Ponting receives the plaudits

Not surprisingly the Australia press are full of praise for Ricky Ponting after his century on the opening day at the Gabba. After taking a lot of criticism for the Ashes defeat in England, Ponting made a clear statement as he imposed himself on England's struggling attack. And Greg Baum, in The Age, says Ponting is now entering his prime as a batsman and there is more to come.

They were overtures to a century as telling as any he has made, as flawless as anyone has made. He played and missed twice, hit one ball uppishly through point, might have been leg before once when sweeping, but was master of every other delivery he faced.

In the same paper, John Huxley talks about the contrasting starts made by the two teams

As early as the drinks break, with Australia 0-57, even grizzled English commentators were preparing to unfurl the white flag. As former captain Waugh explained, the first day sets the tone for the series.

And in the Sydney Morning Herald Peter Roebuck looks at the tussle between the two captains and concludes Andrew Flintoff is going to find it very hard to come out on top.

Flintoff did everything in his power to stem the tide. Put in charge of a team shorn of two senior batsmen and burdened with a lacklustre attack, he took the ball in his beefy hands and unleashed several confronting bursts.

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