SM Katich, the Australian opening batsman joined the select band of batsmen who have scored a hundred in their 50^th test. He scored 106 in the second innings of the Hamilton test between Australia and New Zealand on the third day. He was playing his 50^th test

He became the 30^th batsman in the annals of test cricket to achieve this distinction. He is the fifth Australian batsman, after RB Simpson., WM Lawry, MA Taylor and MJ Clarke to earn the distinction.

The break up team wise read thus – Australia {05}, England {09, India {05}, New Zealand {01}, Pakistan {01}, South Africa {04}, Sri Lanka {02} and West Indies {03}

No	Batsman	Cou	Score	Inns	Opposition	Venue	Start Date
1	Simpson RB	Aus	103	SI	India	Adelaide	28.12.1967
2	Lawry WM	Aus	205	FI	West Indies	Melbourne	26.12.1968
3	Taylor MA	Aus	170	FI	South Africa	Melbourne	26.12.1993
4	Clarke MJ	Aus	103*	SI	England	Birmingham	30.07.2009
1	Hobbs JB	Eng	159	FI	West Indies	The Oval	14.08.1928
2	Graveney TW	Eng	153	FI	Pakistan	Lord’s	23.06.1962
3	Barrington KF	Eng	256	FI	Australia	Manchester	23.07.1964
4	Botham IT	Eng	128	FI	India	Manchester	24.06.1982
5	Smith RA	Eng	175	FI	West Indies	St John’s	16.04.1994
6	Atherton MA	Eng	113	FI	West Indies	Nottingham	10.08.1995
7	Butcher MA	Eng	124	FI	Australia	Sydney	02.01.2003
8	Pietersen KP	Eng	102	SI	West Indies	Trinidad	10.03.2009
9	AN Cook	Eng	118	FI	South Africa	Durban	26.12.2009
1	Umrigar PR	Ind	112	FI	Pakistan	Delhi	08.02.1961
2	Gavaskar SM	Ind	221	SI	England	The Oval	30.08.1979
3	Viswanath GR	Ind	124	SI	West Indies	Chennai	12.01.1979
4	Kapil Dev N	Ind	100*	SI	West Indies	Trinidad	11.03.1983
5	Laxman VVS	Ind	178	FI	Australia	Sydney	02.01.2004
1	Wright JG	NZl	138	SI	West Indies	Wellington	20.02.1987
1	Javed Miandad	Pak	280*	FI	India	Hyderabad-Sind	14.01.1983
1	Cronje WJ	SAF	126	FI	England	Nottingham	22.07.1998
2	Kirsten G	SAF	134	SI	West Indies	Centurion	15.01.1999
3	Gibbs HH	SAF	183	FI	England	The Oval	04.09.2003
4	de Villiers AB	SAF	104*	FI	Australia	Johannesburg	02.03.2009
1	Jayasuriya ST	Srl	188	FI	Pakistan	Kandy	28.06.2000
2	Dilshan TM	Srl	162	FI	Bangladesh	Chittagong	03.01.2009
2	Dilshan TM	Srl	143	SI	Bangladesh	Chittagong	03.01.2009
1	Lloyd CH	WI	102	FI	India	Bridgetown	10.03.1976
2	Richards IVA	WI	109	FI	India	Georgetown	31.03.1983
3	Gayle CH	WI	317	FI	South Africa	St John’s	29.04.2005

The following highlights are relevant to SM Katich’s feat of scoring a hundred in his 50^th test. Javed Miandad scored hundreds in his debut test, 50^th test and 100^th test. He is the only batsman in the annals of test cricket to earn the distinction. Javed Miandad of Pak, GR Viswanath of Ind and AN Cook of Eng registered hundreds in his debut test and in his 50^th test. TM Dilshan is the only batsman to register hundreds in both innings of his 50^th test. He is the 25^th batsman to earn the distinction of scoring hundred in 50^th test. G Kirsten scored zero and 134 in his 50^th test. CH Gayle {317} remains the only batsman to register 300 plus runs in his 50^th test. KF Barrington {256} is credited with the distinction of becoming the first batsman to score a double hundred in his 50^th test. GR Viswanath-SM Gavaskar {brother-in-laws} are the only related cricketers in this elite list.