Sydney, Jan 5: A brilliant triple-ton from Michael Clarke powered Australia to a commanding position in the second Test against India at the SCG. At stumps on Day 3, India were trailing by 354 runs with eight wickets in hand and with Gautam Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar at the wicket.

Earlier, the torrent of runs from the Australian batsmen continued into Day 3 as the prolific batsmen amassed a 468-run lead. All through the first innings captain Clarke led from the front, contributing to valuable partnerships.

Batting at a quick pace, Michael Hussey reached his sixteenth Test century before lunch while Clarke, who was perched on 293 when the session ended, had broken Tip Foster's 108-year-old record of 287 runs to become the top-scorer at the SCG. He had also surpassed Sir Don Bradman's 270 to top the list of best innings by a Australian captain at home and gone past Ricky Ponting’s 257 at Melbourne in 2003-‘04 to register the highest individual score by an Australian against India .

Post-lunch, Clarke reached the staggering 300-run mark flicking Ishant Sharma to mid-wicket. It was a momentous occasion at the SCG as the vast audience – dressed in pink to lend their support to the McGrath Foundation’s commitment to fighting breast cancer – saluted an exceptional and record-breaking innings.

Australia declared their innings for 659 after Hussey had marched on to 150; Clarke’s unbroken partnership with Hussey was worth 334 runs. The Australian skipper, who had crossed a few milestones during his remarkable 329*, could well have achieved another feat – that of scoring 400 runs in a Test innings – had he chosen to do so. But the declaration clearly came in the interest of putting his team in a good position to win.

With a mountain of runs to conquer, India needed to bat long and hard to avoid a humiliating defeat. But when they lost Virender Sehwag in just the fourth over of their second innings, the signs were ominous. Gautam Gambhir, however, played a determined and positive innings to lift himself out of a personal slump. The southpaw got off to a good start with a couple of boundaries off James Pattinson in the first over and when tea was called, India were still just one down for 53 runs.

Post-tea, Ben Hilfenhaus was able to get through Dravid’s defence – surprisingly vulnerable on the tour so far – and sent The Wall back for 29 bringing Tendulkar to the crease. In his very next over, an outside edge from Gambhir almost carried to Clarke at wide slip. The left-handed opener, who had reached his fifty off 54 balls, slowed down considerably after that survived chance on 65; it took him over 30 deliveries to get to 66. He was given a life again on 66 as keeper Brad Haddin dropped him off a Pattinson delivery. With runs coming at a premium for India, Gambhir and Sachin Tendulkar focussed more on seeing the day through.

Brief scores:

At end of Day 3: Australia 1st Innings 659/4 decl. in 163 overs (M Clarke 329*, M Hussey 150*) India 2nd innings 114/2 in 41 overs (G Gambhir 68*, SR Tendulkar 8*, B Hilfenhaus 2/37 )

At end of Day 2: Australia 1st Innings 482/4 in 116 overs (M Clarke 251*, R Ponting 134, M Hussey 54* )

At end of Day 1: India 1st innings 191 all-out in 59.3 overs (MS Dhoni 57*, SR Tendulkar 41, J Pattinson 4/43, B Hilfenhaus 3/51, P Siddle 3/55), Australia 1st Innings 116/3 in 26 overs (M Clarke 47*, R Ponting 44*, Z Khan 3/26)