BRISBANE, Nov 9: Brilliant centuries by Michael Clarke and Mike Hussey put Australia in command of the first Test against Sri Lanka at the Gabba on Friday. Chasing Australia’s 551 for four declared, Sri Lanka were tottering at 31 for two at stumps on day two after a Brett Lee onslaught.

Clarke (145 not out) and Hussey (133) made centuries on Friday following the maiden hundred by Phil Jaques on the opening day.

Clarke and Hussey added 245 in 294 minutes, setting records for the highest fourth-wicket partnership in a Gabba Test and the highest fourth-wicket stand for Australia against Sri Lanka.

Handed the role of leading Australia’s attack following Glenn McGrath’s retirement, Lee (2-4 off five overs) made an immediate statement by removing Sri Lankan pair Sanath Jayasuriya (7) and Michael Vandort (0), both caught behind.

Lee’s first wicket was a controversial one though, with New Zealand umpire Tony Hill firing Jayasuriya out although replays suggested there was no edge and Australia’s “barometer” Adam Gilchrist gave only a half-hearted appeal behind the stumps.

Opener Marvan Atapattu (19) and captain Mahela Jayawardene (five) were not out at stumps.

But the day belonged to Clarke and Hussey. Hussey’s six-hour innings included 13 fours and two sixes, lifting his run tally to 1730 in 17 matches at 82.38.

It’s an average second only to Don Bradman’s 99.94 in Test history.

West Australian Hussey’s sixth Test hundred came off 196 balls and featured some stunning pull shots in a controlled innings.

Clarke, 26, scored his fifth ton off 188 balls and promptly kissed his helmet in grand style.

Ricky Ponting’s declaration left Clarke six runs shy of his highest Test score of 151 after hitting 14 fours and one six, also in six hours.

However, the NSW batsman was fortunate to be given not out to an appeal for caught down leg-side off Farveez Maharoof’s bowling when on 23.

Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan (2-170 off 50 overs) has moved to 702 wickets, six shy of Shane Warne’s world record.

But he had little support from pacemen Chaminda Vaas (1-102), Maharoof (0-107) and Dilhara Fernando (1-130).

On a pitch that had quickened on Friday and suited batsmen, the only Australian wicket to fall was Hussey’s, caught at cover off Fernando’s bowling.

Sri Lanka had dropped four catches on Thursday, including three chances for Jaques, and also made the surprising choice to leave out quick bowler Lasith Malinga.

Scoreboard

AUSTRALIA (1st Innings, overnight 242-3):

P.A. Jaques st P. J’wardene b Murali 100

M.L. Hayden c Murali b Vaas 43

R.T. Ponting st P. J’wardene b Murali 56

M.E.K. Hussey c Atapattu b Fernando 133

M.J. Clarke not out 145

A. Symonds not out 53

EXTRAS (B-4, LB-12, W-1, NB-4) 21

TOTAL (for four decl, 151 overs) 551

FALL OF WKTS: 1-69, 2-183, 3-216, 4-461.

DID NOT BAT: A.C. Gilchrist, B. Lee, M.G. Johnson, S.R. Clark, S.C.G. MacGill.

BOWLING: Vaas 28-6-102-1; Maharoof 34-6-107-0 (4nb); Fernando 34-3-130-1 (1w); Muralitharan 50-4-170-2; Jayasuriya 4-0-18-0; Samaraweera 1-0-8-0.

SRI LANKA (1st Innings):

M.S. Atapattu not out 19

S.T. Jayasuriya c Gilchrist b Lee 7

M.G. Vandort c Gilchrist b Lee 0

D.P.M.D. Jayawardene not out 5

EXTRAS 0

TOTAL (for two wkts, 16 overs) 31

FALL OF WKTS: 1-7, 2-11.

TO BAT: L.P.C. Silva, T.T. Samaraweera, H.A.P.W. Jayawardene, M.F. Maharoof, W.P.U.J.C. Vaas, M. Muralitharan, C.R.D. Fernando.

BOWLING (to-date): Lee 5-4-4-2; Johnson 6-1-11-0; MacGill 3-1-13-0; Clark 2-0-3-0.—Agencies