PORT-OF-SPAIN, April 20: Australia declared their first innings at 576 for four in the second Test against West Indies on Sunday immediately after wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist became the third batsmen in the innings to make a century.

Gilchrist was not out 101, the eighth century in his 41-match Test career, after driving Mervyn Dillon through the offside for two runs.

The 31-year-old wicket-keeper, who was averaging 58.52 beforehand, faced 105 balls, hitting eleven fours and two sixes.

Brad Hogg was the other not out batsman, on 17, when Australia captain Steve Waugh declared just after halfway through the afternoon session.

His was the third century of the innings, after vice-captain Ricky Ponting had earlier made his first Test double hundred, while Darren Lehmann scored his maiden Test century, 160, on the first day on Saturday.

Ponting, in outstanding form after scoring 140 in the World Cup final last month and a hundred in the first Test in Guyana, reached the 200 by taking two runs off Vasbert Drakes in the third over after lunch.

Ponting, whose previous best was 197 against Pakistan in Perth in 1999, was at the crease for 471 minutes, faced 344 balls and hit 23 fours and one six as he reached his 200.

He was stumped by wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh off Marlon Samuels for 206 shortly afterwards.

Baugh reacted quickly to catch Ponting briefly out of his ground, umpire Asoka de Silva raised his finger without waiting for the television replay and Ponting reluctantly walked.

Australia already lead the series 1-0 after crushing their opponents by nine wickets in the first Test in Guyana.

On Saturday, Darren Lehmann scored his maiden Test hundred, to put the tourists in a commanding position.

Lehmann and Ponting, who both had let-offs, completed their centuries off the same Mervyn Dillon over as they mauled a lacklustre West Indies attack with a third-wicket partnership of 315 that helped Australia to 391 for three at the close on the first day.

Ponting was still at the crease, unbeaten on 146, while Adam Gilchrist was not out 14.

Lehmann was finally out for 160 — having faced 229 balls and hit 21 fours and one six — after he got a faint edge to Vasbert Drakes and was caught behind by wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh.

Ponting completed his century on the first ball of the 63rd over when he knicked Dillon through the slips for his 16th boundary, while Lehmann, whose previous best score was 98, completed his 100 by driving Dillon through the covers for his 13th four on the final ball of the over.

They continued the onslaught in ruthless style after tea, hitting a flurry of fours as Lehmann hit another six boundaries and a six to reach his 150 in the 83rd over.

The pair’s batting may have made the West Indies selectors regret their decision to field only three frontline bowlers on a dry, bare pitch following Jermaine Lawson’s withdrawal with chicken pox.

Debutant Dave Bernard was severely punished, finishing the day with none for 47 off eight overs, while Marlon Samuels’s 15 overs cost 74 runs as West Indies fielded a team with an average age of only 25.

The home team, however did not help themselves with a poor performance in the field.

Ponting was let off when he got an inside edge to a Dillon delivery only for Samuels to drop the catch at first slip while on 37.

Earlier, Lehmann was caught out of his ground following a mix-up with Ponting but was reprieved when Dillon, moving in from mid-wicket, missed the target.

Australia also had a decision go in their favour when Lehmann, on 65, appeared to edge Drakes to Baugh, but South Africa’s Rudi Koertzen did not give him out.

Lehmann became nervous as he hit the nineties and had another let-off on 97 when he was hit on the pad by a Drakes delivery, prompting a loud appeal.

Afterwards Lehmann has expressed his delight for reaching a notable milestone at the age of thirty-three.

Lehmann, who has often been criticised for not fulfilling his early potential, said: “It’s been a long time coming, it has to be said, and I’m very happy.”

“A lot of things have happened over the past few years and I’m grateful to all the people who’ve supported me,” said Lehmann, who is playing his tenth Test and began the series with a batting average of less than 30.

“Everybody has been very supportive and the selectors have been great,” he added.

Ponting said: “It was great for him, especially after he was so close before. It’s a huge barrier for him to cross and he batted beautifully.”

Ponting added that the wicket helped the batsmen enormously.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings, overnight 391-3):