KEY POINTS:
BRISBANE - A magical, record-equalling century by Ricky Ponting put Australia firmly in command of England on the first day of the first Ashes cricket test at the 'Gabba today.
The Australian captain's latest century -- his seventh in eight tests -- drew him level with predecessor Steve Waugh's 32 centuries and was the highlight of a great batting effort by the home side, who reached 346 for three after Ponting won the toss and batted first.
Ponting finished a triumphant day on 137 not out, while Mike Hussey made a great start to his Ashes career with an unbeaten 63 and opener Justin Langer returned to his best with 82.
England produced a nightmare start with the ball, toiled hard in the middle session but fell away in the last in an embarrassing start to their Ashes defence.
No Australian has worn the noose of the 2005 Ashes defeat tougher than Ponting, who produced a superb innings studded with crisp pull shots and lavish drives through the on side to continue his remarkable form blitz.
He has scored nine centuries since Australia lost the Ashes, has reached three figures in his past three innings in Brisbane and his average is now 59.13, the highest it has been since his second test, more than a decade ago.
With no compatriot in front of him on the all-time centurymaker list, only Indians Sachin Tendulkar (35) and Sunil Gavaskar (34) and the West Indies' Brian Lara (34) head Ponting.
Those three have all batted at least 35 innings more than Ponting.
It was clear this one meant a lot to Ponting.
The moment he clipped Matthew Hoggard and turned for a second run he raised both arms, and upon completing his third run waved his bat and soaked up a deafening roar from a capacity crowd of 39,288.
Langer, who got the home side on to the front foot with his first half-century in 11 innings, may have been celebrating a ton himself had he not cut Andrew Flintoff straight to point half an hour after lunch.
The England captain was his side's saviour with the ball after a shocking opening, as Steve Harmison bowled one of cricket's widest wides first-up and was jittery throughout, Hoggard's swing went missing and James Anderson's short stuff became fodder.
Flintoff took the first wicket of the series when he had Matthew Hayden caught at second slip for 21 off a beauty, and when spinner Ashley Giles had Damien Martyn out cutting for 29 the tourists had worked themselves back into the match.
But from 198 for three, Hussey looked completely at ease in his Ashes debut.
He worked the gaps and Ponting punished the bad stuff in a partnership of 148.
The only glimmer of a chance Ponting gave was when he pushed to mid off and took a quick single on 97, but Harmison's fumble typified his day.
* Scoreboard after the first day of the first Ashes cricket test between Australia and England at the 'Gabba today:-
Australia
First innings
J Langer c Pietersen b Flintoff 82
M Hayden c Collingwood b Flintoff 21
R Ponting not out 137
D Martyn c Collingwood b Giles 29
M Hussey not out 63
Extras (5lb, 3w, 4nb) 12
Total (for 3 wkts, 90 overs) 346
Fall: 79, 141, 198.
Bowling: S Harmison 12-2-52-0 (2w), M Hoggard 16-2-52-0 (1nb), J Anderson 18-4-88-0 (1w), A Flintoff 16-2-48-2 (3nb), A Giles 18-2-51-1, I Bell 1-0-12-0 (2nb), K Pietersen 9-1-28-0.
- AAP, REUTERS
