Australia were 335 for three at stumps on Day One of the fourth Test against india at the Adelaide Oval here Tuesday.
Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting were batting at 140 and 137 respectively.
Ponting hit his 41st Test century that took him past 13,000 Test runs, the third cricketer after to do so after India's Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and with the brilliant knock shrugged off speculation of his possible retirement. Ponting was batting on 137, his sixth at the venue, and Clarke was on 140.
Ponting and Clarke dominated two sessions of play with their 251-run fourth wicket stand after Australia were reduced to 84 for three. The stand was the duo's second highest in the series so far after the 288 in the second Test in Sydney, where Clarke scored an unbeaten 329.
Ponting and Clarke scored rapidly in the last two sessions as 237 runs came from 61 overs at nearly four per over.
India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan (1-52) struck in the seventh over of the day to trap David Warner (8) leg before.
Off-spinner Ravinchandran Ashwin (2-58) went through the defence of Shaun Marsh (3) to rattle his stumps. Marsh has averaged just 17 in the series and is unlikely to retain his place in the side when Australia tour the West Indies in April.
Just before the lunch break, Ashwin struck again to remove Ed Cowan (30) with V.V.S. Laxman taking a good low catch at short cover.
The Indian bowlers put on a disciplined performance in the first session but as the day progressed they erred by sending down too many loose deliveries to Clarke and Ponting.
Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting were batting at 140 and 137 respectively.
Ponting hit his 41st Test century that took him past 13,000 Test runs, the third cricketer after to do so after India's Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, and with the brilliant knock shrugged off speculation of his possible retirement. Ponting was batting on 137, his sixth at the venue, and Clarke was on 140.
Ponting and Clarke dominated two sessions of play with their 251-run fourth wicket stand after Australia were reduced to 84 for three. The stand was the duo's second highest in the series so far after the 288 in the second Test in Sydney, where Clarke scored an unbeaten 329.
Ponting and Clarke scored rapidly in the last two sessions as 237 runs came from 61 overs at nearly four per over.
India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan (1-52) struck in the seventh over of the day to trap David Warner (8) leg before.
Off-spinner Ravinchandran Ashwin (2-58) went through the defence of Shaun Marsh (3) to rattle his stumps. Marsh has averaged just 17 in the series and is unlikely to retain his place in the side when Australia tour the West Indies in April.
Just before the lunch break, Ashwin struck again to remove Ed Cowan (30) with V.V.S. Laxman taking a good low catch at short cover.
The Indian bowlers put on a disciplined performance in the first session but as the day progressed they erred by sending down too many loose deliveries to Clarke and Ponting.
