Those cricket fans who saw Adam Gilchrist blast 24 runs from an over bowled by England's Monty Panesar in Perth two summers ago might have wondered if that national record would ever be broken.
The new Australian mark is 26 runs after day two of the first test against South
Africa in Johannesburg and the holder is No 9 batsman Mitchell Johnson, although he surely can't bat that low for much longer.
Johnson smashed four, four, six, dot, six and six from an over by another left-arm spinner, South Africa's Paul Harris, as officials scrambled to find a replacement ball for the one which was lost over the mid-wicket boundary.
Johnson finished on 96 not out, four shy of his maiden hundred, as Australia were bowled out for 466 in their first innings. The Proteas will resume on day three on 85-3 with Neil McKenzie 35 not out and AB De Villiers on 13.
Marcus North hit 117, the 18th Australian to score a hundred on debut, and shared a crucial partnership of 117 with Johnson. It's an eighth-wicket record for Australia against South Africa.
After North's dismissal at 413-8, Johnson was given a team message to chase some quick runs.
"I didn't know the stats," said Johnson, who hit 10 fours and five sixes. "But it's funny because I was actually thinking about Gilly while I was out there.
"Just seeing how he used to play - that Test in Perth against the English.
"I wanted to stay out there for Northy getting his hundred. That was one of my goals and I'm really happy for him," ex-Queenslander Johnson said of his fellow West Australian.
The 27-year-old left-hander shows the full face of the bat in an uncomplicated technique and boasts a batting average of 31.47 in his 19th test.
Australia were bowled out six minutes before the scheduled tea break on Friday after Morne Morkel (3-117) dismissed Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus in consecutive balls.
"Hilfy keeps apologising. I'm not disappointed at all," Johnson said.
"If I get another chance, I'd love to get a hundred obviously. But if it doesn't come, I'm going to be happy with that," said Johnson.
Dale Steyn led South Africa's pace attack with 4-113 from 30 overs.
North said Johnson had helped him focus on the partnership for the team, over by over.
"Before I knew it, I got an opportunity of being on 99 and scoring those runs to get to a hundred which was a real big thrill for me," the 29-year-old said.
Johnson removed Graeme Smith for a duck in the first over of South Africa's innings.
Hashim Amla fell next over for one as Tasmanian debutant Hilfenhaus claimed his first test wicket.
Jacques Kallis made 27, becoming the eighth player to score 10,000 Test runs, before he was caught at gully off Peter Siddle's bowling.
"Looking back at the career when I started if someone had said that I would have got 10,000 Test runs I would have taken that with both hands.
"It does mean a lot to me but to be honest with you the difference between 9999 and 10,000 is one run. But it's probably something I'll look back on when I've finished the game and I'll appreciate it more than I do now."
Kallis pushed a single to cover off the bowling of Peter Siddle to move to 12, raising his bat to the roaring Wanderers Stadium crowd as the scoreboard flashed up the announcement of his 10,000th run.
THE 10,000 RUNS CLUB
1. Sachin Tendulkar (India) 1989- 12,429
2. Brian Lara (West Indies) 1990-2006 11,953
3. Allan Border (Australia) 1978-1994 11,174
4. Steve Waugh (Australia) 1985-2004 10,927
5. Ricky Ponting (Australia) 1995- 10,833
6. Rahul Dravid (India) 1996- 10,509
7. Sunil Gavaskar (India) 1971-1987 10,122
8. Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 1995- 10,015
- AAP
Those cricket fans who saw Adam Gilchrist blast 24 runs from an over bowled by England's Monty Panesar in Perth two summers ago might have wondered if that national record would ever be broken.
The new Australian mark is 26 runs after day two of the first test against South
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