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| | GEO Sports | | Australia 3/259 on opening day of Antigua Test | Updated at: 1346 PST, Saturday, May 31, 2008
 ANTIGUA: Simon Katich fashioned his third Test hundred and overshadowed the 10,000-run milestone of captain Ricky Ponting to lead a solid Australia batting performance in the second Test against West Indies on Friday.
Katich was undefeated on 113 as Australia, choosing to bat on a hard, docile pitch, reached 259 for three in their first innings when bad light stopped play eight overs early on the opening day of the inaugural Test at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
Katich and fellow opener Phil Jaques batted circumspectly through the first hour-and-a-half before Dwayne Bravo made the breakthrough. Jaques playing back and across to a full-length delivery from Bravo was adjudged lbw to the bowler's third ball for 17 to leave Australia 37 for one.
After lunch, Katich and Ponting completed contrasting half-centuries to build a solid platform for Australia. Making full use of the perfect conditions, the pair carried Australia to 151 for one at the tea break.
After tea, Australia endured a shaky first hour, when they lost Ponting and Hussey. From the first ball to the last, Clarke stroked the ball crisply, and executed some elegant
Ponting, playing in his 118th Test, after making his debut against Sri Lanka in 1995 at Perth, batted through lunch and tea to add 136 for the second wicket with Katich before he drove hard at a rising ball outside the off-stump and was caught at second slip off Jerome Taylor about 20 minutes after tea.
Hussey however was caught at mid-wicket for 10 off Darren Sammy pulling at a long-hop from the medium-fast bowler.
Australia lead the three-Test series 1-0, after they completed a 95-run victory in the opening Test last Monday at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica. |  |
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