Ponting (79) puts Aussies on top

CRICKET: Adelaide, Nov 29, 2008 - Skipper Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey combined for a century stand that put Australia in the driving seat on day two of the second Test in Adelaide.

Resuming on 262-6, New Zealand lost their final four wickets for just eight runs, mainly thanks to Brett Lee, to close on a disappointing 270 all out.

Ponting then hit 79 in a century stand with Hussey (69 not out) to kick-start a sluggish effort from the Aussies, and they closed the day on 241-3 and just 29 behind the Black Caps and to be in a strong position.

The day had started with Lee ripping through the lower order, taking three for six in just 27 balls of his devastating spell, finishing with figures of 4-66.

Lee got rid of danger man Brendon McCullum, before having Iain O'Brien caught behind and handing yet another duck to number 11 Chris Martin.

Australia had a shaky start to their innings, with Matthew Hayden suffering an embarrassing run-out in his 100th Test match after a huge mix-up with fellow opener Simon Katich.

Katich was then caught off Daniel Vettori, but as matters started to get out of hand Ponting and Hussey amassed 106 runs for the third wicket.

The Aussie skipper came in playing some wonderfully aggressive strokes, stacking up 11 boundaries in his fifty to help settle his side.

However, after the tourists had managed to plug the gaps and stop leaking runs, Ponting became frustrated and was caught by Peter Fulton at mid-wicket trying top pull away O'Brien.

Michael Clarke joined Hussey and the two were more restrained as they put on an untroubled 86 at the close of the day - Clarke finishing on 43 not out while Hussey was unbeaten on 69.

Australia will start day three just 30 runs from taking a first innings lead and, with plenty of wickets in hand, look like taking charge of the Test.

NEW ZEALAND - 1ST INNINGS

A.J. Redmond c Symonds b Hauritz              	83
J.M. How c Haddin b Johnson 			16
J.D. Ryder c Clarke b Hauritz 			13
L.R.P.L. Taylor lbw b Clark 			44
P.G. Fulton c Katich b Symonds     		29
D.R. Flynn b Lee				11
B.B. McCullum c Haddin b Lee 			30
D.L. Vettori not out 				18
T.G. Southee c Katich b Johnson			 2
I.E. O’Brien c Haddin b Lee 	   		 0
C.S. Martin b Lee				 0
EXTRAS (b-5, lb-7, w-1, nb-11)			24
TOTAL  (all out; 98.3 overs)        		270

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-46 (How), 2-101 (Ryder), 3-130 (Redmond), 4-194 (Fulton), 
		 5-200 (Taylor), 6-228 (Flynn), 7-266 (McCullum), 8-269 
		(Southee), 9-270 (O’Brien), 10-270 (Martin).
BOWLING: B. Lee 25.3-8-66-4 (7nb), 
	 S.R. Clark 20-6-56-1, 
	 M.G. Johnson 25-5-56-2 (1w), 
	 N.M. Hauritz 16-2-63-2 (1nb), 
	 A. Symonds 12-2-17-1 (1nb).

AUSTRALIA -1ST INNINGS

M.L. Hayden run out                 	        24
S.M. Katich c Ryder b Vettori        	        23
R.T. Ponting c Fulton b O’Brien     		79
M.E.K. Hussey not out                		69
M. Clarke not out                     	        43
EXTRAS (lb-3)                              	 3
TOTAL (3 wkts, 79 overs)           	        241

FALL OF WICKETS: 38 (Hayden), 49 (Katich), 155 (Ponting).

BOWLING: Martin 13.0-3-50-0, 
	 Southee 18.0-1-62-0, 
	 Vettori 28.0-12-54-1, 
	 O’Brien 16.0-3-63-1, 
	 Ryder 4.0-1-9-0.