Ruthless Ponting puts Australia in command against West Indies

The captain struck 158 as the tourists recovered from the loss of two early wickets to reach 301 for four at stumps.

Ponting was the only batsman to fall in the final session, much to the relief of the hosts, who had toiled throughout the day but with little reward.

Centurion: Australia's captain Ricky Ponting raises his bat after reaching his hundred

His knock formed the backbone of Australia's innings, which also saw half-centuries from Michael Hussey (56) and Brad Hodge (53 not out).

Ponting enjoyed a lengthy spell at the crease after the visitors had got off to a shaky start when Windies paceman Fidel Edwards removed openers Simon Katich and Phil Jaques early in the morning session.

The match marks the first Test for Australia since the retirement of wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.

Brad Haddin was given his chance behind the stumps in place of Gilchrist, while Katich and Hodge were drafted in for absent pair Michael Clarke and Matthew Hayden.

In the Windies line-up, Ramnaresh Sarwan resumed the captaincy in place of the injured Chris Gayle, while Amit Jaggernauth was handed his Test debut after Jerome Taylor suffered a back injury.

Pure class: Ponting wracks up the runs for Australia

Ponting won the toss and elected to bat with Katich and Jaques the first men at the crease.

Katich had shone with bat and ball in Australia's only warm-up game, a three-day contest with a Jamaica Select XI which ended in a rain-affected draw.

But he failed to deliver at Sabina Park and managed just 12 runs before edging Edwards to Darren Sammy at backward point.

Jaques then followed four overs later for nine, trapped leg before by Edwards while trying to poke the ball to leg side.

That left Australia struggling on 37 for two, but Ponting brought some stability to the side and looked at ease against the Windies' attack.

Breakthrough: West Indies' fielder Brenton Parchment (left) hugs team-mate Dwayne Bravo after he caught Australia's captain Ricky Ponting for 158

The touring captain had posted an unbeaten 44 at lunch while Hussey made a laborious task of his innings, crawling to 14 from 65 balls as Australia ended the session on 87 for two.

The third-wicket pairing then continued to frustrate the hosts into the afternoon session, with Ponting leading the way and Hussey providing the back-up.

It took less than four overs for Ponting to bring up his half-century with a single off Sammy - his score coming off 65 balls and including six fours.

The hundred partnership followed, with the Windies unable to break the stand, while Hussey reached his fifty in the 47th over with a boundary.

It had been a long time coming for the left-hander, who needed 133 balls to achieve the mark.

He was walking back to the pavilion two overs later though as Jaggernauth claimed his first Test wicket when Hussey edged his delivery to Dwayne Bravo at first slip to end the third-wicket stand of 137.

Ponting was just four runs short of his century at tea with Hodge sitting on eight as the tourists reached 189 for three.

And the captain soon brought up his 35th Test ton, including 10 fours, hitting Jaggernauth through midwicket for two in the 56th over.

West Indies bowler Amit Jaggernauth (2nd L) is congratulated by team-mates after he got his first Test wicket dismissing Mike Hussey

Jaggernauth thought he had claimed his second wicket two balls later in the shape of Hodge, but wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin failed to hold onto the catch.

The let-off spurred Australia on as Ponting and Hodge also formed a solid hundred partnership, despite several vociferous appeals from the Windies players.

The hosts finally got the breakthrough they had been searching for with Ponting the man to fall. The skipper pulled at a Bravo delivery which was snatched out of the air by a diving Brenton Parchment at square leg.

Hodge responded by reaching his fifty in the following over, and he and Mitchell Johnson (one not out) saw the tourists through to stumps as Australia laid the foundations for an imposing first-innings total.