SPORTS

North scores century on Ashes debut

July 11, 2009 18:06 IST

- Scorecard

Marcus North completed a century during his Ashes debut on Saturday as Australia continued to pile on the runs on the fourth morning of the first Test against England.

North reached his landmark in the penultimate over before lunch with a scampered two after batting through the morning session with Brad Haddin.

Wicketkeeper Haddin raced through for a single in the next over to reach his half-century.

At lunch, Australia were 577 for five, a first innings lead of 142, with North on 101 and Haddin on 50.

Haddin leg-glanced a four and top-edged a hook for another boundary in Stuart Broad's opening over from the River end. He drove Anderson through extra-cover for a further four and North pulled the pace bowler to the boundary.

Anderson and Broad settled down to bowl three maidens in a row before Andrew Flintoff was introduced into the attack to the customary roar of approval from the England fans.

Haddin responded with off-driven four and North took two boundaries off the disappointing Broad.

Off-spinner Graeme Swann, who toiled for no reward over the past two days, offered some encouragement to his team but probably more to the Australian spinners when he rapped Haddin on the pads and appealed in vain for lbw.

The next delivery turned sharply, hit the inside edge of Haddin's bat and bounced off his pad in front of short-leg.

Flintoff was given the third new ball 10 minutes before the interval which served only to accelerate the scoring rate.

North reached his second hundred in three tests from 206 balls with 12 boundaries, bringing up the 100 partnership at the same time.

Source: REUTERS
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