Reuters

Sydney, Jan 4: Ricky Ponting became just the sixth player and first Australian to score a century in his 100th Test appearance when he made a hundred against South Africa on Wednesday.

The Australian captain reached the milestone after lunch on the third day of the third and final Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 215 minutes off 143 balls.

Ponting joined Colin Cowdrey, Javed Miandad, Gordon Greenidge, Alec Stewart and Inzamam-ul-Haq as the only players to achieve the feat.

Ponting made 96 on his debut against Sri Lanka a decade ago but has chalked up 27 centuries since, putting his equal sixth with Allan Border on the all-time list.

The 31-year-old Tasmanian struck 10 boundaries and a six to reach his hundred on Wednesday but had to survive a loud lbw appeal on 95 off Charl Langeveldt.

Players to score a century in their 100th Test appearance:

104 - Colin Cowdrey (England) v Australia, Birmingham 1968

145 - Javed Miandad (Pakistan) v India, Lahore 1989-90

149 - Gordon Greenidge (West Indies) v England, St John's 1989-90

105 - Alec Stewart (England) v West Indies, Manchester 2000

184 - Inzamam-ul-Haq (Pakistan) v India, Bangalore 2004-05

120 - Ricky Ponting (Australia) v South Africa, Sydney 2005-06