Bellerive Oval belters a another good start for the Kangaroos …

He may have waited an eternity to get his chance but new Australian opener Phil Jaques looks set for a long career after scoring his second successive century on the opening day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Hobart on Friday.

On yet another embarrassingly one-sided day, the all-conquering Australians - aiming for a 14th successive Test victory following their innings victory in the series' opener in Brisbane - had raced to 3-329 at stumps with Jaques making 150 while Mike Hussey (101 not out) bought up his seventh Test century in only 28 innings in the last over of the day.

The only lowlight for a healthy first-day Hobart crowd was the early loss of Australian skipper and local hero Ricky Ponting for 31, thanks to a gem of a ball from Sri Lanka's champion off-spinner Muttiah Muralidaran.

However nothing was going to stop Jaques from ensuring he secured his place as Matthew Hayden's new opening partner - following the retirement of Justin Langer - as he followed up his first-up 100 at the Gabba with another hard-hitting ton.

The 28-year-old New South Welshman had only played two Tests prior to this summer - against Pakistan at the MCG on Boxing Day in 2005 and against Bangladesh in Chittagong last year despite long being a prodigious scorer at interstate level in Australia and England.

In fact, prior to being confirmed as Australia's new opener this summer Jaques had scored more than 10,000 first-class runs and that long grounding looks set to pay dividends as he sets about carving out a successful Test career in much the same way as Hussey has after a similarly long wait.

The only time Jaques was troubled was in the opening half hour as the wicket provided Sri Lanka's tall opening bowler Farveez Mahroof with some early movement off the wicket.

Jaques played and missed outside off stump twice in a row off Mahroof in the fourth over and in fact it took him until the sixth over to get off the mark.

But once he pulled the disappointing Lasith Malinga - Sri Lanka's quickest bowler who was chosen ahead of veteran Chaminda Vaas - for four through mid-wicket in the ninth over he was on his way.

Jaques bought up his 50 in the first over after lunch and continued to bludgeon the Sri Lankans with glorious drives and powerful pull and cut shots until he skied one to long-on off the part-time spin of Sanath Jayasuriya late in the day just after bringing up his 150.

His runs came off only 237 balls with 18 fours and his 152-run stand with Hussey, whose century included 15 boundaries, in only 149 minutes demoralised the visitors.

The pair ensured the Australians recovered from the early loss of Hayden, caught behind for 17 after slashing at a wide one, and Ponting, who fell to a ripper from Muralidaran - who otherwise again struggled to penetrate in Australian conditions.

Ponting fell to Muralidaran's 'doosra' - the ball that spins like a leg break but is delivered with an off-spinner's grip - as he probed forward with Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene taking a comfortable catch at first slip.

But despite that scalp Muralidaran is still five short of equalling Shane Warne's Test record of 708 wickets and given the likelihood of Australia again only batting once in this match - his odds of breaking the record on Australian soil are lengthening by the day.