MELBOURNE, Dec 26: Captain Ricky Ponting scored his sixth Test century this year and the 26th of his career in Australia’s 239 for eight on the first day of the second Test against South Africa on Monday.

Ponting scored 117 and was looking to guide his side to a commanding total pace bowler Andre Nel grabbed four late wickets, including two in a row, to wrest back the advantage at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Opening batsman Matthew Hayden had quietly accumulated 65 before he was caught behind off the bowling of Shaun Pollock.

Nel finished with four for 58 while Pollock finished with three for 46 off 20 overs.

Ponting made the most of a lifeline when Nel dropped a full-blooded pull shot at mid-wicket while he was on 17.

He and Hayden combined in a 152-run second-wicket partnership after debutant Phil Jaques was dismissed for two when he was caught at bat-pad by Jacques Rudolph off Pollock’s second over of the morning.

Hayden brought up his 23rd half century when he smashed a delivery from Jacques Kallis to the cover boundary though he was dismissed 10 minutes before tea when he edged Pollock to Graeme Smith at first slip.

Brad Hodge, who scored his maiden Test double century in Perth and was making his first appearance on his home ground, received a tumultuous welcome, with many of the 71,910 crowd still standing and applauding as he reached the wicket.

However, he was well caught by Smith at slip for seven shortly after tea to leave Australia 176 for three.

Nel then atoned for his earlier bungle, forcing Ponting to spoon a catch to Herschelle Gibbs at point for 117. He had Andrew Symonds caught by wicket-keeper Mark Boucher off the next ball.

Adam Gilchrist survived the hat-trick delivery but fell to Nel shortly after when he was caught by Gibbs for two, leaving the home side 213 for six.

Nel also had a strong lbw appeal against Hussey turned down, though television replays suggested the ball would have hit the stumps, before he had Warne caught by Nicky Boje for nine.

Lee was then trapped in front by Ntini on the first ball of the last over of the day, shortly after the visitors had taken the second new ball.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st innings)

P.A. Jaques c Rudolph b Pollock 2

M.L. Hayden c Smith b Pollock 65

R.T. Ponting c Gibbs b Nel 117

B.J. Hodge c Smith b Pollock 7

M.E.K. Hussey not out 23

A. Symonds c Boucher b Nel 0

A.C. Gilchrist c Gibbs b Nel 2

S.K. Warne c Boje by Nel 9

B. Lee lbw b Ntini 4

EXTRAS (B-2, LB-3, W-2, NB-3) 10

TOTAL (for eight wkts, 89.1 overs) 239

FALL OF WKTS: 1-2, 2-154, 3-176, 4-207, 5-207, 6-213, 7-227, 8-239.

TO BAT: S.C.G. MacGill, G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING (to-date): Pollock 20-5-46-3 (1nb); Ntini 12.1-2-34-1; Kallis 18.5-3-59-0 (2w); Nel 22-5-58-4 (2nb); Boje 16.1-3-37-0

SOUTH AFRICA: G.C. Smith, A.B. de Villiers, H.H. Gibbs, J.H. Kallis, J.A. Rudolph, A.G. Prince, M.V. Boucher, S.M. Pollock, N. Boje, M. Ntini, A. Nel.

UMPIRES: S.A. Bucknor (West Indies) and Asad Rauf (Pakistan).

TV UMPIRE: R.L. Parry (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: B.C. Broad (England).—Reuters