North savours special hundred

Marcus North's Test career is still shiny and new but he has another lasting memory after his 110 put Australia within touch of levelling the Ashes series. His composed innings earned him a third Test century and when he launched a six to reach three figures he experienced a never-before-felt emotion.

"I enjoy scoring hundreds wherever I play," he said. "But to score one in a Test like we are playing at the moment, and to put ourselves in a position to have a 300-run lead in an Ashes Test, it is pretty satisfying."

North has succeeded in this arena almost as quickly as Michael Hussey, his fellow Western Australian, who brought up three centuries in his opening five Tests. It has taken North one more game to match the record, but even though he still does not feel secure he can relax in the knowledge he is now an accomplished Test batsman.

His hundred came in spectacular style when he biffed a slog sweep over midwicket off Graeme Swann and celebrated before the ball succumbed to gravity. It made up for his near-miss on 96 at Edgbaston last Monday.

"I just thought if he bowls in that slot then I will back myself to hit it," he said. "It worked out, that bit of premeditation, and Swann kind of put the ball in the right area and I just followed through with it."

The method showed his increasing confidence at this level, but he soon fell attempting more big runs after being stuck with the tail. There was one powerful cut for four off Graham Onions, when the boundary was supposed to be covered by fielders, before he fell attempting to clear midwicket off Stuart Broad.

On the first afternoon he spent 42 deliveries avoiding risk to make 7, but his mood changed this morning and he increased his pace significantly once set. He stayed for 206 balls overall, collecting 13 boundaries and the six, in a complete innings from an impressive batsman.

"I was pretty pleased that I stuck with it and did a job for the team [on day one]," he said. "I let the team down a little bit at Edgbaston, where James Anderson bowled very well to me [he got 12 in the first innings]. I was disappointed to get drawn into a poor shot there. I wanted to make things right and felt that I did that last night. By doing that it set me up and I got the rewards today."

In this series he has collected 349 runs at 69.80, sitting second on the run list behind Michael Clarke, who added 93 to improve Australia's already healthy position. North has formed a strong on-field bond with Clarke and the pair, who enter at five and six, shared another large contribution with 153, their third century stand of the tour.

The combination took Australia towards 445 and earned a lead of 343, a position which gained in strength as the hosts slumped to 82 for 5 in their timid reply. It would have been even better if North had held Matt Prior's edge at third slip from the final ball of the day.