Aussies throw tons of weight

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 wicketkeeper 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.

SCOREBOARD
AUSTRALIA (1ST INNINGS): J Langer lbw b Dillon 25, M Hayden lbw b Dillon 30, R Ponting not out 146, D Lehmann c Baugh b Drakes 160, A Gilchrist not out 14.
Extras: 16 (b-5, lb-1, W-2, nb-8).
Total: 391/2.
Fall of wickets: 1-49, 2-56, 3-371.
Bowling: Dillon 21-1-79-2 (nb-2), Collins 19-1-83-0 (nb-2), Drakes 19-3-79-1 (nb-2 W-1), Samuels 15-1-74-0, Bernard 8-1-47-0 (nb-2 W-1), Sarwan 1-0-3-0, Hinds 7-0-20-0.