Indians a taste of what’s to come, as the Aussies closed on 5-400, Ponting unbeaten on 176 (23 fours) with Gilchrist on 9.

Ashish Nehra (2-80) was easily the pick of India's bowlers, while Pathan (1-96) was lively early on & Kumble (1-115) bowled reasonably well without a great deal of luck.

Australia 5-400 (Ponting 176*, Katich 75, Langer 58, Nehra 2-80)

Posted by DavidH