A battered Ricky Ponting admitted he kissed the crest of his helmet for the first time in his 142-Test career on Thursday as he celebrated one of his most cherished centuries.

Ponting rated his match-turning 137 not out as extra special for the adversity he overcame to reach his 39th Test century, as well as the location of the deed.

With the Bellerive Oval fans willing their home state hero to break out of his form slump, the Australian skipper was dropped on his fourth-ball and subjected to a fierce bouncer barrage on day one of the third Test.

The Pakistani pace attack smelled blood after Ponting’s struggles with the short ball this summer and then drew it, in scenes reminiscent of the 2005 Ashes when he was struck by Steve Harmison at Lord’s.

But he hooked and pulled his way out of trouble and combined with vice-captain Michael Clarke (111 not out) for a record 221-run stand to lift Australia to 3-302 at stumps.

A proud Ponting mimicked the act of many of his younger teammates, including Clarke, by kissing his helmet after sweeping Danish Kaneria for two to bring up his first century in 10 Tests dating back to the first Ashes Test in Cardiff last July.

“It’s the first time today because it meant a lot to me to battle the way I did and make a hundred in front of my home crowd and parents and my sister,” he said.

“They would have had some anxious and nervous moments watching today.

“It does mean a lot to me to come back down to Tasmania and make a hundred.

“I had a pretty lean trot in the first few international games I played here. I’ve scored more of late and it’s extra satisfying when I do, so today meant a lot to me.

“I wasn’t at my absolute best but to knuckle down and guts it out a little bit and to start to get a few out of the middle as the day went on was pretty pleasing.”

Suffering a headache from an Umar Gul bumper that struck him on the right ear, Ponting was forced to take a painkiller before going on to score his second Test hundred in Hobart.

The pain was nothing compared to what the skipper would have felt if teenage tearaway Mohammad Aamer had caught a sitter before he had scored after falling for the bait set by Mohammad Asif.

Ponting hooked the bouncer straight to Aamer at long-leg, but the youngster put down the tourists’ 14th dropped catch for the series.

“I was thinking I’d have a long day in the change rooms with not much to do,” he admitted.

“It seemed like it hung in the air forever. I said to Pup (Clarke) it was probably too easy a catch, he didn’t have to move.”

Despite his run of outs to short bowling since being plagued by an elbow injury after being hit by West Indian Kemar Roach last month, Ponting said he couldn’t put the pull shot in his kit bag.

“It’s always been one of the shots I’ve naturally played,” he said.

“Pup even said to me today ‘Have you thought about not playing it?’ And I can’t. It’s just an instinctive shot.”

After winning the toss for the third time in the series, Australia were struggling at 3-71 in the morning session with Simon Katich (11), Shane Watson (29) and Mike Hussey (6) failing.

SCORE – Australia 3-302.
MAN OF THE MOMENT – Ricky Ponting. The skipper responds to his critics and calls to move him down the batting order with his 39th Test century, his first in 10 Tests, his leanest period in nine years.
KEY MOMENT – A dreadful Pakistani fielding blunder let Ponting escape a fourth-ball duck after he helped a Mohammad Asif bumper directly to Mohammad Aamer at long-leg, only for him to spill the sitter.
STAT OF THE DAY – Vice-captain Michael Clarke passes 4,000 Test runs on his way to his 13th Test century, taking his Test batting average to 50.
QUOTE OF THE DAY – “Ponting’s back, he’s scored two centuries today,” one wag at the game was heard to say after umpire Asoka De Silva awarded a six to Ponting giving him a century, only to correct it to a four, leaving the Tasmanian back on 98 before he ended the day unbeaten on 137.
SUMMARY – Australia recovers from 3-71 before lunch to a dominant 3-302 at stumps, thanks to unbeaten centuries from Ponting (137) and Clarke (111).

© AAP 2012

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