Ponting profits before Nel gives Aussies hell

MELBOURNE, Australia, Monday (AFP) - Australian skipper Ricky Ponting cashed in on an early 'life' to become only the third batsman to amass 1,500 runs in a Test calendar year before Australia collapsed against South Africa in the second Test Monday.

Ponting thrilled a festive 71,910 Boxing Day crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with his sixth hundred of the year, his 26th career Test century and his third at the ground.

But combative paceman Andre Nel exposed an uncertain Australian middle-order with a spell of 4-11 in 25 balls to have the home side a twitchy 239 for eight at the close. Nel finished with 4-58 off 22 overs.

Mike Hussey was unbeaten on 23 with Brett Lee dismissed for four in the last over.

The South Africans' resilient fight-back comes a week after they batted out a draw to deny Australia a win in the first Perth Test.

It is the second time Ponting has accumulated more than 1,500 runs in a calendar year after his 1,503 total in 2003 and he is the only Australian to achieve the feat.

Apart from him, only West Indian Viv Richards with 1,710 runs in 1976 and India's Sunil Gavaskar with 1,555 in 1979 have passed the calendar year milestone of 1,500 runs.

South Africa paid dearly for the dropped Ponting catch, with Nel spilling the straightforward chance at mid-wicket off the bowling of Jacques Kallis when he was on 17 inside the first hour of play.

The Aussie skipper profited from the let-off, joining in a 152-run second-wicket stand with Matthew Hayden after debutant opening batsman Phil Jaques went cheaply.

Ponting has struck a rich scoring vein this southern summer with his 149 and 104 not out against the West Indies in the first Brisbane Test, 56 in the third Adelaide Test and 71 and 53 in the first Perth Test against South Africa last week.

Ponting was out 15 overs from stumps when he was caught by Herschelle Gibbs in the gully off Nel for 117 in 298 minutes with 13 boundaries.

He has scored 1,533 runs, with one more innings likely here before year's end. Ponting's exit triggered a collapse with under-siege all-rounder Andrew Symonds out to Nel's next ball, snapped up by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher. The dismissal puts Symonds' fitful Test career in peril.

Out-of-form wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist lasted seven balls before he steered Nel to Gibbs in the gully for two, with Australia crashing to 213 for six.

Shane Warne smashed nine off 14 balls before he flashed at a wide Nel delivery and gave Nicky Boje a running catch in the deep to plunge Australia to 227 for seven with seven overs to go to stumps.

Makhaya Ntini trapped Lee leg before wicket with the first ball of the day's last over.

Hayden had gone just before tea, caught by Graeme Smith at first slip for 65 off Shaun Pollock. Hayden now has 1,243 runs for 2005 and is the only player to score 1,000 runs in five consecutive years.

Ponting won the toss but Jaques' first Test innings lasted just 12 balls before the rookie left-hander was tightened up by a seaming Pollock delivery to be caught at short leg by Jacques Rudolph for two.

Hodge, who scored an unconquered 203 in the Perth Test, was given a rapturous welcome by the big MCG Boxing Day crowd but went for seven, snapped up by Smith behind the wicket to give Pollock his third wicket.

Thirty minutes were lost in the opening session after the match umpires decided that the drop-in pitch needed to dry after overnight watering.

The groundsman decided the pitch should be watered to prevent early cracking with hot weather expected during the five-day Test.