Another Clarke double-century hurts India

Lunch Australia 3 for 469 (Clarke 210*, Ponting 198*) v India

Michael Clarke went to lunch on 210 © Getty Images

Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting continued to humiliate India on the second day in Adelaide, where Clarke passed 200 for the second time in the series. At lunch, Ponting was also within sight of a double-hundred, on 198, and they had compiled the highest partnership ever recorded in an Adelaide Test, their unbroken 385-run stand passing the previous record of 341 set by South Africa's Eddie Barlow and Graeme Pollock in 1963-64.

For the sixth time in the series Australia batted through an entire session without losing a wicket, and this time they added 134 to the total, the runs flowing freely as India wilted. At lunch, Australia were 3 for 469 and Clarke was on 210. India were, not for the first time on this tour, waiting for a declaration.

The film critic Leonard Maltin's entire review of Police Academy 4 was: "More of the same, only worse". The same could be said of India on the second morning. The bowling was insipid, although occasionally Umesh Yadav sent down a good delivery that surprised the batsmen, and the captaincy of Virender Sehwag was such that he did not appear to think taking a wicket was that important.

R Ashwin was given fields that encouraged him to bowl straight, and both batsmen picked off the runs with ease. The fast men began the morning with a reasonably new ball but there was no real danger for Ponting or Clarke, with neither swing nor seam being discovered by the Indians.

India did have a chance when Ponting was on 186, when he drove a ball straight back at the bowler Ishant Sharma, who seemed surprised by the opportunity and failed to get his hands to the ball, which struck him on the thigh. It wasn't struck that hard, though, and had he been more alert Ishant could have taken the catch comfortably.

Clarke brought up his double-century with a clip for two through midwicket off Ashwin and celebrated another monstrous innings in the series: after his unbeaten 329 in Sydney, he has the ridiculous average of 557 this calendar year. By lunch, Ponting could taste his sixth Test double-hundred, and India had little hope but to wait for Clarke's declaration.