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Ponting century gives Aussies the edge

Australian captain Matthew Hayden dives between wickets during the first day of the Test match against the West Indies in Brisbane yesterday. PHOTO: EPA

It wasn't one of Ricky Ponting's most comfortable days at the crease -- just comfortable enough to score his 24th test century and help put Australia in control of the first cricket test against the West Indies.

Ponting's 149 yesterday enabled Australia to overcome West Indian paceman Corey Collymore's four-wicket performance, leaving the home side at 340 for seven at stumps at the Gabba ground after being sent in to bat by visiting captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

"It was a funny day," said Ponting. "I felt I started really well and got worse as the innings went on. I don't know whether I got tired, but I felt I was in more control early.

"It was a pretty satisfying day for us, although we lost wickets in little groups. And we had a nice little partnership at the end just to finish if off," he said.

Shane Warne will resume this morning on 31 along with fellow tailender Brett Lee on 19.

Australia has not lost a test at the Gabba since 1988 -- to the West Indies by nine wickets.

Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasurya, second left, watches as India's Ajit Agarkar, second right, is supported by keeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, left, as he succesfully appeals for a LBW decision during the fourth one-day-international match played at the Nehru Stadium in Pune, India, yesterday. India captain Rahul Dravid won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat in the crucial fourth one-day international. PHOTO: AFP

Ponting was out late in the day, caught by Ramnaresh Sarwan off the bowling of Jermaine Lawson. His 213-ball innings included 15 fours.

The day was plagued by slow over rates by the four West Indian pace bowlers and two part-time spinners. There were 12 overs still to bowl of the required 90 at the scheduled stoppage of play, but the final session continued for an extra half hour, allowing all but five overs to be completed.

"To be honest, I was a bit surprised at how long it took them to complete their overs," said Ponting.

Resuming at 95-1 after lunch after being sent in to bat, Australia lost three wickets for the addition of just 10 runs with Collymore taking 3-2 in 11 balls.

Collymore hasn't played a test match for the West Indies since taking 11 wickets in a home loss to Pakistan at Kingston, Jamaica in June. He did not tour Sri Lanka due to a contract dispute involving the West Indian team's main sponsors.

Ponting reached his half-century with a single in the second over after lunch, but saw his morning partner Matthew Hayden (37) trapped LBW by Collymore off the next ball.

Collymore struck again two overs later when he had Michael Clarke (5) caught behind.

Bothered during his career by persistent back problems, Collymore finished his three-wicket burst when Simon Katich edged to Chris Gayle low at first slip.

In the first over after tea, Collymore notched his fourth wicket of the day, trapping Adam Gilchrist lbw for 44.

The 27-year-old Collymore admitted his fitness problems have been a challenge.

"I've had a couple of injuries, but I'm a strong-minded person and I'm still pretty young," he said, adding that his team's bowling was a letdown in the last session.

The Australian captain reached his century about 10 minutes before the tea break with a cut shot for four, bringing the Gabba crowd to its feet and the raising of hundreds of Australian flags around the ground.

Pace bowler Ajit Agarkar tore through the Sri Lankan lineup yesterday as India claimed a four-wicket victory in the fourth limited-overs international, securing the hosts a series-clinching 4-0 lead.

Agarkar claimed five for 44, as skipper Marvan Atapattu compiled a gritty 86 to help Sri Lanka post 261 in 49.5 overs.

In reply, India survived a middle-order collapse to reach 262 for six in 45.4 overs thanks to an unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 82 between Mahendra Dhoni (45 not out) and super-substitute Suresh Raina (39 not out).

India lost opener Sachin Tendulkar (11) and Yuvraj Singh (10) cheaply before Virender Sehwag and skipper Rahul Dravid steadied the innings with a 78-run partnership for the third wicket.

Sehwag struck seven boundaries in his 58-ball 48 before offspinner Muttiah Muralitharan (3 for 35) triggered a collapse that saw India lose three wickets in the space of five runs.

Muralitharan removed Venugopala Rao (38) and Irfan Pathan (0), while Dravid fell with an ambitious hook shot off paceman Chaminda Vaas.

Dravid top-scored with an assertive 72-ball 63 that contained seven boundaries. His departure gave Sri Lanka a scent of victory, but its hopes were spiked by the Dhoni-Raina partnership.

Dhoni continued his sparkling stroke-play and hit two consecutive sixes off spinner Russel Arnold to clinch India victory.

Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka's innings revolved around Atapattu's two robust partnerships with Tillekeratne Dilshan and Arnold.

Coming in to bat at No. 5 instead of his usual opening slot, Atapattu hit seven boundaries from 100 balls.

Atapattu put on 97 brisk runs for the fourth wicket with Dilshan (52) and 83 for the fifth with Arnold (32) after India's pace attack reduced Sri Lanka to 51 for three.

Put in to bat first, Sri Lanka lost inform opener Kumar Sangakkara (8) and former captain Sanath Jayasuriya (16) -- both trapped lbw by Agarkar.

Upul Tharanga, replacing Mahela Jayawardene in the lineup, posted 21 before being snapped by Agarkar at leg-slip off young paceman Shanthakumaran Sreesanth.

Jayawardene has returned to Sri Lanka to get married, but will return for the remaining matches.

Dilshan dominated his partnership with Atapattu, hitting nine boundaries from 58 balls before cutting spinner Harbhajan Singh into the hands of Tendulkar at gully.

Arnold also struck form for the first time in the series, but lost his off-stump to paceman Pathan.

Agarkar clean bowled Farveez Maharoof (3) and Atapattu's miscued straight drive gave a return catch to part-time spinner Sehwag.

Agarkar went on to bowl Muralitharan (9) and induced an edge from Vaas (11) to Dhoni.
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