Leeds, August 16: Ricky Ponting ended a personal nightmare by scoring a superb 144 at almost a run a ball and sharing in a double-century stand with Mark Waugh as Australia raced away with the first day of the fourth Ashes Test against England on Thursday.

The Tasmanian right-hander, averaging less than eight in his last 10 Test innings, survived a third-ball scare before handing England's all-seam attack a harsh lesson at Headingley.

He was finally dismissed in the final hour's play, gloving behind an Alex Tudor lifter after facing 154 balls, as the touring side recovered from 42 for two to close on 288 for four.

His eighth Test hundred spanned three-and-a-half hours and included three sixes and 20 fours.

Amazingly, Australia, seeking to go 4-0 up in the five-match series, scored their total despite the whole of the first session being washed out by rain.

Waugh, while short of his elegant best, made 72 before he was dismissed in the last over of the day, looping a simple catch off the shoulder of the bat to Mark Ramprakash at gully to give Andrew Caddick his third wicket.

Ponting reached three figures with a pulled single off Alan Mullally, raising his bat and breaking into the broadest of smiles as his teammates rose to applaud him.

His 221-run partnership with Waugh came from just 46 overs at almost five runs an over.

England had flattered to deceive when play eventually began after lunch by dominating the early phases, Caddick taking two wickets within the space of three runs after Australia had opted to bat.

The 26-year-old Ponting, however, turned the game on its head after his hesitant start.

A hook and a cut off Caddick earned him successive fours as he got into his stride, followed by a pulled six off Mullally.

Ponting, whose position was beginning to come under threat after his failure to pass 20 in his last two series, accelerated after tea as he began to deal solely in boundaries, his 50 coming off 65 balls.

PONTING REPRIEVE

Ponting, who needed a reprieve from the third umpire after Ramprakash claimed a catch in the slip cordon off Caddick at the start of his innings, then added another six over midwicket off Tudor as the hundred stand came up.

Things had looked very different after the morning washout.

Michael Slater opened with a four off the first ball of the match, pulling a delivery from Darren Gough to fine leg. But the Australians then began to struggle after opting to bat.

First Matthew Hayden edged Caddick just short of Marcus Trescothick at gully, then survived a big lbw appeal from Darren Gough.

Mullally then dropped Hayden off a head-high chance at short square leg as the batsman failed to get hold of a hook off Caddick.

Two wickets suddenly fell, Slater departing lbw to Caddick for 21 and Hayden following for 15, also lbw to the same bowler.

The left-hander crumpled to the ground in apparent pain as the umpire's finger went up.