November 24, 2001	Saturday	Ramazan 8, 1422

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HOBART (Australia), Nov 23: Ricky Ponting hit an unbeaten 157 on Friday as Australia scored 558 for eight declared against New Zealand on a rain-interrupted second day of the second Test.

Play ended when the New Zealanders, asked to face nine overs in gathering gloom, immediately accepted the umpires’ offer to leave the field and walked off as the Australians were preparing to bowl the first ball of the innings.

Rain halted play from 12.20 a.m. to 17.20, wiping out the entire afternoon session before Australia, who had moved on from their overnight 411 for six to 488 for seven in the morning, added another 70 runs in 50 minutes.

In total Australia scored 147 runs for the loss of two wickets in 34 overs for the day.

Left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori took five wickets for 138 from his 36 overs for New Zealand. Chris Cairns (one for 122 from 28 overs) and debutant fast bowler Shane Bond (one for 135 from 28 overs) registered centuries they would rather forget.

Australia resumed in the morning session with Ponting on 92 and Shane Warne on 31 and added 77 in 80 minutes before rain ended the first session 40 minutes early.

Ponting glided a ball from Bond through gully for his 15th boundary to achieve an emotional milestone in his home state of Tasmania after registering a pair in the last Test in Hobart against Pakistan in 1999.

Ponting took 129 balls and 193 minutes to reach his ninth test century.

Warne’s bid for his first Test hundred ended with a wild slog in Nathan Astle’s first over. He was bowled for 70, including 11 fours, with the score on 481 for seven after a partnership with Ponting of 145 in 135 minutes.

Brett Lee, one not out at lunch, smashed 41 in 55 balls with five fours and two sixes, sharing a partnership of 77 with Ponting in 59 minutes.

Ponting’s 157 came in 218 balls with 20 fours and one six.