MELBOURNE, Dec 26: Australian captain Ricky Ponting showed his fighting spirit with a defiant 101 as the home side battled their way to 280 for six at stumps on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa at the MCG here on Friday.

Trailing 1-0 in the three-match series after their stunning six-wicket defeat in Perth, Australia won the toss and batted and Ponting led the way with a classy 37th Test century that included 10 fours and one six.

Michael Clarke was unbeaten on a circumspect 36 at the close, adding 54 with Brad Haddin who fell in the penultimate over of the day for a bright 40.

South African captain Graeme Smith’s catch at first slip to remove Haddin off Makhaya Ntini’s bowling was a key blow for the Proteas, allowing them to claim the honours on day one.Earlier in the day embattled opener Matthew Hayden failed once again with the bat when he was caught at backward point off Ntini for just eight.

Ponting and the in-form Simon Katich (54) then shared a 107-run stand for the second wicket and both joined the 1000-run club for 2008.

Under-pressure Hayden would have dearly loved a seventh MCG hundred. The Queenslander has scored only 290 runs at 22.30 in eight Tests against India, New Zealand and South Africa since recovering from an Achilles injury.

Dale Steyn struck in his 11th and 14th overs to remove Katich and Mike Hussey for a duck. Hussey has continued his modest start to the South African series, with just eight runs in three innings.

Ponting, who was dropped at third slip on 24 by Neil McKenzie off Steyn’s bowling, reached his century off 119 balls with 11 fours and one six, celebrating with both arms aloft and acknowledging the cheers of the crowd of more than 63,000.

Ponting’s tally of hundreds is second only to Indian maestro Sachin Tendulkar’s 41.

The Australian skipper was out from the last ball before tea, caught at bat-pad off the bowling of left-arm spinner Paul Harris.

The dismissal of Andrew Symonds (27) following another cameo — he was caught by Jacques Kallis at second slip with the score at 223 for five – meant Clarke had to rebuild the innings with wicket-keeper Haddin, before being joined by Brett Lee who was unbeaten on 0 at the close.Ponting may soon have to cope with a restructured top order with Hayden, 37, to reassess his playing future after next week’s Sydney Test.

Candidates are lining up for the tour of South Africa in February, including Victoria’s one-Test opener Chris Rogers, young NSW batsman Phil Hughes and 11-Test player Phil Jaques.

Australia haven’t lost a Test series at home since 1992-93. A 3-0 series whitewash would force them to hand over the top ranking to South Africa.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings):

M.L. Hayden c Duminy b Ntini 8

S.M. Katich b Steyn 54

R.T. Ponting c Amla b Harris 101

M.E.K. Hussey c Boucher b Steyn 0

M.J. Clarke not out 36

A. Symonds c Kallis b Morkel 27

B.J. Haddin c Smith b Ntini 40

B. Lee not out 0

EXTRAS (B-1, LB-6, NB-7) 14

TOTAL (for six wkts, 90 overs) 280

FALL OF WKTS: 1-21, 2-128, 3-143, 4-184, 5-223, 6-277.

TO BAT: M.G. Johnson, N.M. Hauritz, P.M. Siddle.

BOWLING (to-date): Steyn 21-5-61-2; Ntini 21-7-71-2 (1nb); Kallis 15-4-41-0; Morkel 17-3-67-1 (6nb); Harris 16-3-33-1.

SOUTH AFRICA: G.C. Smith, N.D. McKenzie, H.M. Amla, J.H. Kallis, A.B. de Villiers, J.P. Duminy, M.V. Boucher, M. Morkel, P.L. Harris, D.W. Steyn, M. Ntini.

UMPIRES: Aleem Dar (Pakistan) and B.R. Doctrove (West Indies).

TV UMPIRE: B.N.J. Oxenford (Australia).

MATCH REFEREE: R.S. Madugalle (Sri Lanka).—Agencies