Australia on top as young Phil strokes ton

Hughes (115) and Katich (108) put on 184 runs for the first wicket,scoring at more than four runs an over,with Hughes thrashing 19 fours and two sixes in his 151-ball innings. Katich was more sedate,scoring his runs off 190 deliveries with 16 fours.

Hughes,20,reached his century with two successive sixes off left-arm spinner Paul Harris to become Australia’s youngest Test centurion since Doug Walters,who was eight days short of his 20th birthday when he made 155 against England in Brisbane in 1965/66.

South Africa started badly,with wayward bowling on a good batting pitch,dropped two catches and used both their referrals to the television umpire. Katich was dropped on 55 by Hashim Amla at midwicket off Dale Steyn,while Hughes was put down by a diving Jacques Kallis at slip off Morne Morkel when he had 114.

South Africa wasted their first referral when Harris appealed for leg before wicket against Hughes when the batsman was on 81. Not only did umpire Steve Bucknor uphold Asad Rauf’s decision,he also awarded Hughes a run because the ball had gone off a bottom edge. Rauf had signaled a leg bye.

The South Africans were convinced Katich had been caught behind off Morkel when he had 63. It was the first use of ‘hot spot’ technology,designed to show where a ball made contact,but the picture was inconclusive and Bucknor upheld Billy Bowden’s not out decision.

Scoreboard

Australia 1st innings: P. Hughes c McKenzie b Kallis 115,S. Katich c Smith b Steyn 108,R. Ponting c McKenzie b Harris 9,M. Hussey batting 37,M. Clarke b Harris 3,M. North batting 17; Extras (b-4,lb-1,nb-8,w-1): 14; Total (for four wickets): 303

FoW: 1-184 2-208 3-259 4-266; Bowling: Steyn 18-1-63-1,Ntini 17-3-55-0,Morkel 17-2-68-0,Kallis 13-4-41-1,Harris 21-5-66-2,Duminy 3-1-5-0