Adelaide, Nov 22: Australia captain Michael Clarke broke Sir Don Bradman and Ricky Ponting's records as he registered his fourth 200 plus scores in a calendar year here on Thursday against South Africa at the Adelaide Oval in the second Test. At close of play on first day, Australia were 482/5. Michael Hussey and David Warner too hit centuries.
Clarke, who has been in great form in 2012, brought up his second successive double hundred today after he had made a double ton against South Africa in the first Test in Brisbane.
Today was Clarke's 21st Test century. Hussey hit his 18th and Warner had his third. Australia were in completed command against the visitors on the opening day.
Clarke is the first man in Test history to score 200 or more runs four times in the same calendar year. Bradman (in 1930) and Ponting (2003) had done it thrice in one year but the current Australian skipper has bettered the greats.
The right-hander started the year with a triple hundred against India. He scored 329 not out in Sydney in January and followed that up with a 210 in Adelaide against the same opposition.
At the start of the series against South Africa, in previous Test in Brisbane, he made 259 not out. Now, here he is batting on 224.
Michael Clarke's double hundreds in 2012
329 not out Vs India, January 2012
259 not out Vs South Africa, November 2012
224* (still batting after day 1) Vs South Africa, November 2012
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