Clarke, Hussey take Australia to 583-4 at lunch on day 3

Sydney: Michael Hussey cracked his 16th Test ton and skipper Michael Clarke raised the highest total ever scored at SCG as Australia tightened the screws further on the third day of the second Test against India here today.

Hussey, resuming at 55, was 111 at the lunch break, while skipper Clarke, overnight on 251 runs, was just seven runs short of his maiden triple century as Australia took the lunch at 583 for four.

Clarke and Hussey put on an unbeaten 258 runs for the fifth wicket as Australia advanced their last night's score of 482 for four by 101 runs from 32 overs without losing any wicket this morning.

The hosts thus stretched their lead over the visitors to 392 runs as India had made 191 in their first innings on Tuesday.

In the final minutes before lunch, Clarke stroked Ishant Sharma through the covers to become the highest scorer at the SCG, going past the 287 which Reginold Foster of England made in a 1903-04 series.

Clarke cut another four in the same over, dangerously close to lone slip VVS Laxman, to move to within seven runs of his triple century.

The going was slow this morning and only 37 runs came in the first hour as India profited by the fresh state of bowlers and overcast conditions kept things under control.

But Australia still went past 500 runs in the first hour, a feat they had done nearly 22 months and 17 Tests ago against New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton in March 2010.