Clarke, Warner And Hussey Make History On Opening Day

Clarke, Warner And Hussey Make History On Opening Day

David Warner (left) celebrates his century as Michael Clarke completes a run. Clarke would go on to score a double-century as Australia dominated in Adelaide.

©REUTERS / Action Images

Australia 482-5 (Clarke 224no) v South Africa
Second Test, Adelaide, day one
Scorecard
Report by John Pennington
Feature: Captains Scoring Runs For Fun

Michael Clarke scored a double-century while David Warner and Michael Hussey both passed three figures as Australia delivered a commanding performance on the opening day of the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide.

Clarke's second straight double and Hussey's second century of the series saw the home side close on 482 for five having scored their runs at a rate of 5.55 per over.

It was Warner who got the runs flowing by scoring a typically belligerent 119 in 112 balls. Clarke then closed unbeaten on 224 with Hussey out from the final ball of the day for 103.

South Africa made a poor start with the ball and although they recovered partially to reduce Australia to 55 for three, by the end of the day, they were in disarray and the impact of the opening day has led bet365 to make Australia 8/13 favourites to win the match.

Warner came into the game lacking form and having seen opening partner Ed Cowan score a century in the Brisbane Test but aided by some wayward bowling from the Proteas, he quickly dominated proceedings.

Cowan fell for 10 when he was caught and bowled by Kallis and while Warner was creaming boundaries at one end, Australia lost Rob Quiney (0) and Ricky Ponting (4) to Morne Morkel.

That brought Warner and Clarke together and the New South Wales pair then tore into the bowling. Warner's half-century came up in 47 balls and his third Test century took 93 deliveries.

Clarke was no slouch, passing 50 in 57 balls and then 100 in 117. After Warner was caught by Graeme Smith off Morkel, having hit 16 fours and four sixes, Clarke continued, making it a fourth double-century since taking over as captain, and that came off just 226 balls.

He found a willing ally yet again in Hussey, whose 103 took him 137 balls, including nine fours and four sixes before he was bowled by Dale Steyn.

Morkel and leg-spinner Imran Tahir - in the side in place of the injured Vernon Philander - took heavy damage, the former going for 128 in 22 overs despite his two wickets and the latter being dealt with ruthlessly to the tune of 159 runs in 21 overs.

Kallis was the pick of the bowlers with two for 19 but he was only able to bowl 3.3 overs before limping off with a hamstring strain as for the first time in Test history, three players scored centuries on the opening day of a Test.

Francois du Plessis, making his debut as JP Duminy's replacement, was the only other change to either team's line-up after the drawn opening Test.

© Cricket World 2012