BRISBANE, Nov 10: Adam Gilchrist scored his fourth Test century to help Australia post an imposing first innings total of 486 for nine declared before rain forced an early end to Saturday’s third day of the first cricket Test with New Zealand at the Gabba.

Play was officially abandoned after tea with New Zealand 29 without loss in their first innings. There was no play in the final session after the rain forced the players from the field before tea.

There was only 90 minutes of play throughout the day.

Gilchrist made 118 before he fell to fast bowler Chris Cairns after lunch, prompting Steve Waugh to immediately declare because of the forecast of more rain.

Gilchrist had hit 17 boundaries and a six during his dashing innings, which began on Thursday afternoon but was disrupted by two days of showers.

He started the third day unbeaten on 88 and added another 30 before throwing his wicket away chasing quick runs.

Australia began the third day at 435-7 after the start was delayed by almost two hours and only seven overs were completed by lunch.

Brett Lee was dismissed by Cairns, caught by wicketkeeper Adam Parore, in the second over after adding just one run to his overnight score of 60 although television replays showed he did not touch the ball.

Lee, who was just one run shy of his highest Test score, made against the West Indies at the Gabba last year, was unhappy at the decision and shook his head in disbelief as umpire Daryl Harper raised his finger.

Gilchrist went to lunch Saturday on 98 with Jason Gillespie on four, before he guided a ball from Cairns through gully in the first over after the break to bring up his hundred off 143 balls in 226 minutes.

As soon as Gilchrist reached his hundred he and Gillespie both lifted the tempo in pursuit of quick runs.

They hit five boundaries between them before Gilchrist top-edged Cairns to 12th man Lou Vincent who took a difficult, diving catch at mid-off.

Cairns finished with five wickets for the 11th time in his Test career.

New Zealand openers Mark Richardson and Matthew Bell battled through a hostile 35-minute spell from Aussie quicks Glenn McGrath and Gillespie to reach 29 when it began raining again.

Bell had a let-off before he was off the mark when he was almost run out.

Richardson also had a lucky escape when he was struck on the pads by McGrath to a ball that pitched in line with the stumps.

But he and Bell survived to take the total along to 29, needing another 258 to make Australia bat a second time.

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings, overnight 435-7):

J.L. Langer c Vettori b McMillan 104

M.L. Hayden c Richardson b Cairns 136

R.T. Ponting c Vettori b Cairns 5

M.E. Waugh lbw b Astle 0

S.R. Waugh c Parore b McMillan 3

D.R. Martyn c Vettori b McMillan 4

A.C. Gilchrist c sub b Cairns 118

S.K. Warne c Sinclair b Cairns 22

B. Lee c Parore b Cairns 61

J.N. Gillespie not out 20

EXTRAS (LB-4, W-1, NB-8) 13

TOTAL (for nine dec, 132 overs) 486

FALL OF WKTS: 1-224, 2-233, 3-235, 4-256, 5-260, 6-263, 7-302, 8-437, 9-486.

DID NOT BAT: G.D. McGrath.

BOWLING: Cairns 38-8-146-5 (5nb); Nash 30-6-93-0 (1nb); O’Connor 17.2-4-67-0 (1w); Vettori 13.4-0-65-0 (1nb); Astle 19-7-46-1; McMillan 14-1-63-3 (1nb).

NEW ZEALAND (1st Innings):

M.H. Richardson not out 10

M.D. Bell not out 6

EXTRAS (LB-5, NB-8) 13

TOTAL (for no wkt, 6.4 overs) 29

TO BAT: M.S. Sinclair, S.P. Fleming, N.J. Astle, C.D. McMillan, C.L. Cairns, A.C. Parore, D.J. Nash, D.L. Vettori, S.B. O’Connor.

BOWLING (to-date): McGrath 3.4-1-19-0 (8nb); Gillespie 3-2-5-0.—Reuters