Dogged Katich gives Aussies solid lead
Simon Katich ground out a century as Australia ended day three of the second Test against New Zealand in a dominant position.
Katich (106) combined in a stand of 155 with Michael Hussey (67) as the tourists, who lead the two-match series 1-0, reached 333 for four at stumps in Hamilton for a lead of exactly 300.
New Zealand twice threatened to exert some control with Tim Southee in the morning and Brent Arnel in the evening each claiming two quick wickets, but they could not build on their breakthroughs.
With Australia resuming their second innings on 35 without loss, Katich eliminated almost all scoring shots in the morning session, leaving opening partner Shane Watson to keep the runs ticking over.
He reached 50 with a lovely straight drive for four off Southee and then smashed a six off the next ball, but a top-edged pull went straight to BJ Watling to give the bowler revenge.
Ricky Ponting did not last long, clipping a ball straight to Watling at short leg, and that saw Katich and Hussey happy to dig in.
Their partnership reached 50 on the stroke of lunch, with Katich on just 48 from 175 balls.
But he signalled his intention to up the rate after lunch with successive fours off Southee and two boundaries from Hussey also saw him past 50.
Towards the end of the session, Katich took a liking to Chris Martin's bowling and four boundaries in the space of three overs took him past 100, the last a majestic drive on the up.
Ominously for New Zealand, they did not have so much as a sniff of a chance all session, but Arnel got an unlikely breakthrough in his first over of the evening.
He induced an outside edge from Hussey which flew through to wicketkeeper Brendon McCullum, and when Katich fell in almost identical fashion in Arnel's next over, New Zealand appeared to be back in the game.
However, Michael Clarke hit Southee for two boundaries in the next over to give the Black Caps a reality check and he and Marcus North settled into a comfortable partnership.
North brought up the 50 stand with a boundary off Daniel Vettori and smashed the spinner for six off his next over.
When Clarke danced down the pitch to dispatch Vettori for another boundary, it was indicative of Australia's dominance.
The partnership had reached 86 by the close, with both batsmen on 42.
