Katich Century Hands Australia 300-Run Lead

Katich Century Hands Australia 300-Run Lead

Simon Katich scored 106 as Australia built a big lead over New Zealand.

©REUTERS / Action Images (File photo)

Australia 231 & 333-4 (Katich 106, Hussey 67, Watson 65) v
New Zealand 264 (Taylor 138, Johnson 4-59)
Second Test, Seddon Park, Hamilton, day three
Scorecard

Simon Katich scored 106 as Australia closed day three of the second and final Test against New Zealand in Hamilton 300 runs ahead with six second-innings wickets in hand.

Two other batsmen scored half-centuries as Australia took control of the match and made themselves favourites to complete a 2-0 series clean sweep with two days still to play.

They resumed the day with a narrow lead and openers Katich and Shane Watson (65) put on a first-wicket stand of 85 before Watson was caught by BJ Watling off Tim Southee.

Ricky Ponting made just six before he edged the same bowler to the same fielder, this time in the slips but Katich then added 155 runs with Michael Hussey, both men making their 50th Test appearance, for the third wicket. Their stand was ended when Hussey edged Brent Arnel to wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum and Katich followed nine balls later, also edging Arnel to McCullum.

Unbeaten at stumps were Michael Clarke and Marcus North, both men on 42.

New Zealand, thanks to Ross Taylor's 138 in 104 balls, the quickest Test century by a New Zealander, had handed the home side a first-innings lead before the tourists, who won the opening match in Wellington by ten wickets, hit back.

© Cricket World 2010

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