North had managed a combined total of only 13 runs in his previous three knocks including only a single in the first innings at New Road.

But the Western Australian batsman found his form with a vengeance in scoring an unbeaten 106 out of 276-4 – a lead overall of 282 for the tourists.

North, who has played for five counties in England, said: "There has been a bit of pressure building up in the last three innings and it was nice to get an opportunity to score some runs.

"(Captain) Ricky Ponting pushed me up the order to No 4 today and it was an opportunity to get out there while the ball was still hard and to get a few rewards.

"With the Test match only around the corner (starting at Cardiff next Wednesday), and myself not performing as well as I would have liked, it is a pretty important hundred for me.

"It is nice to spend a few hours in the middle leading up to Cardiff and hopefully that puts me at the front of selection."

North shared in a century partnership with Michael Clarke on a slow wicket and expects similar conditions in Wales next week.

He said: "It was a bit difficult out there. The wicket was really slow and the ball got pretty soft.

"But it was very similar to the conditions we expect in Cardiff and it was pretty good to get similar match practice in.

"It looks like there are going to be some grinding out hours during the Test match.

"It was nice to get tested today and hopefully it will stand us in good stead for next week."

Steve Harmison gave another reminder of his ability to watching England national selector Geoff Miller as he piled on more misery for Australian opener Phillip Hughes.

The Durham pace bowler had accounted for the 20-year-old with a short pitched delivery in the first innings after making only seven and yesterday Hughes was on eight when he gloved a rising ball from Harmison, bowling around the wicket, to Eoin Morgan at second slip.

Harmison also dismissed Ponting (15), who edged to Yorkshire's Adil Rashid at gulley – his third failure in his last four innings.

Rashid had earlier impressed with the bat, improving his overnight score of 36 to 66, but his county team-mate Tim Bresnan made only five before being caught off an inside edge.