SYDNEY: Captain Michael Clarke scored a triple century before declaring Australia's first innings closed on the third day of the second Test against India in Sydney -- with a mammoth lead of 468 runs.
Clarke was unbeaten on 329 -- behind only Matthew Hayden (380), Mark Taylor (334) and Don Bradman (334) in the all-time list for Australian batsmen -- when he called a halt to the Australian onslaught at 659 for four.
Mike Hussey was beaten on 150.
Clarke's score ranked joint 14th in the list of highest Test innings behind West Indian world record holder Brian Lara's 400.
Clarke was at the crease for 617 minutes. He faced 468 balls with 39 fours and one six.
During his innings Clarke surpassed V.V.S. Laxman's 281 for the highest individual score in Australia-India Tests and also overtook the great Bradman's 270 as the best by an Australian captain in a home Test, a record that had stood since 1936.
The Australian skipper received a standing ovation when he eclipsed the highest score at the SCG, fittingly in its 100th Test match, of 287, registered by Englishman Reg Foster in 1903.
Clarke shared in a record 334-run unbroken stand with Hussey for any Australian wicket against India, eclipsing the 288 Clarke set with Ricky Ponting for the fourth wicket on the previous day.
Australia's total ranked second only to their 674 in India Tests at Adelaide in 1947-48.
Hussey's innings took a back seat to Clarke's prodigious knock. He batted for 312 minutes, scoring his runs off 253 balls with 16 fours and a six.
It was Hussey's 16th century in his 68th Test match.
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