Steve Barrett
at Adelaide Oval
Ricky Ponting has powered to his 41st Test century as Australia continue to grind India into the dirt early in the final session of the fourth Test at Adelaide Oval.
The former captain walked out to the crease with the home side in a spot of bother at 2-31 after 10 overs, but he was untroubled throughout and - with the aggressive assistance of current skipper Michael Clarke (89 not out) - helped guide the Aussies from a dicey position to a commanding 3-244.
The crowd momentarily rose to its feet when Ponting worked Zaheer Khan behind square for a couple but the faithful were quickly subdued when the signal for leg byes was realised, the ball clearly deflecting off the batsman's thigh pad.
The very next ball he received a standing ovation and raised his arms triumphantly as he pushed Zaheer between point and gully for two to bring up his second hundred of the series, this dig far arguably more fluent than his determined, gutsy knock at the SCG.
With the ton - which came off 164 balls and included 11 boundaries - Ponting draws level with South African compatriot Jacques Kallis for all-time second place for most Test centuries, behind only India's Sachin Tendulkar (51).
Amazingly, it was Ponting's fourth ton in as many Tests against India at this ground, all coming in the first innings.
He raced to fifty from 69 balls in the third over after lunch when he squeezed a full Umesh Yadav nut behind square and has looked in vintage form throughout.
On 42, Clarke pulled a rank R Ashwin long hop for four then the very next ball danced down the track and deposited the off-spinner over mid-on for a long boundary to raise his 22nd Test 50.
Ishant Sharma, whose place in the side was under some threat leading into the match as the tourists contemplated fielding two spinners, was the pick of the tourist's bowlers in the middle session, steaming in hard, but toiling without luck.
When Clarke was on 35, he thick-edged a wide Sharma offering with a loose cut straight to where first slip would have pouched a regulation catch.
But VVS Laxman, standing at a wide second slip position, was the only catcher in place and the ball flew harmlessly for four between him and keeper Wriddhiman Saha.
Moments after Clarke raised his bat for his 50, Ponting saluted the crowd for a different reason.
When the 37-year-old swept Ashwin to deep square leg to reach 81, it brought up his 13,000th Test run.
He's third on the all-time list, ranking behind only Indian duo Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, who have been in the field for every one of Ponting's runs today.
India captain Virender Sehwag brought in Virat Kohli to bowl some gentle medium pacers in a hope to break the damaging partnership in the last over before tea.
Clarke was untroubled seeing off the part-timer before drama unfolded on the penultimate ball of the session.
Clarke turned Kohil to the on-side for a sharp single when Zaheer Khan had a shy at the non-striker's end from square leg.
The ball ricocheted off the sliding bat of the Aussie skipper, who infuriated the Indians by running two more as a result of the deflection.
India appealed for Clarke to be given out obstructing the field, arguing he had deliberately bunted Zaheer's throw but,