Australian captain Michael Clarke has pushed past Ricky Ponting’s national record of 1544 Test runs in a calendar year and has moved into fifth place on the all-time list.

Clarke’s astonishing run-scoring feats in 2012 have included three double-tons and a spectacular 329 not out in the Sydney Test last January against India.

The skipper had reached 56 not out at lunch on Thursday’s second day of the second Test against Sri Lanka in Melbourne, despite suffering a hamstring injury in last week’s opening Hobart Test.

Clarke’s tally of 1545 runs in 11 matches has lifted him ahead of Ponting’s efforts in 2005.

The world record is held by Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf who hit 1788 runs in 11 matches in 2006.

The other three players ahead of Clarke are West Indies’ Viv Richards (1710 in 1976), South Africa’s Graeme Smith (1656 in 2008) and India’s Sachin Tendulkar (1562 in 2010).