Langer leads assault on India

Australia 262-2 v India

Justin Langer hit an unbeaten 115 as Australia took control of the first Test against India with a dominant batting performance on the opening day in Brisbane.

The India captain Sourav Ganguly's decision to put Australia in to bat backfired as Langer, supported well by the hosts' imposing top order, finished the first day on 262 for 2.

Langer will resume with Damien Martyn (36) today, with the tourists in desperate need of some early wickets.

Matthew Hayden put on 73 with his fellow left-handed opener before he was caught by VVS Laxman off Zaheer Khan at second slip for 37 in the 16th over.

Langer, who was dropped on eight, then piled on more runs with Ricky Ponting and take the score to 162 before Khan struck again.

He tempted Ponting into an attempted hook shot which the Tasmanian misjudged and topped straight to the wicketkeeper, Parthiv Patel.

Langer remained unworried and by the close his 115 had come at a brisk pace - from 175 balls, including 16 boundaries.

Khan was the only Indian bowler to come away with credit, claiming his two wickets for 53 from 15 overs.

AUSTRALIA v INDIA

(Brisbane; first day of five)

India won toss

AUSTRALIA - First Innings

J L Langer not out 115

M L Hayden c Laxman b Khan 37

R T Ponting c Patel b Khan 54

D R Martyn not out 36

Extras (b4 lb4 w2 nb10) 20

Total (for 2, 62 overs) 262

Fall: 1-73 2-162.

To bat: *S R Waugh, S M Katich, ÝA C Gilchrist, A J Bichel, J N Gillespie, S C G MacGill, N W Bracken.

Bowling: Khan 15-1-53-2; Nehra 15-4-51-0; Agarkar 17-2-74-0; Harbhajan Singh 14-1-68-0; Ganguly 1-0-8-0.

INDIA: A Chopra, V Sehwag, V V S Laxman, S R Tendulkar, R Dravid, *S C Ganguly, A B Agarkar, ÝP A Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, A Nehra.

Umpires: S A Bucknor (WI) and R E Koertzen (SA).