Proteas in Australia
Clarke scores double ton
2012-11-22 09:08
Adelaide - Michael Clarke has become the first player to score four double centuries in a calendar year during the first day of the second Test against South Africa on Thursday.
Earlier David Warner bludgeoned a quickfire
century and Michael Clarke also reached three figures on Thursday as
Australia went after the South African bowlers in the second Test in
Adelaide.
Warner smashed 119 off just 112 balls, while skipper
Clarke backed up his unbeaten double-century in Brisbane with another
unconquered knock to leave Australia in command after winning the toss.
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At
tea Australia were 280 for four with Clarke unconquered on 104 and Mike
Hussey not out 34. The home side added a blistering 178 runs off just
26 overs in the middle session.
Warner was in belligerent mood
after lunch, smashing spinners Imran Tahir and Faf du Plessis and racing
to his third Test century off 93 balls, reaching his hundred with a six
and a four off successive Tahir deliveries.
The diminutive
left-hander smashed a Tahir full toss over the deep midwicket ropes in
the first over after lunch and two overs later heaved Du Plessis's first
ball in Test cricket over the square leg boundary for six.
But
Warner perished on 119 when he attempted to glide Morne Morkel through
the slips, only to edge to Graeme Smith at first slip to end a pulsating
knock.
Warner crashed four sixes and 16 boundaries and put on a 155-runs with Clarke in 24.2 overs.
It
was Clarke's fourth century of the year as he continued to dominate the
South African bowlers after his unbeaten 259 in the drawn first
Brisbane Test.
He survived two referrals and at tea had faced 121 balls with 20 boundaries.
It
was a rousing fightback by Australia after they lost three wickets in
the morning session as South Africa suffered two injuries.
Ed
Cowan was caught and bowled for 10 off Jacques Kallis's third ball with
an attempted yorker which struck him on the boot and spooned up off the
bat for a dolly return catch.
Rob Quiney, who kept his place when
Shane Watson failed to recover from a calf injury, went for an
eight-ball duck when Morne Morkel enticed him to edge to Graeme Smith at
first slip.
Ricky Ponting's woes continued when he was bowled third ball for just four, playing inside Kallis.
The
former Test skipper was out for a five-ball duck in Brisbane for his
third duck in four Test innings against the Proteas, and it was little
better in Adelaide for Ponting, who stumbled and lost his footing.
South
Africa's joy at their early successes was tempered by a hamstring
injury that forced Kallis from the field after he had taken 2-19.
Star
paceman Vernon Philander was withdrawn from the team with a back
problem before the start of play, making way for Rory Kleinveldt.