Warner approaches ton as Oz extend lead

BRISBANE (Australia): David Warner and Michael Clarke briskly extended Australia's lead after the loss of two early wickets on the third day of the first Ashes Test against England at the Gabba Saturday.

Scorecard

England's bowlers removed opener Chris Rogers and number three Shane Watson cheaply to put the pressure back on to the home side before Warner and skipper Clarke released the brakes.

At lunch, the Australians had extended their overall lead to 304 runs at 145 for two with Warner on 83 and Clarke not out 34.

England captain Alastair Cook's tactic of setting fields to keep Clarke on strike against paceman Stuart Broad backfired when the Aussie skipper took up the challenge and settled into his innings after he went cheaply for one to the same bowler in the first dig.

Warner and Clarke had few problems to accelerate Australia's run-rate and lead with eight sessions left to play in the Brisbane Test.

Australia were keeping an eye on the weather after a brief shower sent the players from the field for 15 minutes during the morning session.

Rogers was out to Broad's first ball of the day as he loftily cut to Michael Carberry at point for 16.

Watson was pinned down by tight England bowling but went cheaply again in the match when he top-edged a pull shot off Chris Tremlett's third delivery high to Broad at mid-on for six.

Australia were 75 for two and leading by 234 runs as skipper Clarke came to the crease looking for a big score to restore his confidence after his first innings failure to Broad.

Skipper Cook questionably encouraged Clarke to take a single off the last ball of his first over to get him on strike against Broad to immediately test him out against some short-pitched bowling.

But the Australia skipper dispatched one rising ball to the boundary rope and sent the next delivery behind the wicket for another four and he was on his way.

Warner raised his ninth Test half-century and second against England with a scampering three runs off James Anderson, but he had a few anxious moments in Graeme Swann's final over before lunch.

Swann had a review turned down for leg before wicket with his penultimate ball and a loud shout for a catch close to the wicket on the last ball before the players left for lunch.

Showers and a possible storm were forecast for Saturday in Brisbane.

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Shweta Pandey

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