Cricket: Ponting joy but misery for ace Lee.

RICKY Ponting scored an unbeaten century as Australia began to eat away at Zimbabwe's lead in the second Test yesterday. But the home side lost another bowler to injury when Brett Lee tore a stomach muscle.

Ponting was unbeaten on 137 with his captain Steve Waugh on 43 when rain forced an early end to the second day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Australia, who won the first Test by an innings and 175 runs, were cruising along at 245 for three in their first innings when play was abandoned 36 minutes before the scheduled close.

That left them just 63 runs behind the Zimbabweans, who made a respectable 308 after resuming at 256 for eight.

But Australia's fightback was marred by news that Lee had been ruled out of the remainder of the match as well as the tour of India starting later this month.

The Australian paceman was forced to leave the field following his third over of the day on Saturday and was later diagnosed with an torn stomach muscle, joining Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie and Stuart MacGill on the sick list.

'I am bitterly disappointed,' Lee said. 'I've worked really hard on my fitness and have basically gone through the past three seasons unscathed

so to miss this tour now is a major blow.'

Ponting, who will captain the one-day side in India, said Lee's withdrawal was another major loss to the Australians.

'It's hard enough at the best of times to tour India but this really is going to be a big challenge for us now,' he said.

All-rounder Andy Blignaut chanced his arm to score an unbeaten 38 to help Zimbabwe edge past 300, and then picked up two early wickets.

Comfortable

The medium-pacer got rid of Justin Langer for two with his first delivery before lunch and then claimed the prized scalp of Matthew Hayden for 20 in the middle session.

Off-spinner Raymond Price, the nephew of golfer Nick Price, chipped in to get rid of Damien Martyn for 32 when he trapped him lbw, but Ponting's faultless innings put Australia in a comfortable position.

Ponting smashed 16 boundaries and two sixes to reach his 18th career Test hundred and his sixth from his last 13 tests.

'I was pretty happy with the way I played. The wicket was pretty good so it was just a matter of one of the top order going on with it,' he said.

'We've had a pretty good day so we've just got to go on with it tomorrow and set the match up.'

Ponting also shared an unbroken partnership of 97 with Waugh, who struck five fours in his 75-ball knock before bad light then rain brought an end to play.

Blignaut had shared a 53-run partnership with Price for the ninth wicket as the Zimbabwean tail frustrated the Australian bowlers for over an hour at the start of the day.

Blignaut then struck with the ball, removing Langer and Hayden, fresh from his world record 380 in last week's first Test.

'That was a big relief, especially after what he did last week,' Blignaut said. 'Whenever we get any of their top six out we should celebrate.'

CAPTION(S):

FAULTLESS... Ricky Ponting