
Record-breaking fourth-wicket pair Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke have piled on the agony for Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene with a 245-run stand guiding the hosts to a fearsome 4-476 at tea on day two of the first 3 mobile Test.
Hussey was finally caught at short cover by Marvan Atapattu 15 minutes before the interval for 133. He was dropped by the same player on 13 late on day one.
Clarke remains at the crease on an unbeaten 121 with Andrew Symonds on five not out.
The second day of a one-sided Test match has been eerily reminiscent of both previous meetings between the sides and past encounters at the Gabba, where Australia holds a proud record of not being beaten since the 1988/89 season, some 19 matches ago.
Australia has also never lost to Sri Lanka in eight Test clashes, winning six.
The relentless stand between Hussey and Clarke surpassed the previous highest fourth-wicket partnership against Sri Lanka (in Galle in 2003/04), then usurped Hussey and Ricky Ponting's 209-stand against England 12 months ago in Brisbane.
Ominously for the tiring Sri Lankan pace attack, Australia triumphed convincingly on both occasions.
Hussey's sixth Test ton and Clarke's fifth saw them join first day maiden centurion Phil Jaques in reaching three figures.
Jaques survived his fair share of good fortune - offering chances on 60, 64 and 90 - before being completely bamboozled by Muttiah Muralidaran on 100 but not before helping Australia into a comfortable position at 3-242 by stumps.
Muralidaran also had Ponting stumped for 56 while Matthew Hayden scored 43 before gifting Chaminda Vaas a cheap wicket.
But nobody in the Sri Lankan attack looked like overly troubling Hussey and Clarke before Dilhara Fernando claimed the wicket of the Western Australian deep into the middle session. Fernando's figures were 1-125 at tea.
The absence of wickets on day two has only served to reemphasise the absence of Lasith Malinga whose replacement Farveez Maharoof has at least been the pick of the quicks.
Maharoof had a vocal appeal for a caught behind off Clarke turned down by umpire Rudi Koertzen before the NSW batsman cut loose, his second 50 arriving from just 60 deliveries.
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