With Clarke and Haddin at crease, Australia can blast past 400

Australia may have expected to be in a slightly stronger position after the opening day’s play of the second Ashes Test in Adelaide, but they could not have wanted two other batsmen in the middle to help them set a formidable total.

On a pitch that favours batsmen, it is about honours even at 273/5, although Australia have shortened slightly in the win market to 6/5, while England have drifted slightly in the opposite direction to 10/3. The draw is now 6/4.

How quickly the next wicket falls will provide a clearer indication, as England will then be into the home bowling attack, not that this stopped Mitchell Johnson swinging successfully from the hip in the first Test in Brisbane.

And given the records of Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin at Adelaide, England could be in for a long few sessions on day two.

Both men average over 100 at the ground, with Clarke scoring double hundreds in his last two Tests at the venue. He also has more Adelaide runs than anyone else in history and a record five centuries.

Haddin actually averages more than Clarke, surpassing 50 on three occasions in seven innings and finishing not out in both of his innings on his last appearance against India in early 2012.

Clarke is nicely poised on 48 this time and is 8/13 to end the Australian first innings as the highest runscorer, which is something we were keen on ahead of the Test match at 11/4.

Chris Rogers currently heads the scoring on 73 and 6/4 is the price that Clarke not only goes beyond this figure, but registers a century.

Just how many runs Australia will post is another interesting betting option, with the line set at 435 runs. It is 5/6 both sides that the Aussies either score more or less than this sum.

Given the records of the two men batting, plus four bowlers that all average a minimum of 13 with the bat, the feeling is that Australia will surpass 435 runs on the scoreboard.

Three of the last five first innings Test scores at Adelaide have also been above this score and the second new ball is a few overs old, which should make life easier for Clarke and Haddin.