Can Clarke lead Australia to No.1 ranking in Tests?
Columnist By Kersi Meher-Homji, 22 Aug 2012 Kersi Meher-Homji is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- Cricket, Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting
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By defeating England at Lord’s on Monday, South Africa has reached the top ranking in Test cricket and Australia has slipped from no.2 to no.3 behind England.
Will Australia reach the top by 2012 end? Beating South Africa in Australia this November – December will go a long way to winning back the ranking.
Will Michael Clarke lead the lackluster Aussies back to the days when they were almost invincible from 1995 to 2007 under Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting?
Since taking over from Ponting in 2011, Clarke has won nine out of 15 Tests captained, losing three, with three drawn.
He became the 43rd player to captain Australia in Tests, replacing an injured Ponting in the final Ashes Test in Sydney in January 2011.
Australia lost the Test by an innings.
A terrible start, but by the time he was handed the captaincy Australia had already lost the Ashes. Subsequently, his report card as the Aussie leader in Tests reads well: ranging from A- to B+.
Under him Australia beat Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka 1-0 with two Tests drawn, drew an exciting series in South Africa 1-all and subsequently drew with New Zealand 1-all in Australia.
Then he reached his peak as both captain and batsman against the then highly ranked India, whitewashing them 4-0 in 2011-12 and amassing 626 runs at 125.20, climaxing with an unbeaten and stupendous 329 in the second Test in Sydney.
He kept up the good work in the West Indies winning the 3-Test series 2-0. Thus Australia has not lost a series under him, ignoring the final Ashes Test in 2011 when he was only a replacement skipper.
Clarke’s nine wins in 15 Tests so far works out at a victory rate of 60 percent. How does that compare with other Australian skippers since 1950s?
Steve Waugh leads with 72% (41 wins out of 57 captained), Ponting 62% (48 /77), Clarke 60%, Mark Taylor 52% (26/50), Ian Chappell 50% (15/30), Greg Chappell 44% (21/48), Richie Benaud 43% (12/28), Bill Lawry 36% (9/25), Allan Border 34% (32/93), Bob Simpson 31% (12/39) and Kim Hughes way down at 14% (4/28).
Both Benaud and Border were involved in a tied Test each.
Ponting has won the most number of Tests, 48, in Test history and till last week Border had captained most Tests, 93. Now South Africa’s Graeme Smith has taken over with 94 Tests captained.
After the recent victory over England at Lord’s, he has won 44 Tests, a win percent of 47%.
Steve Waugh’s win percentage of 72 is the highest in Test annals among those who have captained more than 25 Tests.
Now zooming on to Clarke: How will Australia under him go in months to come starting with the one-day series against Pakistan in UAE in August-September, then in the home Test series against strong opponents South Africa and Sri Lanka and more importantly in the Ashes in England?
The Australian team looks in disarray with no batsman dominating, fast bowlers struggling and a spinner of Test class almost non-existent. Too many bronze medalists but hardly a gold medalist in sight.
Australia was in a similar position when Border had taken over as leader and converted a losing team into winners.
Now let’s look at the contenders for 2012-13:
Opening batsmen David Warner, Shane Watson and wicket-keeper Matthew Wade have been inconsistent.
Will Ponting continue or retire like the other two Indian greats Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman? Same question for Michael Hussey. But no new batsmen of the caliber of Ponting and Hussey are knocking on the door.
It is a do-or-die season for quickie Mitchell Johnson. If he does not fire in the UAE in the one-day series against Pakistan in August-September, the selectors will have to fire him.
Australia’s hopes are on two young fast bowlers James Pattinson and Pat Cummins but they break down too often.
Tough times ahead for captain Clarke.
What do you think, Roarers? Can he retain the top ranking for Australia?
Kersi is an author of 13 cricket books including The Waugh Twins, Cricket's Great All-rounders,Six Appeal and Nervous Nineties. He writes regularly for Inside Cricket and other publications. He has recently finished his new book on Cricket's Conflicts and Controversies, with a foreword by Greg Chappell.
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- Cricket, Michael Clarke, Ricky Ponting
August 22nd 2012 @ 8:35am
Rusty said | August 22nd 2012 @ 8:35am | Report comment
I think you meant reclaim the top rankings but anyways .. I think it all depends on what state the Proteas are in when they visit these shores. At the moment they have poise and balance throughout the team with perhaps the only weak links being Rudolph, AB as wicket keeper and the improving Tahir. Should they bring a specialist gloveman into the ranks to free up AB and then things could be very interesting.
As a comparitive :
Top 10 Batsmen in Tests: SA have 4: no2 Amla, no4 Kallis, n05 de Villiers, no7 Smith vs Oz have 1: no6 Clarke
Top 10 Bowler in Tests: SA have 3: no1 Steyn, no2 Philander, no9 Morkel vs Oz have 2: no 6 Hilfenhaus, no7 Siddle
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:40am
sheek said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:40am | Report comment
Hi Kersi,
I don’t mind admitting I was against Clarke becoming test captain – I thought he was too much of a flaky, party-boy personality.
But he has proved me wrong, & I’m quite happy for him to prove me wrong. His change of woman in his life also showed his cleverness in finding a better mate.
As a captain, he has shown courage & innovation. He is not afraid to try new or different things in the pursuit of victory. He apparently consults his players & works with them. Consequently, they are very willing to follow him.
Yes, I think eventually Clarke will lead Australia back to number one. He will also hope his brigade of young fast guns can hold their bodies together better, as they get older.
August 22nd 2012 @ 9:57am
josh said | August 22nd 2012 @ 9:57am | Report comment
We can be number one, with an investment in youth. That means we do not pick Haddin this summer or M.Johnson.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:02am
Rabbitz said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:02am | Report comment
Hi Kersi,
It was a real pleasure to meet you on Saturday.
Like sheek, I was against Clarke being given the captaincy. He has gone a long way to change my mind, but he still has some way to go.
The problem for Clarke, as I see it anyway, is the poor selections, and then the erratic form of the players picked. You mentioned Johnson – He is a prime example. The T20 attitude carried onto the pitch in test matches is also a contributing factor for the erratic form.
Unless selection policies change and some test players (that is players who understand that it is a 5 day grind) can be found, I suggest Australia will struggle to regain the No.1 slot.
If it can be done, Clarke has as good a chance as anyone.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:11am
jameswm said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:11am | Report comment
I think we can win the series v SA if we sort out our top order. I don’t think Warner-Cowan -Watson is the right option though. Khawaja for starters is a better bat than Cowan, and Watto should be in the middle order.
I’m not saying Khawaja should be in the team (though they should consider him as an opener to partner Warner), but it shows how no one is standing out.
I don’t know either if thee’s time before the test series starts for 3-4 Shield games, and for those knocking on the door to stand out.
Really I think if any of the following have a strong start to the summer they should be in, with Cowan, Ponting and Hussey’s spots under threat:
Khawaja
Cowan – his spot is (or should be) far from secure
Davis
Burns
Forrest
Cooper
even Hughes, though he couldn’t really partner Warner
I have faith in our fast bowlers, middle order and (assuming it’s Wade, Paine or Nevill) our keeper.
August 22nd 2012 @ 10:38am
Pope Paul VII said | August 22nd 2012 @ 10:38am | Report comment
Well KMH it’s all about strong team culture according to Clarkey’s article penned by the ever helpful Dan Brettig on cricinfo.
Nevermind about Steyn, Philander, Morkel, De Lange. By rights SA should clean up but it’s a funny old game.
Smith is less solid and Kallis is right old. And they have a part time keeper who is more valuable as a full time batsman.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:11am
Rellum said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:11am | Report comment
I can’t see us challenging for the top spot with out current batting line up. The batting is the weakest I have ever seen it, but our bowling has some potential, so we can beat teams, but I don’t think we can do it consistently and wont for a good few years.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:14am
Ryan O'Connell said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:14am | Report comment
Hi Kersi,
It was an honour to meet you on Saturday. It was a great event.
I’ll be the first to admit that I wasn’t 100% sure Clarke was the right selection when he was named Australian captain, but I think he’s done a fantastic job. The journey back to number one won’t be easy, but I think Australia at least has the right man at the helm.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:47am
Kersi Meher-Homji said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:47am | Report comment
Rabbitz and Ryan,
It was great meeting you and other Roarers too last Saturday. It was a memorable get-together.
All I can say about Clarkey is that he has started pronmisingly. As Sheek says he has shown courage and innovation.
But it’s upto the team, really. As the great Bill O’Reilly used to say: My dog can lead a team to success, if the team is strong and plays well.
Ponting was not a good captain but he had inherited a terrific team. If you have Warne, McGrath, Lee, Gilchrist and Hayden at their best, you don’t need an astute leader.
August 22nd 2012 @ 11:52am
Christo the Daddyo said | August 22nd 2012 @ 11:52am | Report comment
I have no doubts about his captaincy – he’s done more than enough to prove that he has the tactical nous and the leadership qualities necessary. But does he have the cattle?
It’s interesting to consider your comparison with Allan Border – it took Border quite some time to start the process of rebuilding. Will Clarke be afforded the same lattitude?