HD ACKERMAN was in sight of his fourth LV County Championship century of the season as Glamorganfs decision to put Leicestershire into bat backfired on them at Grace Road.

After a delayed start to the Division Two clash, Glamorganfs bowlers were unable to make the most of a well-grassed pitch and Leicestershire reached 164 for three off 51 overs at the close.

South African Ackerman, who has scored centuries against Glamorgan in each of the last two seasons, was again the thorn in their side and was still there at stumps on 89 not out.

Heavy overnight rain had left the outfield saturated and there was a four-hour wait before the game was able to get underway at 3pm with 45 overs lost because of the delay.

Glamorgan captain David Hempfs decision to bowl first after winning the toss brought an early breakthrough with David Harrison picking up a wicket in his first over.

Matt Boyce was rapped on the pads and out lbw as he missed with a loose drive with the total at three.

But Ackerman and Tom New slowly but surely gained the initiative for the home side with a solid second-wicket partnership of 94 in 24 overs.

Ackerman set the tone by taking 11 runs off Jason Gillespiefs third over including two sweetly timed boundaries through the offside.

New, after an uncertain start, also grew in confidence and by the 20th over, Glamorgan had turned to the spin of Robert Croft in search of another wicket.

But with Ackerman consistently piercing the field with some powerful offside drives, Leicestershire reached tea at 89 for one but then New fell for 32 when he was unable to keep down a lifting delivery from Ryan Watkins and played the ball back into his stumps.

Ackerman, however, continued to dominate reaching his 50 with nine fours and was joined in another half century partnership by South African colleague Boeta Dippenaar.

The two of them put on 56 in 20 overs with Dippenaar contributing 22 before being bowled by Harrison as he went on the back foot to a delivery that kept a touch low.

That made it 153 for three and with only six overs remaining, Leicestershire sent in Nadeem Malik as night watchman.

He did the job scoring only one run but surviving an awkward session leaving Leicestershire on 164 for three off 51 overs with Ackerman requiring another 11 runs to complete his fourth century in what has become an outstanding season for him.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has become the seventh man to pass 10,000 runs in Test cricket.

The Tasmanian achieved the landmark during the second Test against the West Indies in Antigua with a cover drive for two off Ramnaresh Sarwan.

That moved him on to 61 not out in Australiafs first innings.

Ponting joins an illustrious group of batsmen, which includes two other Australians, Allan Border and Steve Waugh.

The list is headed by West Indian Brian Lara, who amassed 11,953 runs in his Test career.