Unheralded Tasmanian batsman Alex Doolan blasted his highest first class score as Australia A piled on 7-480 in their tour match with South Africa before declaring on Saturday.
Doolan reached his 150, passing his previous best of 149, with a gentle push into the offside from the gentle spin of JP Duminy.
Captain Andrew McDonald called time on the Australia A innings midway through the middle session, ending an unbeaten 162-run partnership between Doolan and his state teammate Tim Paine (60 not out), who added 155 on day two of the three-day match without losing a wicket.
The pair built on, and then outdid, the solid foundations laid by Rob Quiney (85), Steve Smith (67) and Glenn Maxwell (64) on Friday, continuing to frustrate the highly-rated Proteas’ attack.
It is Doolan’s fifth first-class century and came against a world-class attack boasting the top two Test bowlers in Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander.
Only No.1-ranked bowler Steyn consistently troubled the batsmen, finishing with 3-54 from 22 overs.
His reliable offsider, right-armer Philander (0-88), was outshone by back-up paceman Rory Kleinveldt who took 2-60, while spinner Imran Tahir was expensive, taking 2-157.