Associated Press

Wellington, March 19:

Damien Martyn notched an unbeaten century and anchored two valuable partnerships to lead Australia to 337-5 on the second day of the second Test against New Zealand. At stumps, Martyn was 106 not out and had shared a partnership of 84 for the fifth wicket with Simon Katich and an unbeaten 90-run, sixth-wicket stand with Adam Gilchrist (45 not out). More importantly, he helped Australia add 163 runs in the two hours of the final session to secure control of a match which had been closely balanced at tea after the first day was washed out by rain. Australia had the best of the first session, and were 91-1 at lunch. New Zealand took three wickets at a cost of 83 runs in the second session and at tea, when Australia was 174-4, the teams were evenly matched.

But Martyn, first with Katich, then with Gilchrist, led an attack on the second new ball which changed the face of the match. Gilchrist and Martyn were merciless, scoring the first 40 runs of their partnership in 18 minutes, the first 50 in 29 minutes. New Zealand had fought hard for parity in first session in which Justin Langer (46) and Matthew Hayden (61) put on 82 for the first wicket. The hosts dismissed Hayden, Ricky Ponting (9) and Michael Clarke (8) in the second session to partly vindicate Stephen Fleming’s decision to bowl first.