Ashes 2013-14: David Warner, Michael Clarke slam tons as Australia extend lead to 458 runs as tea is taken on Day 3 of 1st Test

Michael Clarke scored his 25th Test century © Getty Images

By Shrikant Shankar

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

Nov 23, 2013

David Warner and Michael Clarke slammed centuries as Australia entered tea with a 458-run lead on Day Three of the first Ashes 2013-14 Test in Brisbane at The Gabba. They are at 299 for five in their second innings. Warner top-scored with 124 and Clarke scored 113. George Bailey is batting on 33 and Brad Haddin is on one.

The session began with Australia at 145 for two. Clarke swept one flat and hard from Joe Root and got a four through deep square-leg. Warner then came down the track to Graeme Swann and took an over-pitched delivery on the full and hit it through extra-cover to get another four. Then Clarke skipped down the track and whipped one away behind square on the leg side and got three runs. He then charged down the track and lofted Root for a four towards long-off.

Warner then hit James Anderson back over his head for another four. Clarke reached his half-century with a single off Root towards long-on. Warner faced the nervous 90s syndrome as he edged a back of a length delivery from Anderson, but there was no second slip and the ball raced away for a four.

After struggling to take a single for a few deliveries, Warner came down the track to Root and hit an inside-out shot through covers and ran three. With that, Warner reached his fourth Test century and the first in an Ashes match.

Clarke came down the track and played a lofted drive off Swann for a six over long-on. Warner then walked down the pitch and hit another inside-out shot over covers for a four. It was all out attack by then. Both Warner and Clarke used their feet to good effect as they struck fours at will off Swann.

This made the off-spinner bowl one short and wide of off-stump from round the wicket and Clarke took full advantage as he cut it away for a four towards the third-man region. Alastair Cook brought back Stuart Broad, but Clarke treated him with a late cut that raced away for a four behind square on the off side.

Warner slammed Broad with a lofted shot down the ground for a six. But Broad had the last laugh as a back of a length delivery found the edge of Warner’s bat and Matt Prior took a routine catch. Warner tried a short-arm jab towards third-man, but the ball just moved away and found the edge. Warner was out for 124 off 154 balls.

That did not stop Clarke as he hit a good length delivery from Broad for a four through wide long-on. He then got a fine inside edge while pulling which raced away for a four towards fine-leg. Tremlett got new man Steven Smith as he edged one to Matt Prior for a duck.

But Clarke continued and went onto get to his 25th Test century. George Bailey was the new batsman and he smashed a couple of sixes, one each of Root and Swann.

As tea was taken Australia were at 299 for five in their second innings. They lead England by 458 runs.

Brief scores:

Australia 295 (David Warner 49, Brad Haddin 94, Mitchell Johnson 64; Stuart Broad 6 for 81) and 299 for 5 (David Warner 124, Michael Clarke 113) lead England 136 (Michael Carberry 40, Stuart Broad 32; Mitchell Johnson 4 for 61, Ryan Harris 3 for 28) by 458 runs.

Full Scorecard

Photo Gallery

(Shrikant Shankar is a writer/reporter at CricketCountry.com. Previously he has done audio commentary for various matches involving India, Indian Premier League and Champions League Twenty20 for ESPNSTAR.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Shrikant_23)