Daijiworld Media Network

Sydney, Jan 4: Australia's former captain Ricky Ponting and current captain Michael Clark have continued to assault spineless Indian bowling attack on second day of the second cricket test match here at Sydney Cricket Ground on Wednsday, Jan 4.

Both batsmen completed spirited centuries to put their team into commanding position.

On the morning of the second day, India bowlers tried eveything to break the partnership, but none of the bowlers succeeded.

The 37-year-old Ricky Ponting, the third most prolific test run scorer of all time, made 97 going into the lunch break and was forced to wait nervously for three overs after the resumption of play. He registered his 40th test hundred in test cricket. It was his first since he scored 209 against Pakistan in January 2010 on his home test track at Hobart.

Earlier Clarke scored his second ton this summer after his 139 against New Zealand at Gabba last month.

Clarke, who is playing in his 78th Test, reached his century in the final over before lunch when he drove Ishant Sharma through the covers for his 14th boundary. It took him 136 balls and 195 balls to reach the landmark.

Teams

India: Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni (c) (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav.

Australia: James Pattinson, Ben Hilfenhaus, Peter Siddle, Michael Hussey, Nathan Lyon, David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (c), Brad Haddin (wk).