Wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist crashed in a 109-ball century on Tuesday as Australia commandeered the final Test from Pakistan on the third day at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Gilchrist brought the cheering home crowd to their feet when he blasted five sixes and 14 boundaries in a swashbuckling, 139-minute virtuoso innings for his 13th century in his 65th Test match.
He raised his blistering 100 off 109 balls and was outstumped off leg-spinner Danish Kaneria for 113 off 120 balls in a 153-run, fifth-wicket stand with skipper Ricky Ponting.
Ponting registered the highest score by an Australian against Pakistan in a Sydney Cricket Ground Test when he passed Greg Chappell’s 182, and at tea was unbeaten on 196 in just more than seven-and-a-half hours. He had cracked 29 boundaries off 303 balls.
At tea, Australia were almost out of sight of Pakistan at 509 for five, representing a lead of 205 runs with five wickets in hand.
Test debutant Shane Watson was not out 24 in a session that realised 169 runs.
Gilchrist thrilled the crowd with his prodigious hitting, smashing paceman Mohammad Asif for six, six, four to move to 98, and only just failing to raise his century in that over when a lofted straight hit bounced just metres inside the boundary ropes.
Gilchrist, who regularly bats at number seven, has scored centuries against all the other nine Test-playing nations, except Bangladesh. The left-hander has scored 4 109 runs at a Test average of 52,67.
Pakistan’s bowlers appeared powerless to stem the run onslaught and Ponting was expected to build a big enough lead so Australia would not have to bat again in the Test.
Leg-spinner Kaneria had the figures of 4-156 off 40 overs at tea, with three of his victims, Damien Martyn (67), Michael Clarke (35) and Gilchrist all stumped off his bowling.
The third day’s play got under way at 1.30pm local time after rain washed out the morning session, but play was extended with a total of 70 overs to be bowled.
Australia went into the Sydney Test having won the series following huge victories in the Perth and Melbourne Tests. — Sapa-AFP