As it happened: Clarke gets 251 as Aussies hammer India

1200 IST: Australia 482-4 after 116 overs M Clarke 251 (342), Hussey 54 (97) 366 runs were added today by Australia for the loss of just one wicket. That in a nutshell is the story of the day. Australia are not just batting India out of this game, there is a feeling that they are batting them out of the series as well. They are ahead by 291 runs and this is just day two. And they’ll want to bat all day tomorrow is possible and make sure that India have absolutely no chance of even holding on to a draw. This might just be enough to break India. Do they have it in them to find their resolve? The first session on day three will answer that question for us. Till then, rest & recover & pray and prepare some excuses too.

1139 IST: Australia 461-4 after 112 overs M Clarke 234 (329), Hussey 51 (86) Today in 1975 England captain Mike Denness dropped himself for the fourth Test at Sydney against Australia (due to his poor performance). Is it time Dhoni does the same? He is obviously not being able to inspire the best out of the Indian team. Meanwhile, Ashwin became the second Indian bowler to concede 100 runs. Ishant was the first to do that. It’s a pretty grim situation. And on twitter, @rameshsrivats: Any Kabaddi match going on anywhere? More… @sehwagology: who do you make captain next? i would have said gauti but he might not even be there for the next test.

1109 IST: Australia 425-4 after 102 overs M Clarke 221 (307), Hussey 32 (47) Sehwag into the attack, Australia cruise, Indian fans snooze and the Aussie fans can’t stop gloating. This is reaching humiliating proportions now. This will now have an impact on the whole series, will India recover from this? Will their bodies recover from this? They have already spent a long time in the field.

1045 IST: Australia 400-4 after 97 overs M Clarke 203 (286), Hussey 26 (38) What a knock from Clarke. It’s his first double century – 200 off 285, 24 fours, 1 six. He has outscored India on his own and now is taking the Indian attack to pieces. There is little in the attack to scare him and India are now staring at a huge defeat barring a miracle. And we’ve missed the Christmas bus.

1023 IST: Australia 373-4 after 92 overs M Clarke 185 (273), Hussey 17 (21) Clarke dropped by Ishant on 182. Tough caught and bowled chance, the ball was hit back hard but it didn’t stick. The Australian skipper is close to overhauling the Indian first innings total on his own. Hussey has come back and middled everytime, the 89 in the first Test is haunting India now. The lead is now up to 182 runs. And on twitter, @SANJAYMANJREKAR: By the way guys..if cricket gets too depressing…go watch sherlock holmes..its sensational !!!

O935 IST: Australia 349-4 after 87 overs M Clarke 170 (256), Hussey 8 (8) It’s tea. The new ball got India a wicket and Australia, in turn, are now being rewarded with some quick runs. Lead by 158 runs. The session saw 34 overs, 113 runs, 1 wickets. Australia are firmly and completely in control now. No collapse seems imminent and India need to pull up their socks and come up with something truly special in the last session.

O925 IST: Australia 325-4 after 83.4 overs R Ponting c Tendulkar b Sharma 134 (225b, 14x4) First wicket of the day. It took India 288 runs to get the breakthrough and it couldn’t have come a moment sooner. Ishant gets some extra bounce and Ponting couldn’t keep it down, Tendulkar at point took an easy catch. The ball wasn’t too great but it did the trick. But what a knock from Ponting. This is stuff that greats are made of. He did the hard yards and it worked. If he can carry this form through the series, India are in trouble.

O908 IST: Australia 319-3 after 80 overs R Ponting 131 (212), M Clarke 151 (235) The new ball is now due and so are a few wickets. We’d like more than a few but for starters, one wicket will do. India’s pop-gun attack has been thoroughly exposed but the fault still lies with the batsmen. It was a good pitch to bat on but the way they gave it away only shows that this team still has a lot of learning to do.

O847 IST: Australia 305-3 after 73 overs R Ponting 125 (192), M Clarke 143 (212) There is a bit of a lull in the game. Clarke and Ponting are not taking any risks for the moment and India are waiting for the second new ball which is due in 7 overs. There is the danger of quick runs but honestly, India should be beyond worrying about that for now. If they don’t get a wicket, this partnership could scar them for the rest of the series. India simply haven’t looked like taking a wicket.

O830 IST: Australia 285-3 after 67 overs R Ponting 114 (175), M Clarke 137 (192) India are fairly motoring through the overs but nothing much happening otherwise. Ashwin and Kohli are into the attack and Australia are cruising. The 251-run partnership from 351 balls is looking bad for India, Ponting and Clarke look ready to bat all day.

O755 IST: Australia 250-3 after 57 overs R Ponting 100 (150), M Clarke 114 (158) Ponting gets to his ton. It took him two years and 34 innings to get there. Pretty special. It is his 40th Test ton and he needed 150 balls and a full length dive to get there. The joy on his face was very much evident. Pure class from the former Australian skipper. India have erred and now they are being made to pay. Off twitter, @ESPNcricinfo: Two years, 34 innings, and finally Ricky Ponting has his 40th Test hundred. Warning: his last was a double #ausvind And more… @SANJAYMANJREKAR: No angry gestures at anyone, no release of pent up frustrations just pure happiness and celebration from ponting after getting to his 100

O703 IST: Australia 236-3 after 53 overs R Ponting 97 (142), M Clarke 103 (142) What a session for Australia! 27 overs, 120 runs and zero wickets. That’s lunch and India will go back to the cold comfort of the dressing room for that is all they will get today. On the field, they were hammered to all parts. Clarke has been brilliant and so has Ponting, no chances for the Indians and this is looking bad. The Test, now, looks lost. @danbrettig: No better way to get a hundred than that. Clarke’s princely cover drive. Just 136 balls for his second at the SCG. #cricket

O650 IST: Australia 228-3 after 51 overs R Ponting 97 (137), M Clarke 98 (134) India have erred on the side of caution but Ponting and Clarke have been superb. Let’s not take anything away from them. This is really good batting. The runs are flowing, the Indians look lost and this match is looking like a lost cause. Off twitter, @sidvee: No umpiring shockers. No Laxman special. No Sachin hundred. No controversy. Why play this match at the SCG? No use

O628 IST: Australia 198-3 after 46 overs R Ponting 85 (125), M Clarke 82 (116) And it all comes crashing down for India in a jiffy. There is movement for the bowlers but the batsmen have looked so bad. Wickets have fallen in batches and India need one break, then perhaps their spirits will sore once again. But all morning they have looked uninspired, Dhoni’s fields haven’t helped either. India need someone to do something special and they don’t have Sreesanth of Bhajji. Tragedy.

O605 IST: Australia 164-3 after 40 overs R Ponting 70 (105), M Clarke 65 (100) At the rate India are going, we’ll soon run out of excuses. Yes, there will be the odd good innings but that is no cause for cheer. The first hour today has seen a listless India troop out, with no real plan in mind and it is a sad reflection of the times. What are Dhoni, Fletcher and the seniors doing? Don’t they know the conditions well? Don’t they know that something needs to be done? This session has been 14 overs, 48 runs, 0 wickets.

O537 IST: Australia 143-3 after 35 overs R Ponting 58 (86), M Clarke 60 (89) Dhoni already on the defensive, the field is well spread out and the bowlers aren’t bowling very well. The line hasn’t been good and they have allowed Australia to get away. The first nine overs of the day have seen Australia pull within 48 runs of the Indian total. For India, things only promise to get tougher.

O515 IST: Australia 131-3 after 31 overs R Ponting 50 (76), M Clarke 56 (75) Not a good start to the day for the Indians. Zaheer doesn’t seem to be warmed up well enough and Ishant isn’t hitting the right length often enough. As things stand, both the batsmen have moved past fifty and look good for plenty more. But on this track, you will rarely ever be secure. If the bowlers hit the right length, there is always something for the fielding side in the wicket. India will want an early breakthrough or they could be in for a long time given how Ponting and Clarke are batting. This is the second time that Ponting has struck three consecutive half-centuries. Stop him now.

Day 1 - At close Australia 116-3 after 26 overs R Ponting 44 (62), M Clarke 47 (59) That’s stumps. Australia trail by 75 runs with 7 wickets remaining in the 1st innings and India are in big trouble. Ponting and Clarke have hit the bowlers all over the park — with the exception of Zaheer Khan, all the other bowlers have an economy rate of over 5 RPO. That just does not do in a Test match. India have lost the plot and so has Dhoni. India 1st innings: 191 all out after 59.3 overs