Australia in control after Clarke’s record

History has been created at SCG on the third day when Michael Clarke made unbeaten 329. It is the highest individual score at the SCG’s 100 Test history. India is once again fighting hard to avoid an embarrassing defeat. Clarke declared during midway during the second session when the scorecard read 659 for four. India started its second innings and are already 2 wickets down. Right from the start of the Test match Australia dominated over India and at the end of the 3rd day it seemed that India’s luck hasn’t changed much.

Clarke played one of the best innings of his career with Hussey as his support. The pair batted brilliantly to add 334 runs and continued till the end of the Australian innings. Infact the home side added 622 runs for the loss of just one wicket after they were 37 for three. This partnership set the tone for their victory and now only a miracle can stop them from winning the Test match.

Clarke is the talking point of this Test match along with India’s debacle. Clarke’s masterful batting lasted 617 minutes, 468 balls and included 39 fours and a six. Clarke could have surpassed the highest Test run scored by an Australian captain of 334 by Mark Taylor and Don Bradman’s highest Test score but he opted to declare and did not went for personal glory. Hussey also made century and was the third centurion of the innings. In the first innings the tourists scored just 191 runs and now trail the home side by 354 runs. Gautam Gambhir (68 not out) and Sachin Tendulkar (8 not out) will resume on day four. Both of them can consider themselves lucky to stay there till the end of the day. ‘The Little Master ’ narrowly avoided being bowled out from an inside edge when on just 7 while Pattinson must have thought he had Gambhir when there was a thick edge but Haddin could not accept the offer.

India thought of an attacking approach but fell back when David Warner took a spectacular catch to sent the dangerous Virender Sehwag back to the dressing room. Rahul Dravid came in then and looked to be in good touch, starting off with a classy flick to the boundary in front of mid wicket. But failed to deal with a brilliant off-cutter by Hilfenhaus and thus Dravid’s wall was broken at 29.

This opened the gate for Tendulkar to enter and he walked in the middle for the last time at SCG and was cheered by 31,644 crowds. He was very cautious but now both Gambhir and Tendulkar have a daunting task ahead of them on the 4th Day.

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