Australia’s newest cricket captain Michael Clarke has both the bat and the brain for the job, according to state and international teammate Nathan Bracken.
Clarke will briefly take over the helm of the Australian side on Tuesday, when they take on New Zealand in a Twenty20 appetiser in Perth ahead of the Chappell-Hadlee one-day series.
But while Clarke is just 26-years-old, and has a batting average of 12 in his 11 Twenty20 internationals to date, Bracken said his elevation to lead an Australian team for the first time was an exciting development.
“It will be interesting, he will add something fresh to the side … (particularly) if he keeps bringing everything he has brought in the last two or three years of international cricket,” Bracken said.
“He is going to be good, exciting … and his performances have shown he is good enough at this level, and he has got the brain to do it.
“He is always happy to help out, give advice and give his opinion on things, and gives us something else.
“(On Tuesday) it is about him getting it out there.”
With captain Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden sitting out the trip west, Ashley Noffke, Brad Hodge and WA captain Adam Voges will add a different flavour to the Australian squad.
Bracken said although Tuesday night was not the biggest game of the summer, it could be vitally important for those coming in.
“In the last 12 to 18 months every guy who has played for Australia has wanted to take the opportunity as best they can and put their hand up,” Bracken said.
“For these guys such as Ashley Noffke and Brad Hodge it is an opportunity to put their hand up again and show … they are good enough to be the next in line.”
And Bracken said while the upcoming Test series with India is undoubtedly the main dish of the summer, he said the Australians were solely concentrated on the Kiwis for starters.
“For us it is about this Twenty20, and then the Chappell-Hadlee – at the moment we don’t have that trophy and it is something we want,” Bracken said.
“We are out there to play well. Getting the basics right (on Tuesday), and then we can adapt that and take it into one day cricket.
“You can get a bit of a guide (for the summer), but it is not going to be the be all and end all.”
And the 30-year-old Bracken, who boasts an outstanding bowling average of under 20 in the Twenty20 internationals, admitted the rivalry with the Kiwis ranked as highly as clashes with England.
“We just want it (the trophy) back at the moment, that is our main goal. What happens about the Chappell-Hadlee is not our call,” Bracken said.
“We do as your told, as I guess everyone does as an organisation.
“You look at England and then New Zealand, and whether it is every year or whenever it is … having a trophy makes it a bigger and better tournament.”
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