Ponting's 100 in his 100th Test

Never let the facts get in the way of a good statistic. It's Ricky Ponting's 99th Test against teams not called the "ICC World XI", but that doesn't devalue a great century that looks as if it will save Australia from a tricky situation against South Africa.

Currently 4/206 needing another 46 to avoid the follow-on, with the real Dickie Knee lookalike Andrew Symonds at the other end.

According to the ICC, Ponting started this game with 99 Test matches and 7990 runs. Having made 46 and 54 in that October aberration means that, according to the stats that I and a few others keep, Ponting began the Sydney Test with 98 Tests and 7890 runs. Any moment now he will pass 110 and bring up his 8000 Test runs for real.

One thing that is not in dispute is his 27th Test century, his third of the summer after his 149 and 104 not out against the West Indies at The Gabba. And let's not forget that on his last genuine Test at the SCG, against Pakistan last January, he scored 207.