Australia skipper Michael Clarke said he encouraged himself and his fellow batsmen to attack South Africa in the second Test at Adelaide Oval.
Clarke was immaculate on Thursday, posting an unbeaten 224, as he recorded his highest ever score at the ground and became the first player in history to score four double centuries in a calendar year.
The 31-year-old's stellar knock backed up his 259 not out against the Proteas in the first Test in Brisbane and guided Australia to 5-482 at the conclusion of play.
Clarke struck a record 39 boundaries and one six and received valuable centurion contributions from opener Dave Warner (119) and Mike Hussey (103).
Warner and Hussey were aggressive, also smashing 25 boundaries and eight sixes between them.
After dismantling South Africa's feared pace attack with destructive batting in Brisbane, Clarke said he wanted another positive approach if Australia were to boost their chances of outright victory and hunt for the Proteas' number one mantle as the best Test side in the world.
"One thing we spoke about throughout the week was our intent. The way we played in Brisbane was the way we were going to play (in Adelaide)," Clarke said.
"We wanted to be positive. I use the words of Warney (Shane Warne) who told me a long time ago – 'the better the bowling the more positive you got to be'.
"We took that approach today, in that we were going to see the ball and react and not worry too much about the result. If we get a good ball, we get a good ball.
"There's a long way to go before anybody wins but certainly for us, we need to really focus on tomorrow morning and continuing this momentum and making as many runs as we can in this first innings."
Despite another colossal knock, Clarke downplayed the significance of his 21st Test century – his seventh since being named Test captain in March 2011.
The stylish right-hander said he was just happy to be making runs and 'cashing in' on a rich vein of form after a disappointing slump during the 2010-11 Ashes series.
"We just made 480 in a day, now I'm trying to work out what we've got to do tomorrow to set up this game to have a crack at winning," Clarke said.
"It's really nice to be making runs and the downside of this great game is when you're not, you find it really hard to find your next run, and that happens throughout your career.
"That's happened a lot for me through my career ... I remember playing England through the Australian summer a couple of years ago and I couldn’t make a run.
"I got dropped (in 2005 against West Indies) and I remember when I came back that I wanted to make the most of the good days and that's all I really feel I'm doing.
"I feel like that when I'm getting in, I'm trying to cash in because I know there will be some tough days around the corner again."
First Posted 23 November, 2012 7:51AM AEST
