By Nadene Smith
ADELAIDE, Australia (TheSportsNEXT) November 22, 2012: Australian captain Michael Clarke hit second straight double hundred as Australia ruled on opening day of the Adelaide Test against South Africa on Thursday.
Australia scored massive 482 for five on first day of the second Test after Clarke scored unbeaten 224 while David Warner (119) and Mike Hussey (103) also played vital role in giving Australia the advantage.
This is Michael Clarke’s fourth double century in Test cricket this year, a feat which not even Sir Don Bradman had achieved.
Australia’s first day total of 482 runs is their highest in a Test day since 1910 and all the credit goes to skipper Michael Clarke who is enjoying the best form of his Test career.
Michael Clarke, who made 259 not out in Gabba in the first Test, followed it up with another massive effort as he came out of the Adelaide Oval at 224 not out when umpires called it stumps.
Earlier in the day, David Warner resurrected his Test career with a flourishing knock of 119 from 112 balls and helped Australia take the initiative away from the Proteas who were rocked by the hamstring injury to their premier all-rounder Jacques Kallis who could only bowl four overs but not before taking two quality wickets in the morning session. Jacques Kallis is still available to participate in the match as a batsman but with his injury South Africa are now a bowler short for the whole match.
While David Warner expanded his wings to save his Test career, luck was not that friendly with Rob Quiney who suffered to an eight-ball duck after scoring only nine runs in the Gabba Test and it appears as if he won’t get another chance by the Aussie selectors, at least in this series.
Mr. Reliable, Mike Hussey, then joined his skipper for a massive 272 runs partnership before playing it on to his stumps what proved the final delivery of the day by Dale Steyn but not before completing his second consecutive century.
During the brief stint of Jacques Kallis as a bowler, he already had rocked the Aussies on the back-foot with two beautiful dismissals. Especially, the way he undid former Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting was exceptional who had no clue whatsoever about the delivery and was not only beaten all ends up but also fell down on the ground, thus giving a clear picture of demise of his super form he had already enjoyed at the Adelaide Oval before this Test.
Ed Cowan, Ricky Ponting, and Rob Quiney all failed to dismantle the confidence of South African bowlers who came running at them with fast pace and purposeful deliveries every now and then.
However, it all changed as soon as Michael Clarke and David Warner took the attack to them as the duo smashed them all across the park.
During the course of day one in Adelaide Test, Australia hit as many as 66 boundaries and nine sixes as they ended with a run-rate of 5.55 per over.
After the initial dominance, South Africa bowlers looked ordinary. The biggest disappointment was Imran Tahir who was manhandled by the Aussie batsmen brutally as he gave away 159 runs from his 21 overs with no wicket and no luck, and of course no discipline as the leg-spin bowler over-stepped five times during his spell. Nothing less than a sin!
Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke were in punishing mood in the final session of the day one where they notched up 202 runs and achieved their milestones on back-to-back deliveries off none other than Imran Tahir who was belted for a massive six over mid-wicket by Hussey to get to his hundred before Clarke launched him for a single towards the off-side to reach his double hundred.
South African skipper Graeme Smith’s tactics were not friendly to many minds inside the Adelaide Oval as well as the fans watching it on the television as he had had the chance to give his bowlers new ball before the two batsmen could reach their milestones. It was in the 82nd over when Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke completed their tons and Graeme Smith missed a trick to impose pressure on the two batsmen by making them face the new cherry quite close to their landmarks.
