Ricky Ponting (149) rescues Aussies

Brisbane, Thursday

Skipper Ricky Ponting scored his fourth century in four Tests against the West Indies to play a lone hand as Australia struggled against the tourists in the first Test at the Gabba here on Thursday.

Ponting claimed his 24th century in his 95th Test - his fourth in consecutive Tests against the West Indies - to be the hero with 149 as the Australian batting line-up spluttered after being sent in.

Barbados paceman Corey Collymore triggered a middle-order collapse, claiming 3-2 in 11 balls and it was left to Ponting to pick up the pieces as Australia reached stumps at 340 for seven on the opening day.

Shane Warne was unbeaten on 31 with Brett Lee on 19.

The skipper, leading from the front, was out in the 74th over, plucked at mid-wicket by Ramnaresh Sarwan off Jermaine Lawson. His 149 came off 213 balls with 15 boundaries.

Ponting, who scored hundreds in his last three Tests on the last Caribbean tour in 2003, only offered one chance in a muffed caught-and-bowled effort by spinner Chris Gayle on 141. In the process Ponting became the fourth-highest Australian scorer in Test cricket with 7,558 runs behind Allan Border (11,174), Steve Waugh (10,927) and Mark Waugh (8,029).

Only seven batsmen in Tests have scored more centuries than Ponting, led by Indians Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar with 34.

Collymore, playing in his 17th Test since his debut against Australia in Antigua in 1999, was by far the pick of the Windies' bowlers, troubling the Australians with his swing and movement off the pitch.

He rewarded skipper Shivnarine Chanderpaul's decision to send Australia into bat with three wickets in the half-hour after lunch.

In contrast, front-line bowlers Fidel Edwards (1-77 off 17 overs) and Lawson (1-58 off 12 overs), who were both rested from the tourists' only warm-up match, looked under-done and struggled for bowling rhythm.

The West Indies maintained their focus and discipline throughout the day, instilled by new Australian coach Bennett King, with players, all wearing their maroon caps in solidarity, regularly urging each other on. Ponting saw three batting partners come and go after lunch as Collymore reduced the Australians to 111 for four from 95 for one at lunch.

Ponting and Adam Gilchrist put on 104 for the sixth wicket after Matthew Hayden (37), Michael Clarke (5) and Simon Katich (0) went in quick procession to Collymore's movement.

Gilchrist perished in the first over after tea when he was trapped lbw by Collymore for 44 for his fourth wicket of the innings.

AUSTRALIA 1ST INNINGS

M. Hayden lbw b Collymore 	37
M. Hussey c Ramdin b D. Powell 	1
R. Ponting c Sarwan b Lawson 	149
M. Clarke  c Ramdin b Collymore 	5
S. Katich  c Gayle b Collymore 	0
A. Gilchrist lbw b Collymore 	44
S. Watson lbw b Edwards 	16
S. Warne not out 		31
B. Lee not out 		19
Extras (B-4 LB-11 NB-19 W-4) 	38
TOTAL (for 7 wickets, 85 overs) 	340
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-9, 2-101, 3-108, 4-111, 5-215, 6-273, 7-294
TO BAT: N. Bracken, G. McGrath
BOWLING: F. Edwards 17 - 0 - 77 - 1 (NB-10, W-2), D. Powell 14 - 0 - 65 - 1 (NB-2, W-2), 
C. Collymore 18 - 3 - 47 - 4, J. Lawson 12 - 0 - 58 - 1 (NB-6), M. Samuels 4 - 0 - 29 - 0, 
C. Gayle 20 - 3 - 49 - 0.