Adelaide, Australia: Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin scored centuries and shared a 200-run partnership as Australia plundered the England bowlers before declaring its first innings at 570-9 on Friday in the second Ashes test.
Clarke scored 148, his second consecutive hundred and 26th overall, and Haddin scored 118 before he was out just after tea on the second day at the Adelaide Oval. Both made the most of reprieves after being dropped early in their innings.
Stuart Broad returned the best figures for England with 3-98 on a flat wicket, while spinners Graeme Swann (2-151) and Monty Panesar (1-157) were punished by the batsmen.
England had 21 overs to bat before stumps after spending almost two full days in the field.
earlier the skipper and vice-captain were both dropped early in their innings and made the most of their reprieves to wrest momentum back for Australia after it had slipped from 155-1 to 174-4 on day one.
Clarke was out for 148, his second consecutive test hundred and 26th overall, after sharing an 83-run stand with George Bailey (53), then the Adelaide Oval record sixth-wicket partnership with Haddin to revive the innings.
Haddin, who scored 94 and 53 in Australia's 381-run victory in the first test, reached his fourth test hundred and was unbeaten on 108 at the interval.
Australia resumed at 273-5 on Friday, with Clarke on 48, and didn't lose a wicket in the morning session while adding 116 runs.
Both Clarke and Haddin averaged 100 in tests at Adelaide and were merciless against the England attack.
Clarke, who missed training earlier in the week with an injured right ankle, showed no signs of any hindrance as he stroked 17 boundaries in his 245-ball innings.
England's frustrating fielding continued on Friday, compounded the three dropped catches before stumps on day one.
Clarke, who was dropped on 18 and 91, was finally out to a tired chip at a slower ball from Ben Stokes, giving the 22-year-old New Zealand-born allrounder his first test wicket. Stoked had celebrated in the morning session when he thought he had Haddin caught behind for 51, only for the TV umpire to overrule and call it a no-ball.
Australia lost 3-26 after Clarke's departure, with Mitchell Johnson (5) and Peter Siddle (2) giving Graeme Swann (2-133) and Stokes (2-70) their second wickets of the innings before Ryan Harris joined with Haddin and took up the attack.
He clouted sixes on consecutive balls from Swann to lift Australia past 500 and was unbeaten on 29 at the interval.
Haddin hit four sixes and 11 boundaries in his 170-ball innings.
