HOBART, Nov 18: Openers Mike Hussey and Matthew Hayden smashed centuries on Friday to cement Australia’s grip on the second Test against West Indies.

Hussey registered his maiden test hundred with an unbeaten 116. Hayden made 110 to complete his fourth century in as many matches after almost being dropped during the Ashes series.

Captain Ricky Ponting was 17 not out at stumps on the second day with his team in complete control at 256 for one in reply to West Indies’ dismal first innings total of 149.

After the first session was lost to rain, West Indies’ only success came late in the day when Hayden clipped Corey Collymore off his pads to Dwayne Bravo at mid-wicket.

Hayden said: “Obviously today was a very tough day for them but from our point of view, we were just out there to grind them down and put Australia into a very strong position.

“They’ve been struck by an in-form Australian team. They’ve got us at a bad time unfortunately, almost like beware the wounded cricketers.”

Hussey and Hayden piled on 231 for the first wicket to set a record for the opening partnership at Bellerive Oval in Hobart and the ninth highest in Australian history.

Hussey, playing in just his second Test after Justin Langer broke a rib last month, reached his hundred off 163 balls when he flicked Tino Edwards to the fine leg rope. He ended the day with 18 boundaries to his credit.

The 30-year-old made just one and 29 on debut in Australia’s 379-run win in Brisbane earlier this month when his nerves got the better of him.

“I felt a lot more comfortable and a lot more relaxed this time. My emotions had settled down a lot,” he said.

Hayden struck 11 boundaries in his innings and a massive six off Bravo that damaged the ball and forced the umpires to replace it as he set a host of batting records.

The broad-shouldered Queenslander completed his fourth hundred in a row after making centuries against England, the World XI and West Indies, joining Don Bradman and England’s Ken Barrington as the only men to achieve the feat more than once in their Test careers.

Hayden also set a record as the first player to share in seven double-century partnerships in Tests, with the previous six all with Langer, as well as bringing up his 24th individual century, equalling Viv Richards and Greg Chappell.

“It’s been nice to just play good cricket, I went through a bit of a rough trot earlier in the year,” he said.

“I didn’t think I batted that badly in England but I didn’t get the results, I kept making starts then getting out in the 30s.

“Obviously I like hitting the cricket ball but it’s a mixture of aggression and patience and that’s what’s enabling me to stay at the crease for a long time.”

Hayden survived a run out chance earlier in his innings and Hussey was dropped off a no-ball when he was 91 but the pair were otherwise unthreatened by a pedestrian West Indian attack.

Scoreboard

West Indies (1st innings) 149 (C. Gayle 56; G. McGrath 4-31)

Australia (1st innings) (Overnight: 60-0)

M. Hayden c Bravo b Collymore 110

M. Hussey not out 116

R. Ponting not out 17

Extras (lb-2 nb-9 w-2) 13

Total (for 1 wickets, 66 overs) 256

Fall of wkts: 1-231

To bat: M. Clarke, B. Hodge, A. Gilchrist, A. Symonds, S. Warne, B. Lee, G. McGrath, S. MacGill

Bowling: F. Edwards 15-2-73-0 (nb-5), D. Powell 14-1-67-0 (nb-3), C. Collymore 17-8-34-1, D. Bravo 13-2-63-0 (nb-1 w-2), C. Gayle 7-0-17-0.—Reuters