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“I’ve said it a million times, and I’ll say it again. It’s all about respect, about continuing to earn the public’s respect. That’s all I ever wanted. People are going to dislike me, that’s life. That’s the way it is.”
“But the most important thing for me, especially as Australian captain, you want your fans to respect you. So that’s all I ever ask for”.
Ask no more, Michael Clarke, yesterday was the turning point of your life.
To butcher what the then Prime Minister Bob Hawke really said in 1983 after Australia won the Americas Cup: “Anyone who doesn’t respect you now is a bum.”
Clarke started day three of the second Test against India on 251 on Jane McGrath Day, the SCG a sea of pink in support of breast cancer.
In front of him was Brian Lara’s 277 and Reg Foster’s 287 as the highest scores in 100 Test matches at the famous ground.
Not only did Clarke sweep past both, but he was effortlessly strokemaking himself towards bigger fish to fry on the world stage: Don Bradman and Mark Taylor’s 334, Matt Hayden’s 380, and Lara’s world record 400.
It only seemed a matter of time, but that’s where the selfless Michael Clarke stood tall.
Once Mike Hussey reached 150, Clarke called halt on 329 not out with Australia leading by a mammoth 468, leaving one-and-a-half sessions of the day, and two full days to force the win.
The skipper put his team first.
For those who had trouble warming to the 30 year-old, and I was one of them, the unbeaten 329 turned up the heat.
The declaration, with so many personal milestones and ambitions well within reach, clinched the deal.
Even though Clarke earns millions of bucks every year, he can’t buy respect. He has to earn it. Michael Clarke has earned it. Big time.
It was an unforgettable red-letter day for him yesterday in that sea of pink. It would also be churlish if there were any bums left.