It’s taken 2061 Tests and 135 years, but there’s just one batsman who has ever cracked four double centuries in a calendar year – Michael Clarke.
The Australian skipper led a run-riot at Adelaide Oval yesterday rarely seen in Test cricket.
While half the grandstands are demolished in a major up-grading of the picturesque ground, three baggy green batsmen demolished the South African attack to the tune of 5-482, the second highest opening day Test score, pipped only by the 1910 Australians at the SCG, also against South Africa, with 6-494.
That vintage day saw Clem Hill crack 191, Warren Bardsley 134, Algy Gehrs 67, with Warwick Armstrong unbeaten on 43.
Yesterday’s vintage batting, after a rocky 3-55 start, belonged to Clarke’s unbeaten 224, David Warner’s 119, and Mike Hussey’s 103.
But Clarke is the story, 2012 being his year like none other:
* 329* against India at the SCG, the highest score at the famous ground.
* 210 against India at Adelaide.
* 259* against South Africa at the Gabba.
* And yesterdays unbeaten 224.
That leaves The Don and Ricky Ponting the next best on three doubles, or better, in a calendar year.
For Don Bradman it was the 1930 tour of England:
* 254 at Lords.
* 334 not out at Headingly, at the time the world’s highest individual score.
* And 232 at The Oval.
For Ponting it was home and away in 2003:
* 206 against the Windies at Port of Spain.
* 242 against India at Adelaide,
* And 257 against India at the MCG,
Three Australians showing the Test cricket world a clean pair of heels.
There have been 22 Test batsmen who have scored two double tons, or better, but only three have scored more than once.
The Don and Wally Hammond did it three times each – The Don in 1931, 1934, and 1937 – Hammond in 1928, 1933, and 1936.
Sachin Tendulkar helped himself to two years of doubles in 2004, and 2010.
To summarise yesterday:
Supreme – Michael Clarke’s 39 fours and a six with one sweetly timed shot after another. He shared a 155 partnership with Warner turning 3-55 into 4-210, and a record 272 for the fifth wicket with Hussey. Clarke’s highlight, racing from 132 to 152 with a dot ball and five boundaries off Morne Morkel’s 17th over after scoring his 21st Test ton.
Awesome – Warner’s 119 of just 112 with 16 fours and four sixes. His power and placement dismantled the South African attack. He rocketed through the 90s with a six and a four off successive deliveries to post his third Test century.
Majestic – Hussey’s 103 off 136 with nine fours and four sixes, his cover drives pure poetry in motion for his 17th Test ton.
Disaster – South Africa losing crack strike bowler Vernon Philander with a back spasm before the toss, and all-rounder Jacques Kallis to a hamstring during the first session after he had dismissed Ed Cowan and Ponting for just 17 off 3.3 overs.
Eyesore – the demolition of so much tradition at the ground. But a tick over 16,000 made use of what accommodation was left and were treated to 5.5 runs an over all day, and even higher with the Warner-Clarke partnership at 6.36 an over, and the Clarke-Hussey stand at 5.49 – unheard of Test stats.
Prediction – if Michael Clarke lasts the opening 30 minutes today, ink him in for another triple.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
Can anyone remember in 2003/4 Australia scoring 400 for 5 on the first day to be all out 556 against India at the same venue? Ponting scoring a 242 and the RR was 4,37 RPO. India replied with a 523 batting at 3.2 a over then bowled out Australia out for 197. They then knocked off the 233 runs needed at 3.2 rpo to win by 4 wickets. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/64060.html
kid
Guest
You make excellent points but I'd much rather hear this conversation Person 1:Gee didn't Clarke Hussey and Warner play well yesterday. Person 2: Yeah, Its a shame Kalis was injured he was on fire and Morkel was great this morning. Person 1: It's my shout, yell out if there's a wicket...
Larry
Guest
great stats
Bearfax
Guest
I more or less agree with you in some ways Kid. Clarke is in exceptional form, has been for 12 months. I dont think any attack would have done much better against him. Same to a lesser degree is Hussey, who is also playing some of the best cricket of his career. Of the other batsmen I'd say this. Ponting: A champion player but on the decline. Has often had trouble early in his innings and with such a good bowling group early on it was always going to be a 50-50 chance he'd get out early. He's far from the Ponting of old, but still better than some of the younger ones coming through Quiney.:Another of these Micky post 30 years sub 40 average batsmen he keep promoting. He's had a good two years but I suspect he's out of his league Warner: Potentially Australia's answer to Sehwag. At present he's susceptible early on in his innings but once he gets started he's the best attacking player we've got. Early days this one and will fail more than he succeeds for a while. But he's worth holding onto for those magical innings and his brilliant fielding. Also bowls quite well Cowen: Despite his very creditable century, this fellow in my mind is a fill in. Still has a test average of 36, yet Watson with a better average wasnt good enough as a batsman only. As I see it he will score a descent score about once every 5-6 innings, hardly test level standard when you consider he's over 30 So in answer, Australia has two very good and reliable and in form batsmen, one ex-champion on the wane but still potentially giving a good score once every 3-4 innings. A swashbuckler, who can swing a game in your favour in a session but still not yet consistent enough. And two post 30 year olds who are going to get out cheaply much more than get a decent score. So yes early on South Africa bowled very well. They then lost Kaliis and faced the blunting of their attack from Warner and then the very in form Clarke. Their bowling prowess then started to wane
kid
Guest
bearfax, I understand that context is important, but if a guy hits 200 against any attack people are going to say they were not bowling well. There were some great deliveries to clarke yesterday. Nicks that didn't go to hand, close LBW shouts, and good deliveries that were hit to the boundary. 6 aussie batsman scored 10 or under, are they just really bad players? Don't concentrate on the context concentrate on the achievements. Well bowled today SA and well played yesterday by Aussies.
Bearfax
Guest
With one of your best strike bowlers back in the sheds early, what did you expect. They weren't woeful, just not up to their usual standard. Part of that was the ground, and part of that may also have been that their efforts were blunted by having to take up the slack.
Bearfax
Guest
I dont think the comments are being negative. Rather they are being realistic. No one is questioning that these cricketers are not the cream of the game, a couple of them all time greats or heading that way. But many things besides a cricketers skill determine what happens in a match. The ground and state of the wicket are one. The weather, wind, humidity, heat etc are another. Even the crowd has some effect. And of course all cricketers like all sports people go through highs and lows, as well as questions of age, experience, variable batting and bowling skills, and sometimes the general temperament of the team as a whole. Doesnt take much at this level of cricket to swing a match. And sometimes the bowlers arent quite up to their usually standard. Sometimes there's niggling injuries or a batsman works out a bowlers style and plunder them. Or a batsman's flaw is discovered, such as with Hughes, and the batsman has to go back to basics and adjust their style. Or a fieldsman is just that little bit slower inviting twos instead of ones. There are so many variables in a game above pure talent. In this case its the ground that is just that little bit more batsman friendly,that offers the opportunity for bigger scores. That's just cricket.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Yes, it's shorter, but they've widened it as well. So overall the playing field is roughly the same. But you're right, the days of batsmen being able to run five are gone I think. Although I'm pretty sure they've used boundary ropes to 'even it out' for some years now anyway. Which is a shame - it's nice seeing a range of playing conditions around the country (and world).
Jiggles
Roar Guru
Rubbish. The bowling of South Africa was woeful. They deserved to be carted.
Andy_Roo
Roar Guru
David, I think if SA can bowl AUS out quickly on day two then they still have a chance to win. AUS have the runs on the board but SA should also be able to score quickly and well on the small ground. Let's not get carried away with the 482 runs in a day. On any other ground it would only be 350.
kid
Guest
Why is there so much negativity around? If batsman play well it must have been too flat of a wicket and inept bowling and if the bowlers play well the opposition must have batted poorly or the wicket must have been a potato field. Its not just cricket, its other sports, politics, celebrity just everything. Its sad, all people want to do is give reasons why things aren't as good as what they appear. So many people wish they'd seen bradman play, well you've had a glimpse of it from clarke this year, no one is silly enough to say clarke is as good as bradman but results speak for themselves. Get to your local test match and cheer them on, don't come here and belittle their achievements. Sorry about the rant... the glass is half full guys.
Bearfax
Guest
Are we seeing 'fools gold' here in respect of the run-feast over the first two tests. All credit to Australia for its performance so far but lets get it in perspective. 1) South Africa have lost a principal player at the start of each match. They have been down one important player in the team (Kallis is a major loss) and are having to play with ten batsmen only and in this test one bowler down 2) In well less than five innings, 8 centuries, including two double centuries, have been scored. And this against two of the seemingly best bowling attacks going around. I would suggest that the grounds have been quite batsmen friendly 3) For Australia Clarke and Hussey have dominated the scoring, scoring well over two thirds of the runs between them for Australia in two innings. I am not trying to put Clarke's effort down at all. His performances over the past year have been quite remarkable and he has certainly joined the greats of Australian cricket. When he retires who knows but he may be in averages the closest batsman in the World to Bradman. He's always had the talent but it seems at 32 he has reached his peak and is going through a golden period....personally I dread it when he starts to get only reasonable scores again because Australia have been winning almost exclusively off his performances over the past year. Mind you Hussey has also been contributing his bit and continues to anchor the Oz innings brilliantly. But over all I sense we are seeing an almost Indian test series, with docile wickets and heart breaking bowling efforts. And what of the rest of the Australian batting. Cowen did well in the first test (finally) though his test average is still only 36 and he remains pedestrian, which is great if you're going for a draw, but delays your attempted efforts to win a match. Warner on the other hand assisted Australia's efforts markedly in this test in scoring quickly and blunting the attack so that Clarke and Hussey had less to fear. Ponting is struggling, but who can predict the efforts of a champion. Quiney looks out of his league. I wonder what will eventuate at the WACA, which I understand is more of a bowlers wicket. That match seems likely now to decide the series and maybe then we will see a better contest between the bat and ball..
josh
Guest
These are Clarke's averages for some selected milestones: Once he has scored at least 1, his averages is 55 (ignoring the not outs its 49) 50 and above, 141 (114) 100 and above, 219 (156) 150 and above 332 (207) 200 and above, 1022 (256) Incredible stuff.
Redb
Roar Guru
Wow just wow. What an innings what a first day. Lets hope we can get 650 and not bat again.
Russ
Guest
Agreed. There was plenty of movement. And South Africa have a new ball, so they might reasonably roll Australia for 550, with plenty of time to bat. It was the demolition of Morkel that really set the tone of the day. Against Quiney, Hussey and Cowan he took 1/16 off 4 balls. Against Warner, 1/48 off 44 balls. But Clarke hammered him for 64 off 43. And given the injuries, dominating Morne was what turned the day from a win into a rout. The over where he hit him for five 4s to bring up his 150 was as good a piece of batting as you'll ever see.
Matt F
Roar Guru
Adelaide is always a road for the first 2-3 days. Generally it will break up and start to spin after that which ensures that you still get a result more often than not
Matt F
Roar Guru
The weather will be hot and dry over the next few days so that should help the pitch break up and it should start to spin, and have some variable bounce, late day 3 or early day 4.
David Lord
Guest
Not so Christo, it's much shorter especially on the straight drive. Adelaide used to be a true oval shape, yesterday was more circular. In days gone by batsmen could run five with a straight drive, yesterday it was two, or a flat-chat three.
Dan
Guest
Incredible day -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Christo the Daddyo
Guest
Yep, agree. The plans for the rebuilt Adelaide Oval look fantastic - can't wait for it to be finished. And David's other comment - "making full use of a far smaller Adelaide Oval thanks to the massive reconstruction in progress" doesn't make any sense. The construction is happening on the other side of the fence - the ground isn't any smaller.