- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Michael Clarke has finally emerged as a suitable captain of the Australian cricket team. Rather than a St Paul epiphany, his transformation has been in development for a while, and is not yet complete.
After the disastrous Ashes series of 2010 saw Ricky Ponting step down, the first on-field signs of a metamorphosis were in Sri Lanka, where Clarke scored runs as captain. It was a mixed bag of high and low scores in the context of an equally schizophrenic team: 23, 60,13, 6, 112 against Sri Lanka; then 151,2, 11, 2 against South Africa; 139, 22, 0 against New Zealand; and 31, 1 and 329 so far against India.
Several wonderful batsmen have failed to cope with the captaincy and their responsibilities as a batsman. Just ask Sir Ian Botham, Sachin Tendulkar and David Gower.
His 329 not out was exceptional for several reasons. Such an innings takes enormous powers of concentration, peak physical fitness and the ability to fight through difficult patches and after breaks.
Most impressive was that Clarke employed the proven basics of batting. He selected the bad ball to hit and then hit it along the ground. He was more judicious in his shot selection on and outside off stump. Long may it continue.
India was lack lustre in the field, with Kohli being the exception, uninspired as bowlers and lacking any real leadership. This does not reduce the Clarke innings.
As a captain, his bowlers have bowled cleverly. Again, they have been providers of a line outside off stump combined with a fuller length, more bounce, and deliveries that are hitting the top of off stump.
Off the field, the word is that Clarke has split with his manager, Chris White, and moved to James Erskine at Sports Entertainment Limited. If true, hopefully this will see improved sponsorship selection and less public talk by Clarke of personal brands. We all know that they exist. We just don’t want the Australian cricket captain to remind us with naff underwear advertisements and underperforming telco companies.
Now is not the time to get carried away. This same Australian cricket team capitulated to New Zealand less than a month ago. Rather, the lesson that on-field performance is the best response to critics should be absorbed tomorrow and throughout the remainder of the 2012 summer.
Nor can Cricket Australia rest on recent results. The board is still in denial, as evidenced by its response to the Argus Report. The players are being stretched across three forms of the game. Ticket prices are too high. The selection of fast food sponsors is out of step with society. The jury is out on Pat Howard and the invisible chairman of selectors, John Invararity.
The Australian team also still has several fundamental flaws. They do not have the indomitable spirit required to return to the top of the world rankings. The batting is fragile. Brad Haddin is dropping too many catches and being dismissed to wayward shots. Nathan Lyon does not possess the full package required of a Test spin bowler. He is having to develop the basics of his craft in the spotlight of the Test arena.
The batting, both top and middle orders, are fragile and unsettled. The top three are unproven and Khawaja needs to return to Test cricket. Replacements need to be found for both Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey in the next six months so that the incoming players can settle before the Ashes tour in July 2013.
Three fast bowlers and a spinner are not enough to dismiss good teams twice in a game.
My 2013 Ashes team would be:
1. Cowan
2. Another opener (Katich if no one steps up)
3. Clarke
4. Watson
5. Khawaja
6. Warner
7. Another keeper
8. Hilfenhaus (for his swing bowling)
9. Cummins
10. Pattinson
11. Hauritz
The backups would be:
Rogers, Marsh, and one other for the top three.
Christian for Watson.
Siddle, Copeland, Harris, Starc for the quickies.
Lyon for Hauritz.
Whatever the side looks like, managing the transition and rebuiulding that killer instinct will be the challenge.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.