What an innings by Michael Clarke today in the second test of the Australia vs India Vodafone Test Series. A true captains knock and it isn’t even over yet with Clarke not out on 251. Heading into day 3 of the test Australia have a lead of 291 runs with 6 wickets still in hand.

In the lead up to summer, and even during the first test, Australia were accused of having a soft middle order but boy have they delivered when it counts. In the first test in the Australia vs India series, Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey put together a partnership that got the Aussies a decent enough lead. This let the bowlers do the damage and knock India over to win the game.

Courtesy of foxsports.com.au

This time, Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke did most of the damage. Ponting with a timely knock of 134 before he was dismissed, and Michael Clarke with 200 runs in one day of cricket to end the day on 251 not out. In the process he posted the highest score at the SCG by an Australian.

Michael Clarke has shown that he can handle the pressure of being the captain of the Australian Cricket Team. In the first Australia vs India test match, it was Clarke’s captaincy that got the Australian’s home, directing his bowlers to bowl short to the Indian tail-enders.

Australia’s successful captain’s of the past were always able to deliver when the team needed it and with Australia at 2 for 8 on the first day of the test match, Michael Clarke duly delivered. This innings has been an absolute joy to watch and you have to wonder whether the Indian batsmen were just poor on day one of this test, or whether Australia’s bowlers and Michael Clarke’s captaincy was just too good.

Tomorrow could be an historic day for Australian cricket with Michael Clarke battling on towards a triple century and possibly looking towards Matthew Hayden’s record of 380 that he set against Zimbabwe 9 years ago. With time on his side, anything is possible for Clarke in the form that he is in!

The Indian’s go into day 3 of this Australia vs India test match trailing by 291 runs and don’t even look like getting a wicket at the moment. Dhoni looks completely out of his depth as captain and some of his decisions have been nothing short of baffling. Pace did the damage for Australia, and Zaheer Khan had 3 wickets for not many runs but Dhoni seems to like persisting with the spinners for some reason. He did the same in the first test and some of his field placements have also been strange to say the least.

India will have their work cut out for them again tomorrow, and if they aren’t careful the test series will have passed them in the blink of an eye.

This Australia vs India test series was billed as a serious test for the Australian’s and so far they have passed with flying colours. The new generation of bowlers in Pattinson and Lyon, coupled with the experience of Siddle and Hilfenhaus is working an absolute treat. Warner at the top of the order with Shaun Marsh at first drop hasn’t really gelled just yet but we’ve all seen what both of them can do and it will only be a matter of time before Australia’s next generation of batsmen join their counterparts in the run scoring escapades.

I for one can’t wait for tomorrow to see just what kind of lead the Aussies can generate before sending in the quicks to knock India over by an innings, something that we were subjected to by England just 12 months ago. How things turn around in a year!

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