A shocked Jason Gillespie revealed he had never even scored a century in his own backyard before bringing up his maiden Test hundred against Bangladesh.

The famed mullet has gone but unlike Samson, Gillespie showed he hadn't lost any of his powers in his six and a half hour stay at the crease at Chittagong Divisional Stadium.

The cult hero was in a state of disbelief at his post-match press conference.

"I never expected, never," he said.

"Not in my wildest dreams so it's pretty surreal, pretty bizarre actually.

"I came off and there was (television commentators) Wasi(m) Akram and Harsha (Bhogle) having a chat about my batting and had my wagon wheel up. That was very weird."

Gillespie (102no) and Mike Hussey (93no) were unbeaten when play was halted early on day three because of further rain with Australia 3-364, a lead of 167 runs.

The dogged tailender capped a stunning return to favour by becoming the first Australian nightwatchman to score a century in almost 30 years, Tony Mann being the last against India at the WACA in 1977.

Gillespie took great delight in his top score being higher than long-time bowling teammates Glenn McGrath (61) and Shane Warne (99) but still struggled to comprehend his achievement.

"Someone mentioned it yesterday and I thought they were on drugs," he said.

"Nothing's really changed. It's just a bizarre feeling. I suppose it will sink in over the next couple of days but I can't believe I'm sitting here talking about my batting. That's what I can't believe.

"I looked up at the dressing room as soon as I passed McGrath's score, 61. He's been giving me grief about that for a while now so I was very relieved to pass that. Then I had Merv (Hughes), he was up there and he had 70-odd and (Damien Fleming) Flemo 70-odd and Pistol (Paul Reiffel) so ticked them all off.

"I managed to even tick off Warney today too, which was cool.

"The bowlers we all love talking about our batting and I've got a few bragging rights there now."

He punched Bangladesh left-arm spinner Abdur Razzak through cover for four to bring up three figures but there was no theatrical celebration by his standards.

This is the man who rode his bat down the wicket after scoring his first Test fifty in 'Happy Gilmore' style against New Zealand at the Gabba in late 2004.

The renowned dawdler produced a beaming smile for his teammates in the dressing room who had watched nervously as he spent a nail-biting half hour in the 90s.

He said his previous best score was 90 playing E grade for Adelaide in about 1992-93.

"Have not even got a hundred in the backyard. So it's a bit surreal at the moment," he said.

"I wasn't nervous because I never expected to get in that position. I was loving it."

However Gillespie felt bad for his part in captain Ricky Ponting's (52) run out, the only wicket to fall on Tuesday.

"He called me through and I was in my own little fog ... I felt pretty ordinary for a while, I still do but these things happen in cricket," he said.

"It was my fault. I thought 'I better do alright here'. I felt s...house."

Gillespie's innings enhanced his prospects of playing in the Ashes and at the very least reminded selectors of the popular player's value to the side.

He felt he was still well down the pecking order behind pacemen Shaun Tait, Michael Kasprowicz and McGrath who were all unavailable for this tour.

"I haven't really thought about it. There's guys coming back, you know you've got Taity, Kasper (Michael), Pigeon (McGrath) to all come back. So I'll probably slide down the greasy pole again and bide my time."

Gillespie enjoyed a life on 44 when Bangladesh wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud dropped him off the bowling of left-arm spinner Mohammad Rafique.

Meanwhile Hussey feasted on the Bangladesh attack by scoring at will and put on 154 with Gillespie for the fourth wicket.

The classy left-hander started reverse sweeping later in his innings as he and Gillespie ground the home side into the dust before lightning flashed around the ground just before tea.

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