Sri Lanka’s fielders have continued their fumbling ways as Clarke and Shane Watson (60 not out) added 88 runs for the opening session to push the home side’s tally to 3-238.
Watson and Clarke have shared a fourth-wicket stand of 121.
Australia lead by 82 runs on the first innings in reply to Sri Lanka’s 156.
Clarke’s tally of 1545 runs in 2012 eclipses his former Test skipper Ricky Ponting’s national mark of 1544 in 2005. The world record is 1788 by Pakistan’s Mohammad Yousuf.
Stand-in wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara missed a stumping chance off the bowling of spinner Rangana Herath when Clarke was on 54 and just two runs away from passing Ponting’s record.
In the same over, Watson was dropped on 58 at slip by Mahela Jayawardene.
Clarke has hit seven fours and has faced 123 deliveries, showing delightful footwork against Herath despite suffering a hamstring injury in last week’s first Test in Hobart.
Watson’s first half-century of the Test summer came off 121 deliveries and included six fours and one six.
Both batsmen were dropped late on day one before they had reached double figures.
The tourists suffered a heavy blow in the first half-hour of play on day two when opening bowler Chanaka Welegedara left the field with a right-hamstring injury with two deliveries remaining in his 15th over.
Sri Lanka were already a man down after wicketkeeper Prasanna Jayawardene suffered a fractured thumb while batting on day one.
Shaminda Eranga had struck Clarke on the helmet with a bouncer on Thursday as the Australian skipper on 41 jogged through for two leg byes.
Two deliveries later, Eranga fielded in his follow-through and angrily threw the ball back at the stumps, conceding four runs to Clarke to fine leg.
Australia had resumed on 3-150 after Mitchell Johnson claimed 4-63 including his 200th victim to help skittle Sri Lanka for 156 on day one.