Ponting conducts Australian spree

Australia 400-5 v India

Captain-in-waiting Ricky Ponting smashed a magnificent 176 not out as Australia racked up 400 for five against India on the first day of the second Test in Adelaide.

Ponting, who will take over from Steve Waugh at the end of the four-Test series, punished some wayward Indian bowling by registering his 19th century in Test cricket.

He was given able support by opener Justin Langer (58) and Simon Katich (75) while Ashish Nehra was the pick of the Indian attack, taking two for 80.

Australia won toss

Australia - First innings

J L Langer c Sehwag b Kumble 58

M L Hayden c Patel b Pathan 12

R T Ponting not out 176

D R Martyn c Laxman b Nehra 30

*S R Waugh b Nehra 30

S M Katich c Sehwag b Agarkar 75

ÝA C Gilchrist not out 9

Extras (b3, lb3, w1, nb3) 10

Total (for 5, 90 overs) 400

Fall: 1-22 2-135 3-200 4-252 5-390.

To bat: A J Bichel, J N Gillespie, B A Williams, S C G MacGill.

Bowling: Agarkar 16-1-82-1, Pathan 21-3-96-1, Nehra 20-3-80-2, Kumble 28-1-115-1, Sehwag 5-0-21-0.

India: A Chopra, V Sehwag, R Dravid, S R Tendulkar, *S C Ganguly, V V S Laxman, A B Agarkar, ÝP A Patel, A Kumble, I K Pathan, A Nehra.

Umpires: R E Koertzen (SA) and D R Shepherd (Eng).