Adam Gilchrist in action on Day II of the second Test in Hobart on Saturday. (AP)

Hobart: Adam Gilchrist became the first player to smash a 100 sixes in Test cricket in a brutal display of power hitting that put Australia in control of the second Test against Sri Lanka on Saturday.

Gilchrist clubbed three massive over-boundaries, including two in succession off Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralidharan, to blaze his way to an unbeaten 67 and enable Australia to declare their first innings at 542 for five.

Sri Lanka were 30 for no loss in reply when bad light stopped play early at Bellerive Oval with Maravan Atapattu unbeaten on 18 and Michael Vandort on 12.

Sri Lanka captured the wickets of Mike Hussey and Michael Clarke after lunch but were unable to put a halt on Australia’s relentless run feast as Gilchrist and Andrew Symonds went on the rampage.

Hussey departed for 132, then Clarke fell for 71.

Hussey and Clarke had added 125 for the fourth wicket but their dismissals did little to help Sri Lanka’s cause as Gilchrist and Symonds made the most of a flat batting pitch that offered little assistance to the bowlers.

Gilchrist signalled his intentions when he smacked Malinga over the mid-wicket fence for his first six before tea but saved his best for Muralidharan, who needs just six more wickets to break Shane Warne’s world record of 708 Test dismissals but is now unlikely to achieve the feat in Australia.