Ponting and Katich defy England bowlers

By John Mehaffey

CARDIFF (Reuters) - Australia captain Ricky Ponting and opener Simon Katich scored unbeaten centuries during a second wicket partnership of 189 on the second day of the first Ashes test against England on Thursday.

At the close, Australia had reached 249 for one in reply to England's 435 all out with Ponting on 100 and Katich on 104.

Ponting, who became the fourth man to score 11,000 test runs, scrambled a single to reach his 38th test hundred off the penultimate ball of the day. Katich's painstaking innings, his eighth test century, lasted nearly 4-1/2 hours.

England captain Andrew Strauss rotated his bowlers, adjusted his fields and tried every ploy he could think of but was denied a breakthrough by the combination of a slow pitch and the skill and unremitting concentration of the two Australians.

Andrew Flintoff, returning to the team after a knee operation, took the only wicket to fall during a magnificent six-over spell immediately after lunch.

Australia opener Phillip Hughes, who scored 415 runs at 69.16 in his debut series in South Africa this year, gave a glimpse of his penchant for the unorthodox by slashing four boundaries through the off-side before lunch.

After the interval Strauss threw the ball to Flintoff and the big all-rounder responded by charging in from around the wicket from the River end and bowling four bouncers in his opening over.