ADELAIDE, 13 December 2003 — Ricky Ponting completed his 19th Test century as Australia piled on 400 for five on the opening day of the second Test against India yesterday. Ponting cracked 24 boundaries to finish the day unbeaten on 176 with Adam Gilchrist not out nine and Australia heading toward a massive first innings total.

Opener Justin Langer and Simon Katich both completed half-centuries as Australia’s top order went on the rampage, setting a record for the most runs in a single day at Adelaide Oval.

India replaced injured spinner Harbhajan Singh with Anil Kumble and fast bowler Zaheer Khan with teenage Test debutant Irfan Pathan but struggled to make any inroads on a placid pitch that offered little assistance to the bowlers.

Australia lost openers Matthew Hayden and Langer before lunch then Damien Martyn, Steve Waugh and Katich in the final two sessions but continued to score at better than a run a minute throughout the entire day. The in-form Ponting followed his twin half-centuries in last week’s drawn first Test in Brisbane with his 10th hundred from his last 19 Tests. He had a lucky escape on 17 when he was dropped by Virender Sehwag at third slip and again on 109 when he survived a confident appeal for leg before wicket from Kumble but hardly played another false shot.

The Tasmanian raced to 50 off 64 balls then brought up his century after lunch from 117 deliveries when he drove Ajit Agarkar for four. His end of day score was his third highest in Test cricket, just 30 behind his career best of 206 which he made in the West Indies earlier this year. Katich posted his highest score of 75 as he registered his second Test fifty in just his fourth match.

Miandad Confident as Pakistan Arrive in New Zealand

In Auckland, a buoyant Pakistan squad arrived in New Zealand yesterday vowing to forget about their recent 5-0 One-Day International win over the Kiwis on home soil. Javed Miandad, the Pakistan coach, said his team had been playing well over the last six months and were pleased with their form. “But that was in Pakistan and now we are going into a Test series,” Miandad told reporters. “We are here to play good cricket, but the conditions will be very different and can make good cricket difficult.”

India toured this time last year and both Tests, in Wellington and Hamilton, were over in less than three days on green pitches that both sides struggled with.

Durham Sign Pakistan Fast Bowler Akhtar

In Durham, England, Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar is returning to play for Durham as the club’s second overseas player. Durham captain Jon Lewis said Thursday: “Shoaib is one of the world’s greatest bowlers and we are delighted that he is coming back to Durham for a second season. “He was a prolific wicket-taker during his short time with us last year.”