First-day hero Ricky Ponting has marvelled at under-pressure opener Justin Langer's character in answering his critics to lay the foundations for a mammoth Australian total at the Gabba.

Ponting played down his own unbeaten 137 as the world champions charged to 3-346 on the opening day of the series but paid immense credit to Langer for giving them the "exact start".

The left-hander's rollicking 82 off 98 balls set the tone for Australia's batsmen and immediately rejected calls for the inclusion of NSW run-machine Phil Jaques.

The West Australian's innings knocked the stuffing out of England's nervous pace attack and provided the platform for Ponting and Mike Hussey to cash in with a 148-run fourth-wicket stand.

"It was brilliant," Ponting said of Langer's free-wheeling knock that featured 13 boundaries.

"It was exactly what we needed, what he needed.

"I know he's been under a little bit of pressure ... and said he felt it, and for him to come out and play the way he did today shows the sort of player he is and the sort of character he is.

"That's exactly the reason he's in the side. He's a fighter and you know he's going to give 100 per cent every time he walks out to the middle and today was a great knock that got the momentum in the Test match going our way and it was unfortunate he didn't go on and get a hundred."

Langer wasted a prime chance to register his 23rd Test ton when he mistimed a cut off Andrew Flintoff to Kevin Pietersen at point.

But the damage had already been done to England which never recovered after Langer, who turned 36 on Tuesday, hit four boundaries within the first two overs.

It was a far cry from his last Test in South Africa when Makhaya Ntini's first-ball bouncer knocked him out, prompting questions about his future and making him contemplate retirement.

It was Langer's 10th Test innings without a 50 at the time, a rut in stark contrast to Jaques' domestic exploits in Australia and England.

"His absence from Test cricket is longer than most and his last ball he faced was a sickening one," said Ponting.

"He seems for 10 years of his career been trying to prove someone wrong and he's done it yet again today and gave us the exact start we needed in this Ashes series.

"Whenever he feels he needs runs he just gets out there and does it."

There was a touch of luck for Langer as a couple of early edges went through the cordon and one drive just flashed past point but his start signalled a long, hard day for the deflated tourists.

He and Hayden brought up the 50 within 11 overs and Langer went to lunch unbeaten on 68, giving the world champions the whip hand at 1-109.

A streaky boundary through point off Matthew Hoggard that took him to 30 saw Langer pass David Boon (7422) as Australia's sixth most prolific Test run-scorer.

A testament to his 101-Test career, Langer's average (45) is almost a full two runs better than that of Boon who was considered Australia's No.1 batsman in the early 1990s.

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