Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin crushed England’s spirits with a record
partnership of 307 as Australia dominated day three of the first Ashes
Test.
Australia were bowled out for 481 to grab a commanding first-innings lead of 221 runs at the Gabba, before England inched to 0-19 from 15 overs at stumps on day three.
Australia
resumed on their overnight score of 5-220 and didn’t lose a wicket
until the sixth over after tea on Saturday as Hussey (195) and Haddin
(136) ground England’s bowlers into the dust.
His spot in the
team in doubt in recent weeks, Hussey only confirmed his place with a
Shield century for Western Australia last week.
And on Saturday the 35-year-old produced his highest Test score and his 12th hundred.
The
pair’s partnership is the third-highest for the sixth wicket in
Australian Test history, 39 runs shy of the 346 by Don Bradman and Jack
Fingleton against England at the MCG in 1936-37.
It was also a record for any Australian partnership in a Gabba Test.
“The
Ashes is what you dream of playing as a kid so to just be a part of the
Ashes series is fantastic but to score a hundred in the first Test,
it’s a dream come true,” Hussey said.
England’s 21-year-old paceman Steven Finn finished with career-best figures of 6-125 from 33.4 overs in his ninth Test.
Hussey drove Stuart Broad to the cover boundary before lunch to reach his hundred off 197 balls, hugging Haddin with delight.
The pressures of the past few weeks lifted from his shoulders as the West Australian raised his bat to all parts of the ground.
Haddin
reached his third Test hundred with a booming six over long-on off the
bowling of spinner Graeme Swann (2-128) after lunch.
The world No.2-ranked bowler’s modest impact in 43 overs was a worrying sign for England.
The
six-and-a-half hour partnership finally ended when Haddin was caught at
slip off Swann’s bowling at 6-450 after Haddin thumped 16 fours and one
six from 287 deliveries.
Five runs short of his first double-hundred, Hussey fell, caught at deep mid-wicket off Finn.
