Grandstand brought you all the coverage as it happened on day two of the second Test between Australia and India from the SCG.
5.25: 250 FOR MICHAEL CLARKE - Listen here.
The wind is picking up at the SCG but it is not slowing down Michael Clarke. He is hurtling towards a triple century if he continues at this rate tomorrow. Clarke now has the highest score by an Australia v India, Ricky Ponting's 257 at the MCG in 2003, in his sights.
5.02pm: HALF CENTURY FOR HUSSEY - Listen here.
As easy as that. Hussey cranks out a quick fifty off 70 balls. Embarrassing stuff for India.
4.55pm: Hussey has his foot on the gas now. He takes Ashwin for a 4, 4 and then a sweet 6 straight down the ground. Australia 4-444 with a lead of 256 runs.
4.45pm: The 100 partnership is up between Clarke (67) and Hussey (32). It only took 107 balls. Whispers of a storm approaching the SCG, the only thing that can save India from this torture.
4.30pm: DRINKS - Australia (4-416, M Clarke 215*, M Hussey 30*) leads India by 225 runs
4.14pm: DOUBLE CENTURY TO CLARKE - Listen here.
Ladies and gentlemen, your Australian captain. Clarke brings up his maiden Test double century. He is the first Australian batsman to pass 200 since Ponting's effort in Hobart nearly two years ago. His double ton comes off just 248 balls and included 25 fours and one six. The SCG stands as one. The 400 is also up.
3.55pm: Ton-up for Ishant Sharma. He gets some ironic cheers from the SCG crowd. His figures are 1-100.
3.52pm: DROPPED - Listen here.
Tough chance but a chance nonetheless. Sharma can't hold onto a well-timed straight drive in his follow through. It is the first one Clarke has given in his knock of 183.
3.35pm: Michael Hussey means business. He has started his innings with four boundaries.
3.09pm: Michael Clarke finds the boundary for the 21st time and he passes his highest score of 168 by two runs.
2.56pm: WICKET - R Ponting 134 c. Tendulkar b. Sharma (Australia 4-325, M Clarke 154*) - Listen to the dismissal.
The new ball does the trick, but in truth it was a lazy shot from Ponting. A back foot punch hits high on the bat and Sachin (who almost looked disappointed Ponting gave his wicket away that easy) hardly has to move to take the catch at gully. That ends a 288-run partnership which has all but taken the match away from India with the lead at 134 runs.
2.49pm: The new ball is finally taken in the 83rd over. Zaheer bowling to Clarke with three slips and a gully. This could breath some life into the second day.
2.39pm: 150 FOR CLARKE - Listen here.
Clarke brings up his 150 off 233 balls with 18 fours and one six. He has hardly broken a sweat since breaking three figures. And the new ball has arrived, maybe the Indian bowlers will follow.
2.24pm: Plenty of part-time work available at the SCG it seems. Sehwag replaces Kohli. It's a countdown to the new ball. Seven overs to go.
2.10pm: DRINKS - Australia 3-292 (M Clarke 137*, R Ponting 119*) leads by 101 runs
The partnership between Clarke and Ponting is now 255 runs. The sting is well and truly out of the contest as the Aussie skipper and his predecessor fill their boots. Danny Morrison says MS Dhoni is guilty of letting the game slip away too easily.
2.08pm: Ashwin continues. Coming over the wicket now. Kerry (before he started singing Skippy) has already stated the Indian spinner does not have a strong enough stock delivery. He does not rip it enough which leaves you vulnerable on Australian pitches. Kerry says the likes of Amit Mishra or Piyush Chawla would have been better value.
1.50pm: Huge six by Clarke off Ashwin down the ground. Getting really ugly for the tourists now. They look bereft of answers in the field. Their best chance of the morning was running Ponting out on 99. Interestingly, Clarke has only previously passed 50 once at the SCG - his 138 against South Africa - in eight Tests.
1.43pm: Stats guru @RicFinlay reminds us that "99 remains, by millimetres, the lowest Test score never made at the SCG." It was more like metres! Nevertheless, another tasty stat. @jimmaxcricket says "Ponting's stand is building, perhaps at the Noble End." He does own this venue: 1,346 runs at an average of 64.10 before this match.
1.33pm: Desperate times call for desperate measures. Virat Kohli is thrown the ball for India. Meanwhile, Clarke and Ponting have surpassed the highest fourth wicket partnership for Australia against India. Their stand is now at 214 runs.
1.27pm: CENTURY FOR RICKY PONTING - Listen here.
Finally. In the fourth over after lunch, Ponting takes a dodgy single to mid on and is forced to dive for his ground. A direct hit by Zaheer would have had Ponting miles short. But he is home safe and he breaks a 34-inning drought without a ton (209 v Pakistan on January 14 was his last). It is the 38-year-old's 40th Test ton of an illustrious career entering its twilight years. But Ponting has made it clear he wants to fight on, and that's exactly what he has done at the SCG - where he now has an unmatched six centuries. The former Australian skipper's hundred came off 150 balls and featured 11 boundaries.
1.16pm: We're back after lunch and Ricky Ponting has moved to 99. The 200 partnership is also up.
12.32pm: Ricky Ponting (97 not out) will have to try and stomach a sandwich over lunch before he gets the chance to break his century drought.
12.29pm: CENTURY FOR MICHAEL CLARKE - Listen here.
He brings it up with a splendid cover drive for four. Another tremendous knock by the Australian captain and on his home track. He now has Test tons against Sri Lanka, South Africa, New Zealand and India in his last seven Tests since becoming skipper. It is the McGilvray medallist's 18th Test century of his career. This one came off just 136 balls and with 14 boundaries and at a crucial time with his side once again in trouble. The bat sponsors are lining up.
12.14pm: Forget the state of the match, there is a new game in town. Who out of Clarke and Ponting will crack a century first? Both are cruising towards the milestone.
12.08pm: Here comes Zaheer again. Can he inspire something for his side?
12.05pm: The 200 is up for Australia and yet again it comes from a boundary. This time Clarke dances down the pitch to Ashwin and lofts him over mid off. Terrific batting but India looked defeated in just the fourth session of the match. Very little fight from the tourists.
12.01pm: Australia has surpassed India's first-innings total of 191 with just three wickets down thanks to Yadav wide and a vintage pull shot by Ponting to the boundary. Surely today is Punter's day.
11.55am: Umesh Yadav bowling to a 7-2 field and his young quick is bowling much too straight. Easy pickings for Clarke and his nude bat as he nails his 11th boundary though midwicket. Questionable field placements by Dhoni.
11.50am: Kerry O'Keeffe says when Clarke is playing at his best he plays through cover. He has done that with aplomb in this innings and is racing towards three figures. India seems to have no answer. Failing to build sustained pressure and this pair is making them pay with regular runs.
11.30am: DRINKS - Australia 3-154 (R Ponting 69*, M Clarke 60*, Z Khan 3-41)
11.27am: A poor first hour for India so far. Clarke and Ponting in complete control. Indian captain MS Dhoni turns to spinner Ashwin for a breakthrough.
11.08am: Zaheer, who struggled with his line in his opening spell, is out of the attack and in comes Yadav.
11.01: That is the 100 partnership between Clarke (56) and Ponting (44). It's their first century stand for almost two years after their mammoth 352-run partnership against Pakistan in Hobart. Coincidentally, that was the last time Ponting scored a century.
11.00am: If you missed it this morning, Australian captain Michael Clarke was named Grandstand's McGilvray Medallist. The skipper had the best year of his career in 2011: 1,056 runs at an average of 58.52 including three centuries.
Listen to Jim Maxwell present the medal to Clarke:
10.48am: That's 50 for Ricky Ponting. His 61st in Test cricket and his third half-century in as many innings. It came off 74 balls with six fours. Listen here.
10.38am: Grandstand's Shannon Byrne caught up with Peter Siddle before play, after the Victorian quick claimed his 100th Test wicket on day one:
10.30am: Clarke has already brought up his half century. Came off 60 balls with seven fours. Listen here.
We're away. Zaheer to open the bowling for India. The tourists desperately need their spearhead to work his old-ball magic in this first session. Clarke and Ponting looked the good yesterday afternoon. Ponting has displayed good touch of late but has failed to go on with the job the next morning.
Australia resumes on 3 for 116 after the tourists were all out for 191 after winning the toss and batting.
The first day set the stage for another enthralling encounter as no less than 13 wickets fell for 307 runs.
James Pattinson was the star once again for Australia with 4 for 43, while Ben Hilfenhaus (3 for 51) and Peter Siddle (3 for 55) again provided excellent supporting roles.
Jim Maxwell previews what's sure to be a thrilling second day here:
You can also catch up on what happened on day one below:
Day One Wrap
Day One Blog
Tags: sport, cricket, sydney-2000, nsw, australia First posted January 04, 2012 10:20:40
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