Aussies Declare as Clarke Bowled

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Stuart Broad bowled Michael Clarke for 187 to claim his 200th Test wicket before Australia declared their first innings on 527-7 shortly after tea on day two at Old Trafford.

Broad became the 15th Englishman, and second youngest after Sir Ian Botham, to reach the milestone but the runs kept coming for the tourists in the third Ashes Test, Brad Haddin (65no) and Mitchell Starc (66no) helping themselves to half-centuries.

Clarke and Haddin put on 62 in good time either side of lunch and it was something of a surprise when Clarke deflected a short ball onto his stumps. The Australia skipper's effort spanned 314 balls, included 23 fours and is the highest of his five Ashes hundreds.

England spinner Graeme Swann, who had removed Steve Smith (89) and David Warner (5) before lunch, completed his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests with the wicket of Peter Siddle (1), who was bowled aiming into the leg side.

But Starc joined Haddin in a boundary-filled, eighth-wicket stand of 97 in 19.3 overs as each of England's frontline bowlers - Swann (5-159), Broad (1-108), Tim Bresnan (1-114) and James Anderson (0-116) - ended the afternoon session with more than 100 in the runs conceded column.

Clarke called his batsmen in four overs after tea, giving Australia plenty of time to try and make some inroads into England's top order before the close.

Australia resumed on 303-3 at the start of day two and, in bright sunshine, Clarke and Smith batted throughout the first hour with few alarms to extend their fourth-wicket partnership to 214 - before Smith suffered a rush of blood to deny himself a maiden Test hundred.

He came down the pitch to Swann and miscued a big heave into the leg side. Jonny Bairstow, at midwicket, made a steepling catch look easy.

Warner, recalled for his first appearance of the series after serving a ban for punching England's Joe Root in a Birmingham bar earlier in the summer, was given a hostile welcome by the Manchester crowd.

He lasted only 10 balls. Swann found the left-hander's outside edge and Jonathan Trott at slip took the catch after it looped up via wicketkeeper Matt Prior's thigh.

Warner, who hit his pad with the bat at the same moment the ball made contact with his outside edge, was convinced he had not hit it and - after a discussion with Clarke - wasted Australia's last DRS review in a futile attempt to overturn umpire Tony Hill's decision.

Australia are 2-0 down in the series and need victory in Manchester to keep alive their hopes of regaining the Ashes.

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Aussies Control with Clarke Record

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Australia took full advantage of South Africa's struggles to dominate day one of the second Test - with Michael Clarke leading the way in Adelaide.

Clarke became the first player to hit four scores of 200 or more in a calendar year, while Australia's total of 482-5 at stumps was the second highest of all time on the opening day of the Test.

South Africa had lost Vernon Philander before the start of the match, while Jacques Kallis, who had wobbled the hosts early on, and then Dale Steyn both limped off.

And Australia showed no mercy as they recovered from 55-3, courtesy of a sensational 224 not out from Clarke and blistering centuries from David Warner and Michael Hussey.

Kallis had taken a return catch off Ed Cowan (10) to make the first breakthrough of the day, with Morne Morkel accounting for No 3 Rob Quiney for a duck in the next over.

Kallis then sent Ricky Ponting (4) and the stumps tumbling with a snorting delivery to seemingly put the world No 1 Test team in the driving seat. However Warner and Clarke steadied the ship and - with Kallis already off needing a scan - then unleashed an extraordinary assault on South Africa's hapless attack.

Warner was clubbing the ball over the ground, with Imran Tahir taking the brunt of the punishment, and his century came up off just 93 balls and including 13 fours and four sixes.

The 155-run stand for the fourth wicket was brought to an end, though, when Warner (119) edged Morkel to Smith - but hopes this could be a foothold back into the game for the Proteas quickly vanished as Mike Hussey continued to keep the runs flowing alongside Clarke.

The Australia skipper brought up his century off 117 balls just before tea while his needed a further 109 deliveries to bring up the 200, with his knock including 35 fours and a six.

Hussey brought up his century with a massive six, the fourth of his impressive innings, and although Steyn returned to the field he couldn't stem the flow of runs.

However the South African quickie finally struck at the close when he bowled Hussey for 103 - although it will have done little to lift the mood of the tourists.

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Australia Clinch Windies Series

Australia wrapped up a 75-run victory over the West Indies on the final morning of the third Test to clinch the series 2-0 in Dominica.

Skipper Michael Clarke claimed his second five-wicket haul as the hosts, set a sizeable target of 370, were bowled out for 294 shortly before lunch.

Opposite number Darren Sammy did take the fight to Australia in the closing stages, hitting a Test-best 61 that included three sixes and four fours.

However the West Indies captain - who has been confirmed in the job for the upcoming tour to England - was the last man out when he was caught at short fine leg off the bowling of Nathan Lyon, who finished with figures of 3-87.

It was Clarke, though, who was the leading slow bowler for the tourists, as he claimed 5-86 from 23 overs. It is still not quite his best figures, having taken 6-9 against India way back in 2004.

Return catch

Having claimed the key scalp of Shivnarine Chanderpaul in the final over of day three, the left-arm off-spinner picked up the first wicket of the day when he took a return catch from Narsingh Deonarine (13).

Lyon had Carlton Baugh caught at midwicket by Ricky Ponting for 12 and also removed Kemar Roach thanks to a sharp grab at slip by Clarke.

When Ravi Rampaul perished in the deep to become Clarke's fifth scalp, Australia looked on course to wrap up a comfortable triumph with their opponents nine down and only 245 on the board.

Sammy, though, combined with last-man Shain Shillingford to frustrate the visitors with a 10th-wicket stand worth 49 in 63 balls.

Their positive approach, even Shillingford hit six boundaries in his unbeaten 31, may have caused a few worries for Australia, particularly when the second new ball couldn't claim the final wicket required.

Clarke instead turned back to Lyon to finish proceedings, Sammy top-edging a paddle sweep for Hilfenhaus to move in and take a simple catch.

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Clarke Backs Brad Haddin

Australian Sustain Windies Attack

Australia were made to work for their runs by a relentless West Indies attack on a slow, draining first day of the second Test at Port of Spain.

Choosing to bat on a dry track, Michael Clarke will have been hoping to be better off than 208 for five at the close.

But this is what he had to settle for and he will know there is much toil ahead if his men are to take the Test and an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Clarke was one of only two batsmen to make any sort of impression – and even then it was thanks to a dubious referral decision – as the home bowlers choked the Australian top order.

Only Shane Watson (56) raised his bat, with Clarke (45) the second-highest scorer as Shane Shillingford's slow right-armers caused them a number of problems.

The trouble started inside the opening over when David Warner was given an extraordinary reprieve.

The free-hitting left-hander was pinned in front of his off stump by Fidel Edwards and few were surprised when the umpire Marais Erasmus raised his finger.

But after the pads had been rapped the ball flew behind the stumps to Carlton Baugh, who caught the ball on the bounce as it dropped just short of him.

The confused West Indies captain Darren Sammy thought Edwards had appealed for a catch behind, told Erasmus the ball had not carried and withdrew the appeal, meaning Warner stayed at the crease.

He went on to add 25 runs to the four he had at the time before he holed out to a grateful Sammy at slip when he chased a ball from Shillingford.

Ed Cowan then followed for 28 when a Kemar Roach ball kept low and hit him just above the ankle and the former Australia captain Ricky Ponting joined him in the pavilion just after lunch. Roach drew some extra pace out of the pitch and tucked the Tasmanian up, with Sammy pouching another after Baugh had initially fumbled Ponting's edge.

Clarke and Watson then came together and put on an 84-run stand, although it should have ended before it did.

Shillingford trapped Clarke with a length ball, beating him in the flight. Clarke reviewed the decision, seemingly out of hope, but, even though the replays looked as though he would lose his off stump, the projection system said otherwise.

Clarke would add little more, though, and soon went for 45, hooking Narsingh Deonarine to the boundary where Shillingford ran in and took an impressive catch.

That brought Mike Hussey to the crease and he should have gone soon after, prodding at a ball from Shillingford that was edged behind and was put down by Baugh.

But Shillingford would get his reward, snaring Watson for 56 thanks to a stunning short-leg catch from Adrian Barath.

The durable Hussey stayed through to stumps, though, leaving the field with 26 with the keeper Matthew Wade on 11 not out.

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Clarke Joins IPL Pune Warriors

Australia Test and one-day captain Michael Clarke has agreed to play in this year's version of the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Sourav Ganguly-led Pune Warriors.

The Warriors, who will be making their second appearance in the Twenty20 competition, will be without regular captain Yuvraj Singh, who is battling cancer and see Clarke as the ideal replacement.

The 30-year-old Clarke, who has played 80 Tests, 212 one-dayers and 34 Twenty20 internationals, had shunned the IPL during the first four seasons.

South Africa batsman Graeme Smith, Australia leg-spinner Steve Smith and Sri Lanka all-rounder Angelo Mathews are other prominent foreign players in the Pune team.

Aussie Haddin Out of WIndies Tour

Brad Haddin has confirmed he will not return to the tour of the West Indies for family reasons.

The 34-year-old Austrlian cricketer originally travelled to the Caribbean with the limited-overs squad before returning home for personal reasons.

He was expected to come back for the Test series which starts next month.

A statement said: "Cricket Australia fully supports Brad's decision to remain in Australia and sends its best wishes to him and his family."

Wicketkeeper Haddin's decision means that understudy Matthew Wade is set to make his Test debut at the Kensington Oval on 8 April.

New South Wales gloveman Peter Nevill, who headed to the Caribbean following Haddin's recent return home, will stay on with the squad for the rest of the tour as cover.

Haddin made his test debut for Australia in the West Indies in 2008, and has a batting average of 35.82 from his 43 appearances, with a best of 169 against New Zealand in December 2008.

Meanwhile, Test skipper Michael Clarke will leave Australia for the Caribbean on Sunday morning to continue his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury.

Ganguly Suggests Clarke IPL Bound

Michael Clarke's staunch resistance to the Indian Premier League may be nearing its end, with Pune captain Sourav Ganguly suggesting his side is close to signing the Australia skipper.

Clarke has been one of the highest profile cricketers to avoid the riches of the IPL for all four seasons of the Twenty20 competition.

He didn't nominate for this season's auction, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has given the green light for Pune to sign players outside this method.

Indian daily newspaper The Telegraph reported Ganguly was talking up his franchise's chances of signing Clarke at a promotional event.

"We're on the verge of signing (Michael) Clarke ... however, he will be available from May," Ganguly said.

Australia's tour of the West Indies means Clarke's availability will be limited.

The fifth season of the IPL starts on April 5, while the Caribbean Test series is scheduled to end on April 27.

The Pune Warriors will have a total of seven matches left in the IPL's regular season after April 27.

Australia's next assignment following the West Indies is a handful of one-day fixtures in the UK, starting with a match against Ireland on June 23.

Clarke spoke about the possibility of taking part in this year's IPL back in October 2010, noting it would be strong preparation for the 2012 World T20 tournament in Sri Lanka.

However, he later retired from T20 internationals in January last year.

Clarke and Ponting Double Tons

Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke hit double centuries for Australia in the fourth Test against India in Adelaide as they reached 604-7 before declaring.

Their bowlers then took two quick wickets to leave the tourists 61-2.

Following his unbeaten 329 in the second Test, Clarke's 210 made him the first Test captain to score a double and triple century in the same series.

He and Ponting put on 386 - Australia's fourth highest-ever partnership - with Clarke finally bowled by Umesh Yadav.

The home side started the day on 335-3 and continued to punish India, who are trailing 3-0 in the series.

Australia batted through an entire session without losing a wicket for the sixth time in the series.

Captain Clarke failed to add to his tally after lunch and was bowled by Yadav, before Ponting was caught by Tendulkar on 221, as he attempted a pull shot which was caught at deep mid-wicket.

Hussey was run out for 25 after good work from Gautam Gambhir at silly point, then Peter Siddle was caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha for his first catch in Test cricket.

Brad Haddin (42) and Ryan Harris (35) continued to add to the tally and they remained not out when Clarke declared.

After 10 and a half hours in the field, India were desperate for a solid start.

Virender Sehwag, captaining India in place of the suspended Mahendra Dhoni, fell cheaply, caught and bowled by Peter Siddle's first ball for 18.

Rahul Dravid was then was bowled for the sixth time in the series, this time by Ben Hilfenhaus, to leave India 31-2.

Gambhir and Tendulkar added 30 more runs but India face a long three days as they chase down 604.

Ponting Joins Exclusive Club

Ricky Ponting became only the third batsman to score 13,000 Test runs as Australia reached 335-3 on the first day of the final Test against India.

The former Australian captain, 37, reached the milestone on his way to 137 not out, his 41st Test century.

Current skipper Michael Clarke, who closed on 140, has put on 251 with Ponting for the fourth wicket.

India put early pressure on Australia with Ravichandran Ashwin taking two of the three wickets to fall before lunch.

Clarke elected to bat after winning the toss but the tourists, captained by Virender Sehwag in the absence of the suspended Mahendra Dhoni, made a quick breakthrough with two wickets in the opening 10 overs.

Zaheer Khan took the first, trapping David Warner leg before wicket for eight before spinner Ashwin bowled Shaun Marsh with a straight delivery for three to leave the home side 31-2.

Opener Ed Cowan put on 53 with Ponting for the third wicket before driving Ashwin straight VVS Laxman at short cover to depart for 30 shortly before lunch.

But after the break, Ponting and Clarke took advantage of a decent batting track to punish the Indian bowling attack.

Both players reached their half centuries from 69 balls and, moments after Clarke raised his bat to acknowledge his 50, Ponting saluted the crowd on reaching 13,000 Test runs.

The right-handed batsman swept Ashwin to square leg to move to 81 and join Indian pair Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid, who were both on the field, as the only men to pass the milestone.

Australia hold an unassailable 3-0 lead in the four-Test series.

TOP TEST RUN SCORERS

Sachin Tendulkar - 15,432

Rahul Dravid - 13,262

Ricky Ponting - 13,056

Jacques Kallis - 12,260

Brian Lara - 11,953

Allan Border - 11,174

Steve Waugh - 10,927

Sunil Gavaskar - 10,122

Mahela Jayawardene - 10,086

Clarke Makes Test Triple Ton

Michael Clarke never considered batting on beyond his mammoth unbeaten 329 to chase more records rather than declaring Australia's first innings in the second test against India on Thursday.

The Australia captain had Don Bradman's highest innings of 334, subsequently matched by Mark Taylor, within his grasp and, on a benign wicket, could conceivably gone on to challenge Brian Lara's world record unbeaten 400.

For Clarke, though, the 10-hour, 17-minute innings was just a means to putting his team in a position to win the test match and take a 2-0 lead in the series.

"I didn't have Don Bradman and Mark Taylor's score in my head whatsoever," he said.

"It was about trying to get the team to a total which I thought was a really good for a declaration and then get out there and try have a crack and take a couple of wickets this afternoon. That's all I was thinking about.

"I'm stoked to have managed to make 300-odd runs today in this test match, but the most important thing for me now is that we win the test and that was a big reason for my declaration," he added.

"It's about putting the team first, that's why we play, that's what I love most about this game, seeing this team win. If I had thought it was best for the team to continue to bat, I would have continued to bat."

Clarke reached 300 runs just after lunch on the third day of the second test, recording only the 25th triple century in test cricket.

The righthander flicked the ball through midwicket off the bowling of Ishant Sharma for the 37th four of his marathon innings to become the 21st cricketer to reach the milestone.

The 30-year-old joined Bradman (twice), Bob Simpson, Bob Cowper, Taylor and Matthew Hayden as the sixth Australian to achieve the feat.

The triple century came from 432 balls in 567 minutes and also included one six. He added another two fours and 29 runs before drawing the innings to a close on 659-4 with the 14th highest score ever in test cricket next to his name.

"I've never batted that long in any form of the game in any team, so that was the hardest thing for me," he said.

"Physically, I felt pretty fresh but it's just the mental application that you need to have."

Clarke had already established the highest score in 100 tests at the Sydney Cricket Ground, his home stadium, when he passed the 287 scored by England's Tip Foster in 1902-3 just before lunch.

A reporter said that Clarke's nickname of 'Pup' was perhaps no longer suitable after such an innings and asked Mike Hussey, whose innings of 150 was oveshadowed by his captain's feat, for a suggested replacement.

"Dog?" said the 37-year-old, to much laughter.

"I'll take dog," laughed Clarke, who only a year ago was booed onto the field at the SCG during the Ashes debacle. "I've been called a lot worse... I'll take that as a compliment."

Double Century for Captain Clarke

Captain Michael Clarke batted through day two to score an unbeaten 251 as Australia took complete control of the second Test against India in Sydney.

The hosts began the day on 116-3 and only lost one wicket all day as Clarke added 288 with Ricky Ponting (134).

Dropped by Ishant Sharma on 182, the skipper reached the highest Sydney Cricket Ground score by an Australian.

After Ponting fell, Mike Hussey (55 not out) helped Clarke take Australia to 482-4 by the close, a lead of 291.

Ponting's place in the side had been increasingly questioned in the lead-up to the series, but he reached his first Test century for 34 innings, having last passed three figures in making 209 against Pakistan in Hobart in January 2010.

He was so nearly run out for 99 after pushing Sharma for a quick single as Zaheer Khan's throw from mid-on narrowly missed the stumps.

Ponting had to dive full-length to make his ground and, his shirt covered in dirt, acknowledged a warm reception for his first Test ton in nearly two years before eventually holing out to Sachin Tendulkar at point.

But it was local New South Wales hero Clarke who will take the biggest plaudits after hitting 31 fours and a six to easily pass his previous highest Test score, 168, on his home ground.

"I don't really know how I'm still out there, but Punter [Ponting] and Huss were outstanding and kept me going," said Clarke.

"It's nice to make my highest Test score at the SCG, but it's important to get as many runs as we can in the first innings - if we can get a 350 lead we'll be in good shape."

The chance he gave to Sharma was a difficult return catch off the right-arm paceman's own bowling, but one that will be rued by India as they already face a difficult task to save the game and avoid Australia taking a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series.

HIGHEST SCG TEST SCORES

287 - RE "Tip" Foster, England, December 1903

277 - Brian Lara, West Indies, January 1993

251* - Michael Clarke, Australia (v India), Jan 2012

251 - Wally Hammond, England, December 1928

242 - Doug Walters, Australia (v W Iindies), Feb 1969

241* - Sachin Tendulkar, India, January 2004