NEW Milton's Tom Arnold is celebrating his first century on Australian soil.

Playing for Royal Park Brunswick in Melbourne, where he is spending the winter, the 22-year old hit an unbeaten 104 in his side’s crushing defeat of Sunshine Heights in the Victorian Turf League.

He made only 17 in Brunswick’s first-innings score of 168 but went to town with the bat after Sunshine Heights had been skittled for 83.

Arnold, who made six Minor Counties appearances for Dorset last summer, weighed in with a ton as Brunswick piled up 172 without loss in their second innings.

“I was quietly confident there was a big one around the corner,” said Arnold.

“I’ve been in decent nick but was out four times in the 40s so didn’t manage to turn decent starts into a big score.”

Arnold will return to his Bramshaw home in time for the start of New Milton's Southern Premier League campaign.