'Punter' Ponting gets it right

By Malcolm Conn

HOBART, NOV. 23. It was the warmth of pride which sustained the faithful in a dark, damp and chilly Hobart on Friday, as Tasmanian Ricky Ponting scored his first Test century in his home State if not his home town.

The boy from Launceston cast aside the disappointment of previous Bellerive Oval performances and the modest New Zealand attack to finish unbeaten on 157, as Australia declared at eight for 558 late on the rain-ruined second day of the second Test.

After batting for more than five hours over two days, facing 218 balls and hitting 20 fours and a six, Ponting rated it the most pleasing of his nine centuries from 49 Tests because it was in Tasmania.

``It's a pretty special moment,'' he said. ``After a couple of pretty disappointing games here something I've really wanted to do is come down here and gets some runs in Hobart in front of the home crowd.''

A greyhound breeder keen follower of the horses, `Punter' Ponting, 26, said this hundred was better than backing a winner. ``I've done that plenty of times on home soil but I haven't scored a hundred on home soil,'' he said with a smile.

With the forecast even worse for the remaining three days New Zealand, which has been largely outplayed in the first two weather-damaged matches, has a good chance to head to Perth for the final Test next week with two draws.

It was a surprise that Steve Waugh decided to declare, given the light was so poor after five hours of rain cut through the middle of the day. There was a sense of inevitability about umpires Steve Bucknor and Steve Davis as they offered Mark Richardson and Matthew Bell the light even before Australia had set its expansive slips cordon and Glenn McGrath had made it to the top of his mark.

With nine overs to be bowled Waugh was not overjoyed with the rapid departure of the Kiwi batsmen, who did not even make it to the wicket before running from the field.

The Australian captain spoke at length to the umpires as his teammates reluctantly left the ground with them. Ponting has the chance to play in Hobart only every second season because of the schedule favouring mainland capital cities, and from his limited opportunities he had managed innings of 4, 0 and 0.

``I got heckled down here coming off the ground a couple of years ago after my pair against Pakistan so it was nice to get a big score,'' he said with a smile.

Resuming on 92, he ensured that there would be plenty to cheer about early even as the bad weather hovered and imposing Mount Wellington remained invisible behind a shroud of cloud.

With good support from Shane Warne (70 in 107 balls, 11 fours) and Brett Lee (41 in 55 balls, five fours and two sixes) the Australians made a mockery of the Kiwi bowling. Spinner Daniel Vettori (five for 138) was easily the pick of them.

Australia's Ricky Ponting acknowledges the cheers from the fans after scoring his century against New Zealand in the second day of the second Test match played at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Friday.

- AFP

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