Cricket: Ponting century puts Pakistan on back foot

SHARJAH - Ricky Ponting was eyeing his first double-century and Steve Waugh was happy just to be in double figures as Australia went to stumps in a dominant position on the first day of the final test against Pakistan in Sharjah.

Australia were 298 for three when bad light forced an early end and in a position to make sure they cannot lose the match.

Ponting bettered his first test score of 141 to continue a great run of form, reaching 142 not out.



Embattled skipper Steve Waugh on 33 showed remnants of a return to form after a scratchy start.

Ponting, struck on the side of his unprotected head when he was 70, posted his 12th test century and his third against Pakistan.



He has now posted three centuries in his past seven innings, and barely gave a chance in his knock which included 13 fours and three sixes.

Matthew Hayden hit 89 to take his average to 50 - making him just the seventh present batsman (with at least 10 matches) to average 50 or better.

Others in the elite club are team-mate Adam Gilchrist, Indian trio Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag, Zimbabwe's Andy Flower and Sri Lankan Tilshan Samaraweera.

It has been a remarkable climb for Hayden, who ended the first chapter of his career with an average of just 21.75 after seven tests.



His cumulative form over the past 30 months, capped by last week's century, has taken him to the No 1 batting ranking in the world.

Waugh, after successive ducks and a total of three balls faced in his two previous innings, looked extremely tense coming out to bat, but gradually relaxed as his partnership with Ponting unfolded.

His brother, Mark, was not so lucky and will face further inquisitions over his form after making just 23, nicking an inside edge to wicketkeeper Rashid Latif off the bowling of Saqlain.

Australia are looking for a clean-sweep in the series. .

* In Madras, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh grabbed three wickets in one over to put India within sight of victory on the fourth day of the second test against the West Indies.

The tourists, 186 for four overnight, were dismissed 45 minutes before lunch for 229 to set India 81 to clinch the three-test series.

Harbhajan, who picked up seven for 48 in the second innings of the first test, took just six balls to turn the game around after paceman Zaheer Khan had removed danger man Ramnaresh Sarwan for 78.

Harbhajan pressed home the advantage by having Ryan Hinds caught at cover, debutant Gareth Breese caught at leg slip next ball and Mervyn Dillon leg-before three balls later.

Khan dismissed the last two batsmen to finish with figures of three for 23. Harbhajan had four for 79 off 30 overs as the West Indies lost their last six wickets for 21 runs.

India lead the three-test series 1-0 after winning the first test by an innings and 112 runs.

* In East London, Makhaya Ntini produced a fiery spell of pace bowling to cripple Bangladesh's first innings on the second day of the first test against South Africa.

Ntini took three for 13 in 10 overs, five of which were maidens, as Bangladesh slumped to 153 for seven at stumps. South Africa had declared at 529 for four.



Gary Kirsten scored 150, his 15th test century, and Jacques Kallis made an unbeaten 75 to became the fifth player to complete the double of 4000 runs and 100 wickets in tests.

He joins West Indians Garfield Sobers - who reached the milestone in fewest tests, 43 - and Carl Hooper, Kapil Dev, of India, and Englishman Ian Botham.

Kirsten became the first player to score centuries against all nine test-playing countries. He batted for more than five hours, hitting 14 fours.


- AGENCIES