Ricky Ponting provided the highlights, but it was a host of lesser lights who steered Tasmania safely to stumps and first day honours in the Pura Cup cricket match at the WACA today.

Andrew Hamilton26-Oct-2001Ricky Ponting provided the highlights, but it was a host of lesser lights who steered Tasmania safely to stumps and first day honours in the Pura Cup cricket match at the WACA today.After stumbling to 5-108 just after lunch, the Tigers lost just three more wickets for 208 and will resume tomorrow at 8-316.Pace duo Damien Wright (41no) and David Saker (17no) frustrated the Warriors attack for the final 45 minutes in a valuable 40-run partnership.Veteran all-rounder Shaun Young led the resistance with a gritty 169-ball 67 that included 11 boundaries.But he was ably supported by former Queenslander Shane Watson, who dug in for 56 before edging Gavin Swan (2-60) to Damien Martyn at first slip to take thescore to 6-147.Wicketkeeper Sean Clingeleffer contributed 47 runs in a 98-run partnership with Young, before he presented Martyn with his fourth catch and Jo Angel (3-52) histhird wicket.After winning the toss and sending the visitors into bat, Warriors captain Adam Gilchrist would have been pleased with the state of play before lunch when Ponting was sent back to the pavilion with the score at 3-90.Ponting made a blistering start, but failed to capitalise and was out for 58 after giving Martyn his second catch at first slip off Angel.The Australian first drop batsman came in with the score at 1-9 and immediately began to plunder the WA attack, clubbing nine fours and two sixes off just 48 balls.He arrived at the wicket in the seventh over when Dene Hills was caught by Martyn at first slip off Brad Williams for four.Williams (3-84) bowled with good pace but too often strayed short, especially to the damaging Ponting.Hills’ opening partner Jamie Cox batted patiently for 57 minutes for seven before he edged Swan to Gilchrist behind the stumps.Swan claimed the scalp off just his second ball and his economical bowling helped slow the Tigers’ run rate.Cox’s dismissal brought Watson to the crease to partner Ponting and the pair put on 40 runs before the captain departed.Former Warrior Michael Dighton then strode to the middle for his debut for Tasmania.The elegant right hander batted cautiously for 25 minutes but was out for two off the last ball of the morning session when Gilchrist took a freakish leg side catch off an inside edge off Williams.Tasmanian coach Greg Shipperd admitted he would also have opted to bowl had he won the toss and said he was pleased with the way his batsmen handled adifficult WACA deck.”I thought it was a great fightback, especially after the way the ball was darting around early,” he said.”To end up with 316 was excellent, after where we were at lunch I thought anything in excess of 200 would have been a good result.”To get above 300 showed a lot of character from some of our younger players.”He paid particular tribute to second year players Clingeleffer and Watson.”They’re becoming very important middle order batsmen for us,” he said.”It’s not a surprise to see them leading a fightback, we’re beginning to expect solid contributions with the bat from them.”