WSB Phillip Island: Carlos Checa's all boxes with the double

As the bikes lined up for the start, the number 50 machine of Sylvain Guintoli was missing from the grid after he injured his shoulder, hand and knee in a crash in the first race.

This meant all the bikes shuffled up one place, giving Eugene Laverty his first front row start.

At the light it was the BMW Motorrad Motorsport machine of Leon Haslam that got the jump, leading the field through the first corner, while Biaggi's Alitalia Aprila got swallowed up in the melee, and the reighning champion found himself stuck down in seventh.

Within half a lap Checa's Althea Racing Ducati was hassling Haslam and was quickly past, leading the pack across the line at the end of the lap.

Although Haslam came back at him a lap later, Checa quickly stole it back and then shot off into the distance where he wouldn't be troubled again, leaving the hard work to the gaggle behind him.

By the fifth lap the battle for second was starting to rage. Haslam was holding the spot but had Biaggi, Melandri, Troy Corser, Eugene Laverty and Michel Fabrizio lined up behind him.

Places changed each lap as the six battled for supremacy, and eventually Melandri and Biaggi managed to pull away from the drama behind.

On Lap 10 the factory Yamaha of Laverty ran off the track, rejoining back in 18th, leaving Haslam scrapping with a flying Noriyuki Haga and Fabrizio.

This was also to be the turning point of the race, as the pack suddenly spread out. With Checa off ahead and Biaggi and Melandri enjoying their own raging battle, the battle for fourth was between four riders with Haslam in command of the group.

Biaggi and Melandri took their battle royale all the way to the flag, the reigning champ eventually emerging on top as he managed to keep his countryman behind him as the pair crossed the line.

And despite holding fourth for most of the race, Haslam was knocked down to fifth in the final lap when Jonathan Rea - on a late charge with his Castrol Honda - stormed past to take the spot.

Fellow Brit Leon Camier also had a late surge, as he dispersed with both Noriyuki Haga and Fabrizio on the final lap to finish sixth. Laverty crossed the line 15th.

Checa leaves Australia leading the championship on 50 points with Biaggi second on 40, Melandri and Haslam tied on 27 and Fabrizio fifth on 18.

World Superbike Championship Phillip Island Race Two Result:

1. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 34'15.041
2. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34'16.229
3. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 34'16.447
4. Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 34'25.604
5. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 34'25.926
6. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34'31.955
7. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34'32.599
8. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 34'32.720
9. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34'33.111
10. Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 34'34.094
11. Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 34'34.101
12. Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34'38.812
13. Joshua Waters (Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team) Suzuki GSX-R1000 34'38.997
14. James Toseland (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 34'43.754
15. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 34'47.714
16. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34'48.267
17. Bryan Staring (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34'57.639
18. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 35'06.860
19. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 35'10.779
RT. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 22'06.675
RT. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 1'32.012