Simon Katich celebrates his century on Thursday. (AFP)

Cardiff: This Australia team may lack the star quality of the past but Ricky Ponting and Simon Katich showed that the change in personnel has had no impact upon their fighting qualities.

The pair both recorded centuries, with Katich making his first in an Ashes series, as they made significant inroads into England’s total of 435.

Katich finished on 104 and Ponting 100 as Australia lost just one wicket while compiling 249.

They were rarely troubled on a slow pitch at Cardiff as England looked bereft of any fresh ideas. England’s two spinners, Graeme Swann and Monty Panesar, did find turn after tea but were wicketless as Ponting and Katich put on the perfect display of counter attacking Test batsmanship with a 189-run stand, higher than anything they managed in 2005.

It was rarely thrilling for the Cardiff crowd and was in complete contrast to England’s knockabout fun in the morning when the tail wagged and added a jaunty 99 runs.

But both batsmen have points to prove. Katich was left out of the Test team for three years soon after the 2005 tour when he was dismissed four times by Flintoff and averaged just 27.

But he made his fifth hundred since being restored back in the team, this time to open rather than bat at six, earlier this year.

He reached his century off 124 balls having scored only eight boundaries as the England attack gave away few runs but did little to cause alarm.

Ponting is after revenge after the 2005 defeat and a run of low scores in recent months. He nicked a quick single to reach his century off 155 balls. It capped a great day for the Australian captain who earlier became the fourth player in Test history to reach 11,000 Test runs.

Swann bowled few loose deliveries and at one stage recorded five consecutive maidens. He controlled his line and length and tied down the batsmen but Ponting used his quick feet to manoeuvre the ball around and keep the scoreboard rolling.

There was no real swing for the England bowlers and their figures reflected that with James Anderson conceding at 4.38 an over and Stuart Broad, being hit 58 runs off only 12 overs.

Hughes started the charge with a series of blows through the off side as Broad failed to bowl the tight middle and leg line needed against his quirky technique.

Hughes scored 28 runs off 30 balls before lunch but slowed to eight off 24 after the break when Flintoff bowled around the wicket and peppered him with short deliveries, eventually nicking one to Matt Prior.

But Australia had clearly learned from England’s mistakes on the opening day. Then a series of batsmen let themselves down with airy shots and both Ponting and Katich shut off any urge to attack as they set about restoring parity in the match.

England had taken a significant advantage in the morning when Swann scored an unbeaten 47, at one stage he struck Nathan Hauritz for three consecutive fours, as he added 68 for the ninth wicket with Anderson. The moment eventually got the better of Anderson who holed out to mid-on before Panesar became the third wicket for Hauritz when he edged to gully.