Glenn McGrath can now lay claim to being Australia's greatest ever No.11 batsmen in Test cricket.

And teammates can expect to hear plenty more about his batting prowess following his career-best 61 and century stand with new ball partner Jason Gillespie in the first Test win over New Zealand.

"He's already asked Dizzy (Gillespie) half a dozen times what his highest Test score is and he's reminded me that he scored 10 more than I did this game as well," said Australian captain Ricky Ponting.

McGrath had been in danger of having his Test wickets exceed his run tally until he posted the third greatest score by a No.11 batsman in Test history and the highest by an Australian.

Gillespie also reached his first Test half century in a 114-run 10th wicket stand in Australia's first innings of 585.

It was the first time in 80 years an Australian 10th wicket pair had put together a century partnership and only the third one in Test history.

Ponting said the partnership "broke the camel's back" as far as New Zealand was concerned and was a tribute to the hard work both McGrath and Gillespie put into their batting.

McGrath attributes his improved batting efforts to his long ankle injury lay off last year when he ended up spending a lot more time at the nets.

Instead of bowling, he was padded up in front of a bowling machine facing as many as 500 balls a week.

"When I started to hit a few balls it was amazing how I improved," he said.

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