Score

Darren Lehmann scored his maiden Test hundred, while vice-captain Ricky Ponting scored a century for the second match in a row to put Australia in a commanding position against the West Indies in the second Test on Saturday.

The pair, who both had let-offs, completed their centuries off the same Mervyn Dillon over as they mauled a lacklustre West Indies attack with a third-wicket partnership of 315 that helped Australia to 391 for three at the close on the first day.

Ponting was still at the crease, unbeaten on 146, while Adam Gilchrist was not out on 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 nicked 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 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 on the field.

Ponting got an inside edge to a Dillon delivery only for Samuels to drop the catch at first slip while on 37.

Earlier, Lehmann was caught out of his ground following a mix-up with Ponting but Dillon, moving in from mid-wicket, missed the target.

Australia also had a decision go in their favour when Lehmann, on 65, appeared to edge Drakes to Baugh, but South Africa's Rudi Koertzen did not rule him out.

Lehmann became nervous as he reached the nineties and had another let-off on 97 when he was hit on the pad by a Drakes delivery, prompting a loud appeal.

The pair came together after openers Langer and Hayden both fell lbw after a brisk start.

Langer, who scored a century and half century in the first Test, had made a quick 25 when he fell victim to a fuller length Dillon delivery, which stayed low.

Sri Lanka's Asoka De Silva, already under scrutiny after his performance in the first Test, had a long, hard look before giving Langer out, but television replays suggested the ball pitched outside the line of the leg stump.

In Dillon's next over, Hayden, having made 30, was struck on the pad by a delivery, which pitched outside the leg stump.

De Silva raised his finger again and Hayden, shaking his head disapprovingly, headed back to the pavilion with television replays again suggesting the ball would have missed.

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