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Australia all-rounder Andrew McDonald flew home on Friday to attend the birth of his first child, a team spokesman said on Saturday.

The 28-year-old McDonald, who has played four tests, was due to return to England on Thursday and should be available for the final Ashes test at the Oval starting on Aug. 20.

Michael Clarke and Marcus North enjoyed another prolific partnership to lift Australia to 306 for five at lunch on the second day of the fourth Ashes test on Saturday.

The pair took advantage of another lacklustre England bowling performance to add 152 for the fifth wicket and put the touring side in a powerful position to level the series, 204 runs ahead.

Clarke was out lbw to Graham Onions for 93 just before the interval but North remained unbeaten on 53 with Brad Haddin on two.

Clarke and North, who batted most of the final day to salvage a draw in the last test at Edgbaston, looked extremely composed and solid once again after resuming on 196 for four.

England, bowled out for 102 on the first day, extracted little swing or seam movement and the Australian batsmen picked them off at will with a succession of sweetly struck boundaries.

Clarke was eyeing his third century of the series when he surprisingly misjudged a ball from Onions and was adjudged lbw. He hit 13 fours.

The patient North also passed the half-century mark to continue his rich vein of form and Australia will look to take advantage of excellent batting conditions and build a huge first-innings total in the remaining two sessions of the day.

Bangladesh captain Mashrafe Mortaza needs surgery on both knees and is expected to have an operation on Monday, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) said on Saturday.

Mortaza visited Australian orthopaedic surgeon David Young in Melbourne on Friday and was advised to have arthroscopic surgery on his knees, the BCB said in a statement.

"The surgery is likely to be performed on Monday after which an assessment will be made on the extent of the injury and the possible duration for recovery," it added.

Mortaza fell awkwardly while bowling on the third day of the first test against West Indies at St Vincent last month, limped off the field and has been sidelined since.

Shakib Al Hasan replaced him as Bangladesh captain to complete a clean sweep victory in the test and one-day series against West Indies.

Shakib will again lead the side in Zimbabwe for a five-match one-day series beginning at Bulawayo on Sunday.

Mortaza has already had four knee operations by the same surgeon who has treated several of the world's leading players including Muttiah Muralitharan and Shoaib Akhtar.

Marcus North struck a patient century to lead Australia to 445 all out at tea on the second day of the fourth Ashes test against England on Saturday.

North swept Graeme Swann for six to reach three figures and the touring side, 343 runs ahead, were in a commanding position to win the match and level the series.

North was out for 110 just before the interval to end the Australian innings. England seamer Stuart Broad took test-best figures of six for 91.

Resuming after lunch on 306 for five, Australia lost Brad Haddin to the second new ball for 14, Steve Harmison firing in a short-pitched delivery that the wicketkeeper could only fend to Ian Bell at short backward square leg.

Mitchell Johnson struck a few lusty blows to reach 27 before he tried to hit Broad for six and picked out Ravi Bopara on the mid-wicket boundary.

Broad bowled Peter Siddle for nought but North remained composed and reached his third century in six tests with a huge hit off spinner Swann before raising his bat to the balcony and kissing his helmet.

BLISTERING ATTACK

Stuart Clark then launched a blistering attack before tea, hitting three sixes including two in two balls from Broad before the seamer took revenge by bowling him for 32 to claim his fifth wicket.

North, who batted for more than five hours and struck 13 fours and one six, looked to farm the strike with last man Ben Hilfenhaus and fell trying to lift Broad for six, giving James Anderson a simple catch at deep mid-wicket.

In the morning session, Clarke and North, who batted most of the final day to salvage a draw in the last test at Edgbaston, looked rock-solid once again after resuming on 196 for four.

England, bowled out for 102 on the first day, extracted little swing or seam movement and the Australian batsmen picked them off at will with a succession of sweetly struck boundaries.

Clarke was eyeing his third century of the series when he surprisingly misjudged a ball from Graham Onions and was adjudged lbw for 93. He hit 13 fours.