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Ponting posts 33rd Test century

Australia captain Ricky Ponting raises his bat after reaching his 33rd Test century on day three of the second Ashes cricket Test against England at the Adelaide Oval yesterday. Ponting was out for 142. PHOTO: AFP

The ASHES 2006/2007

Ricky Ponting reached his 33rd Test century yesterday, persistently interrupted by Matthew Hoggard who took four wickets, as Australia sought parity with England on the third day of the second Ashes cricket Test.

Hurried to the crease when Australia was 8-for-1 late on Saturday, menaced by England's first innings of 551-for-six declared, Ponting survived a scratchy start and a chance on 35 to bat for 353 minutes and to reach 142.

He shared a 192 run fourth-wicket partnership with Michael Hussey, who fell to Hoggard for 91, as Australia reached stumps at 312-for-five, 239 runs behind England but only 40 from avoiding the follow on.

Ponting steered Australia away from potential calamity at 65 for three after Hoggard had removed Matthew Hayden for 12 and Damien Martyn for 11 in yesterday's first, eventful hour.

He linked with Hussey for 261 minutes, until the final session of the day and the arrival of the second new ball, before becoming Hoggard's third victim when he edged to wicketkeeper Geraint Jones.

Hussey followed soon after, bowled by Hoggard from the toe of his bat as he attempted to withdraw a tentative defensive prod. Australia was then 286-for-five but Michael Clarke reached 30-not-out and Adam Gilchrist 13 not out in an partnership which held Australia's hopes for further revival on the fourth day.

Hoggard used accuracy, and an ability to tease some movement from a grudging pitch, to remove four Australian batsmen yesterday and to give England a slight upper hand in a match still dictated by the toss.

He had Hayden caught by Jones at 35 for two and Martyn caught by Ian Bell at 65-for-three and he could have had Ponting out when he was only 35 and when Ashley Giles, at deep square leg, dropped a catch from a skied pull shot.

That shot, and a misjudged run which almost saw Ponting run out at the non-strikers' end by Paul Collingwood's throw from mid-wicket, were Ponting's only errors yesterday. Giles' error, in putting down Ponting when Australia was 78-for-three, was far more serious and might be pivotal in the match and series.

Had the catch been taken, Australia would have been under huge pressure with four wickets down, its best batsman out and more than 270 runs needed to avoid the follow on.

Instead, Australia was able to bat itself into a position to pass the follow on in the first hour today and to attempt to turn pressure onto England.

Ponting was awake to the possibility of declaring behind on the fourth day, to impose on England the ultimate decision about how the match might proceed. One down in the series after their 277-run first Test loss at Brisbane, England might feel compelled to press for victory.

"We might do that," Ponting said. "If we lose early wickets in the morning that's probably what we'll have to do."
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