BRISBANE, (Reuters) – David Warner and Michael Clarke scored dominant centuries to put Australia firmly in control of the first Ashes test on Saturday and leave England needing an unlikely 537 for victory at the end of day three at the Gabba.
The hosts declared their second innings at 401 for seven an hour before stumps and compounded their advantage by removing Michael Carberry and Jonathan Trott cheaply to leave England clinging on at 24 for two with two days to play.
England would need to better the best ever fourth innings run chase in test cricket by 143 runs to get the 561 runs for victory but more realistically will look to dig in and hope the rainstorms forecast for Brisbane materialise.
Barring a 15-minute rain delay before lunch, the weather failed England YESTERday and the day instead belonged to belligerent opener Warner and his cultured captain.
Put in the driving seat when their bowlers dismissed the tourists for 136 at the Gabba on Friday, the pair gleefully grasped the controls and raced away from England in a 158-run partnership for the third wicket.
Warner hammered 124 off 154 balls for his fourth test century and first against England, while Clarke’s 113 came off 130 balls for the 25th hundred of his career and sixth in the Ashes.
“England are on the back foot,” said Warner. “It does look like they’ve got scared eyes at the moment.
SCOREBOARD
Australia won the toss and elected to bat
Australia first innings 295
England first innings 136
Australia second innings (overnight 65-0)
C. Rogers c Carberry b Broad 16
D. Warner c Prior b Broad 124
S. Watson c Broad b Tremlett 6
M. Clarke b Swann 113
S. Smith c Prior b Tremlett 0
G. Bailey b Swann 34
B. Haddin c Anderson b Tremlett 53
M. Johnson not out 39
P. Siddle not out 4
Extras (b-4, lb-8) 12
Total (for seven wickets dec, 94 overs) 401
Fall of wickets: 1-67 2-75 3-233 4-242 5-294 6-305 7-395
Did not bat: R. Harris, N. Lyon
Bowling: Anderson 19-2-73-0, Broad 16-4-55-2, Tremlett
17-2-69-3, Swann 27-2-135-2, Root 15-2-57-0.
England second innings
A. Cook not out 11
M. Carberry b Harris 0
J. Trott c Lyon b Johnson 9
K. Pietersen not out 3
Extras (lb-1) 1
Total (for two wickets, 15 overs) 24
Fall of wickets: 1-1 2-10
To bat: I. Bell, J. Root, M. Prior, S. Broad, G. Swann, J.
Anderson, C. Tremlett
Bowling (to date): Harris 5-2-7-1, Johnson 4-2-7-1, Siddle
3-1-6-0, Lyon 3-1-3-0.
