North stakes claim for Test spot

Australia 360 for 4 (Katich 124, Ponting 93, North 52*) trail South African Board President's XI 403 for 7 dec (Khan 100, Kuhn 99, Wiese 50*, Hilfenhaus 2-64) by 43 runs
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Marcus North won the battle of Australia's potential Test No. 6s but it was Simon Katich and Ricky Ponting who really enjoyed some pressure-free batting practice ahead of the first Test. Katich posted his 45th first-class century, and it was one of the more relaxed hundreds of his career, while Ponting cruised to 93 as Australia reached a comfortable 360 for 4 at stumps.

The tourists' strong batting put their disappointing bowling effort in perspective on a pitch that continued to offer no assistance for the bowlers. Katich and Ponting combined for a 185-run partnership that ended when Ponting was adjudged caught at slip when he tried to slog-sweep Imran Tahir, while Katich retired on 124 as Australia were keen to audition North and Andrew McDonald ahead of next week's first Test.

The men are competing for the No. 6 position - assuming Michael Clarke is fit - and they were both watchful early as they took care not to throw away their opportunity. They put together a 47-run partnership that ended when McDonald played back to Tahir and was lbw for 23, before North went on to register a half-century in his first innings for the Australians.

North remained cautious but showed his ability to drive through the off side and flick through leg. He finished up with an unbeaten 52, while Mitchell Johnson was on 12 as Australia played out time at the end of the day. The scoring-rate had slowed slightly after Ponting and Katich took to Tahir earlier in the afternoon during their 185-run stand.

Like Australia's Bryce McGain, legspinner Tahir was treated mercilessly on a surface offering no real turn. He went to tea with 70 having been taken from his 11 overs and when he returned for his second spell he was immediately slammed over midwicket by Katich for a pair of sixes.

Ponting also enjoyed facing Tahir and one straight-driven six that cleared the sightscreen left the ground and forced a ball change. Ponting struck three sixes and 15 fours in an innings that was perfectly fluent apart from his first ball, which resulted in a huge appeal for caught behind when he was beaten by a superb legcutter from Ethy Mbhalati.

Katich was troubled even less often. He drove the fast bowlers without fuss through the gaps on both sides of the field. When Roelof van der Merwe came on with his left-arm spin, Katich lofted him over midwicket as if he was one of the amateur bowlers playing in a club match adjacent to Senwes Park.

For most of the opening partnership Katich had been outscored by Phillip Hughes, who showed glimpses of his class before falling to a cracking bouncer from Mbhalati. Hughes was on 24 when he played back and tried to defend but the rising delivery clipped the edge and flew through to the wicketkeeper. Hughes, 20, was off the mark first ball with a clip to square leg and he struck three boundaries, including a magnificent cover drive off Mbhalati.

Australia spent only 2.3 overs in the field on the second morning and it was a much happier attack than on the first day. Ben Hilfenhaus produced a good outswinger that drew an edge behind from Heino Kuhn for 99 and in the next over Doug Bollinger picked up his first wicket with a good bouncer that van der Merwe gloved behind for a first-ball duck.