Ponting joins elite batting club

December 28, 2003 14:49 IST

Ricky Ponting became only the fifth batsman in Test cricket to score double centuries in two successive Tests by scoring 257 in Australia's first innings in the Melbourne Test. Ponting had made 242 in the first innings of the Adelaide Test, which Australia lost by four wickets.

England's Walter Hammond, Australia's Donald Bradman, India's Vinod Kambli and South Africa's Graeme Smith are the other batsmen to have achieved this feat.

Bradman performed this feat thrice, while Hammond did so on two occasions. Kambli is the only one whose two double centuries in successive Tests came against different opponents.

Batsman	Score	Versus	Venue	Season
W R Hammond	251	Aus	Sydney	1928-29
	200	Aus	Melbourne	1928-29
D G Bradman	254	Eng	Lord's	1930
	334	Eng	Leeds	1930
W R Hammond	227	NZ	Christchurch	1932-33
	336*	NZ	Auckland	1932-33
D G Bradman	304	Eng	Leeds	1934
	244	Eng	The Oval	1934
D G Bradman	270	Eng	Melbourne	1936-37
	212	Eng	Adelaide	1936-37
V G Kambli	224	Eng	Bombay WS	1992-93
	227	Zim	Delhi	1992-93
G C Smith	277	Eng	Birmingham	2003
	259	Eng	Lord's	2003
R T Ponting	242	Ind	Adelaide	2003-04
	257	Ind	Melbourne	2003-04