CHITTAGONG: Jason Gillespie was the unlikely hero with the bat for Australia on Tuesday, striking a maiden Test century as the visitor took control of the second Test against Bangladesh.

Six days after narrowly avoiding a humiliating defeat at the hands of the Test minnows, normal service was resumed for the world's best side as it finished the third day on 364 for three in reply to Bangladesh's paltry 197.

Gillespie, normally a star with the ball rather than the bat, was unbeaten on 102 alongside Mike Hussey on 93 at tea before rain brought an early end to the day's play with the tourist 167 ahead.

Australia's opening bowler began his innings as a night-watchman near the end of Sunday's play after earlier starring with the ball picking up three of the Bangladesh top order before lunch.

Early birthday present

The paceman, who turns 31 on Wednesday and was dropped by Australia after its surprise Ashes defeat in England last summer, enjoyed his promotion up the batting order smashing 17 fours in his 300-ball knock.

He brought up his well-deserved century in style by driving left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak for a four through the covers just before the tea break. His previous Test best was 54 not out against New Zealand at Brisbane in 2004.

"Me getting a century is bizzare. I had decided to go out there and bat for as long as possible but never thought that I could remain not out for so long or get a century," said Gillespie. "I am naturally very, very happy to get the century because I thought the Bangladesh bowlers were not that bad," said Gillespie, who had not even had a century in first-class cricket before Tuesday's effort.

Easy runs

Hussey helped himself to some easy runs against a pedestrian bowling attack, hitting 14 fours off 120 balls, and putting on 154 runs for the unbroken fourth-wicket stand with Gillespie.

Skipper Ponting, 19 overnight, scored 52 off 92 balls with four fours and a pulled six over the square-leg fence off paceman Shahadat Hossain, before he was run out.

Third-wicket stand

Gillespie and Ponting, who made an unbeaten 118 in the second innings to guide his team to a three-wicket win in the opening Test in Fatullah, had put on 90 for the third-wicket.

Gillespie is only the third night-watchman to complete a century in Tests and is three short of the record 105 scored by Australian Tony Mann in December 1977 against India. — Agencies

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