Michael Hussey slams ton as Australia continue domination

Michael Hussey celebrates after reaching his century on day three of the second Test © Getty Images

 

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Sydney:Jan 5, 2011

 

Michael Hussey cracked his 16th Test ton and skipper Michael Clarke raised the highest total ever scored at SCG as Australia tightened the screws further on the third day of the second Test against India on Thursday.

 

Hussey, resuming at 55, was 111 at the lunch break, while skipper Clarke, overnight on 251 runs, was just seven runs short of his maiden triple century as Australia took the lunch at 583 for four.

 

Clarke and Hussey put on an unbeaten 258 runs for the fifth wicket as Australia advanced their last night’s score of 482 for four by 101 runs from 32 overs without losing any wicket this morning.

 

The hosts thus stretched their lead over the visitors to 392 runs as India had made 191 in their first innings on Tuesday.

 

In the final minutes before lunch, Clarke stroked Ishant Sharma through the covers to become the highest scorer at the SCG, going past the 287 which Reginold Foster of England made in a 1903-04 series.

 

Clarke cut another four in the same over, dangerously close to lone slip VVS Laxman, to move to within seven runs of his triple century.

 

The going was slow this morning and only 37 runs came in the first hour as India profited by the fresh state of bowlers and overcast conditions kept things under control.

 

But Australia still went past 500 runs in the first hour, a feat they had done nearly 22 months and 17 Tests ago against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton in March 2010.

 

Clarke started slowly but soon crossed the highest score ever by an Australian against India when he added six more runs to his overnight total.

 

It took him past 257, the highest-ever innings by an Australian against India, which Ricky Ponting had made during the Melbourne Test of 2003-04.

 

The pair raised the 200 for the stand when Hussey cut Umesh Yadav crisply past the point boundary. It took 206 minutes and 307 balls for the 200-run stand.

 

Clarke swept Ashwin to square leg fence through a packed onside field to move to 280 which took him past 277 that Brian Lara made at this venue in a 1992-93 series.

 

It looked a good sign for Australia when Virender Sehwag was introduced into the attack half an hour before lunch.

 

Hussey on 93 and Clarke on 280 were within smelling distance of a huge landmark for themselves.

 

Hussey dabbed Sehwag on to the off-side and dashed off for a single to raise his 16th Test century in his 68th Test.

 

It took him 233 minutes and 188 balls and included 11 fours and a six.

 

Clarke has so far batted for two minutes less to 10 hours and hit 35 fours and a six from 424 balls. Hussey has batted for 253 minutes and squared up to 207 balls, smashing 12 fours and a six.(PTI)

 

Brief Scores: India 191 (MS Dhoni 57*, Sachin Tendulkar 41, Virender Sehwag 30; James Pattinson 4 for 43, Peter Siddle 3 for 55) trail Australia 583 for 4 (Michael Clarke 293*, Ricky Ponting 134, Michael Hussey 111*; Zaheer Khan 3 for 122, Ishant Sharma 1 for 119) by 392 runs

 

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