Crik: Ponting peels off another ton, but Australia stretched

AAP General News (Australia)
12-03-2006
Crik: Ponting peels off another ton, but Australia stretched

By John Coomber, Senior Sports Writer

ADELAIDE, Dec 3 AAP - Ricky Ponting's 33rd Test century may not be enough to keep England
from squaring the Ashes series at the Adelaide Oval.

Ponting made 142 to surpass Steve Waugh's previous record for the most centuries by
an Australian.

It followed his innings of 196 and 60 not out in the first Test at the Gabba and took
his calendar year tally to 1200 runs at an average of 109.09.

But England, 7-1 outsiders before the game, remain firmly in control of a match that
continues to track the script of Edgbaston last year.

Soon after getting out Ponting declared that Australia could still win the match for
a 2-0 series lead, but England fast bowler Matthew Hoggard (4-76) struck a hammer blow
late in the day when he knocked back Mike Hussey's off-stump for 91.

At stumps Australia was 5-312 still 239 runs short of England's first innings tally of 6-551.

Australia's plight would have been much worse if Ashley Giles had not dropped Ponting
on the fence when he was 35. Australia would have been 4-78 if he had held it.

"It's going to be important that someone from here on in really does knuckle down and
bat for a long time," Ponting said.

"We can still win, for sure. If we can get our noses in front and push on, who knows
what can happen on the last day batting in Adelaide."

Michael Clarke (30 not out) and Adam Gilchrist (13 not out) hold the key to Australia
building a competitive first innings tally.

AAP jc/mo

KEYWORD: ASHES FRONTER

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