KINGSTON, Jamaica – Captain Ricky Ponting’s 35th century formed the bedrock of a strong Australian total on the opening day of the first Test against West Indies at Sabina Park Thursday.
 
The elegant right-hander produced a batting master class to fashion an attractive 158 as Australia, winning the toss and opting to bat, reached 301 for four at the close.
 
While the first hour belonged to the West Indies after fast bowler Fidel Edwards removed openers Simon Katich (12) and Phil Jaques (9) cheaply, the remainder of the day belonged to the visitors as Ponting dominated the hosts attack.
 
He faced 224 balls and struck 17 fours and one six, in an innings spanning 352 minutes. The knock gave him sole possession of second place on the all-time list of century-makers and is now just four centuries behind Indian batting star Sachin Tendulkar.
 
Ponting, who played superbly on both sides of the wicket, carved out successive century partnerships for the third and fourth wickets with Mike Hussey and Brad Hodge respectively, after Australia had slipped to 37 for two in the morning session.
 
He added 137 for the third wicket with Hussey who stroked six fours off 146 balls in 189 minutes at the crease, before adding a further 119 for the fourth with Brad Hodge who was unbeaten on 53 at the close.
 
Hodge has so far faced 105 balls, batted 161 minutes and struck six fours and a six.
 
Ponting was solid in defence and severe on anything loose and for the exception of one run out chance when 48, hardly seemed bothered by the Windies attack.
 
Unbeaten on 44 at lunch with Australia on 87 for two, Ponting reached his half-century on resumption off just 65 balls with six fours. He continued his audacious march towards three figures and duly reached his landmark off 137 balls with 11 fours, when he whipped debutant off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth through mid-wicket for two.
 
He promptly celebrated his seventh century against the West Indies with a crashing square cut off Edwards, off the first ball of the next over. He motored on, gathering his next fifty from 64 balls, adding another six fours and a six off Jaggernauth over mid-wicket.
 
When seemingly poised to finish the day unbeaten, he eventually fell shortly before the close, brilliantly caught by Brenton Parchment at square leg attempting to pull a short ball from medium pacer Dwayne Bravo at 293.
 
Earlier, Edwards had given West Indies early honours when he rocked the visitors with an incisive opening spell.
 
Leading the attack in the absence of the injured Jerome Taylor, Edwards accounted for the left-handed Katich who drove a catch to Darren Sammy at gully in the day’s fourth over with the score on 18.
 
West Indies were not forced to wait long for additional success as Edwards struck again in the eighth over, trapping Jaques lbw on the back foot with the score on 37.
 
But Ponting and Hussey foiled the Windies plans with astute batting, aided by sporadic bowling, and reached lunch with no further loss.
 
Australia dominated the second session as the duo hunkered down to extend their partnership. While Ponting was elegant, Hussey was hard-working and ground out his fifty from 133 balls with five fours.
 
He finally fell minutes before tea when he edged Jaggernauth to be superbly taken one-handed at first slip by Bravo, giving the 24-year old Trinidadian his first Test wicket.
 
Edwards has been the most successful Windies bowler with two for 56.

.