Michael Clarke ignored a golden opportunity yesterday to show he’s worthy of the second most important job in the country by not saluting Supermum Sarah Elliott on her maiden Test ton in the women’s Ashes series.
He should have called a media conference to publicly pay tribute to Sarah, who fed her baby son Sam in the intervals on her way to three figures.
What a magnificent success story after the abysmal performance of the men at Chester-le-Street.
That Test finished in four days, and the next game, a two-dayer at Northampton, doesn’t start until Saturday.
Clarke could have gone a major step further than the salute, by telling his troops to “pack up, we’re heading to Wormsley in Buckinghamshire to support the women.”
The PR and goodwill generated by the double gesture would have been priceless.
The negative nay-sayers would bleat the men should stay in the nets and keep practicing. The proof is in the pudding: nets haven’t kept the baggy greens in the series, down three-zip with one to go.
So instead of moping around the team hotel feeling sorry for themselves, and hopefully ashamed of how they folded at Chester-le-Street, a trip from the north of England to the outskirts of Greater London would have been far more meaningful.
And the women’s team would be chuffed that the baggy greens thought that much of them as to break with tradition.
Sadly, few others give a damn about Australia’s women cricketers, except the brilliant all-rounder Elyse Perry, a dual international with football as well.
In fact, most Australians don’t give a damn about women’s sport in general, and I’ve always found that galling.
The swimmers are an exception, so too golfer Karrie Webb during her stellar career, and to a lesser extent tennis player Sam Stosur, who either wins tournaments or is beaten in the early rounds but still gets media coverage nonetheless.
Hurdler Sally Pearson, a World and Olympic champion, finds it hard to get sponsors – and she is a superb athlete with a bulging CV.
But in the main, women’s sport in buried near the comics or in the details pages.
So full marks to yesterday’s Daily Telegraph for featuring Sarah Elliott on the top of the front page, spilling into page two.
The icing on the cake would have been Michael Clarke taking time out to salute Sarah, at 31 the oldest member of the team.
And for the team to show up at Wormsley in support to show they don’t always just think of themselves … a golden opportunity lost.
JimmyB
Guest
Haha, the things we do for love ay.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I will admit that I once played a game of mixed netball to try to win the favour of a lovely lady. My background as a bang-and-crash ruckman in AFL was incongruous with the physical subtleties of netball. She was aghast and I was cast adrift.
JimmyB
Guest
I'm not taking the p*ss honestly but, do men actually play netball?
Oscar Oldskool
Guest
Women's golf, women's cricket and women's football or rugby or soccer,..... let's not pretend that we don't understand why they don't attract big crowds. Men's netball, men's softball and men's badminton also battle to draw much of a crowd beyond family and loyal friends. The point is Clarke should have saluted Sarah Elliott on her maiden test ton......and if she called him back he could have gotten some advice on how to have a successful relationship. Despite rumours that sports like women's hockey and cricket tend to bat for the other side(and there is nothing whatsoever with that), Sarah is a great example to show that's not always the case. Maybe Clarke's future wife is currently playing for the Australian cricket team and then Clarkey would never have an excuse for leaving victory celebrations early......but that may be a while away?
Blaze
Guest
Probably right, doesn't mean Clarke has to be singled out once again tho... What about boof making them go to see how to bat longer?
Reginald Munday
Guest
How would that redeem him?
aelgates
Guest
They had a good time at the England v Scotland friendly soccer game at Wembley last night by all accounts! Why bother going to a dodgy ground on the outskirts of London to support country(wo)men when you can get a VIP access all areas pass to....a mega-ground on the outskirts of London to watch soccer?!?!?! Poor form from the boys to skip the girls' game!
SuperEel22
Roar Guru
I'm sorry, did you want the Men's team to have some good PR or work on winning the final Test? I support women's sport and have been following the Southern Stars' match. However, after the debacle at Durham I think the most important thing for the men to do would be to begin concentrating on winning the next match. The team has a lot on their plate at the moment and a lot of pressure. Perhaps Clarke offered congratulations to her in private? I think it's unfair to lob this on Clarke when he's just lost his first Ashes series as captain and right now is having to offer up reasons why they lost and how they're going to rectify their issues before the final Test and the Australian summer.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Absolutely Ian. Too rich for me as well. Give the bloke a break.
Ian
Roar Pro
Whilst our women surely deserve more recognition, to load this onto Clarke who has handled himself impeccably in difficult circumstances, is a bit rich
Little Bob
Guest
Would it be unfair to suggest that you've probably missed a rather good opportunity to write an article talking about the womens test rather than one about Michael Clarke not talking about the women's test?
Mitcher
Guest
Lord glosses over women's cricket achievement by opting for cheap shot at Clarke
James
Guest
if he had said something he would have been attacked for taking the focus off the ladies and piggybacking off their competitiveness. someone else somewhere would have written an article about that.
Robz
Guest
Agree with you David. Clarke himself said in his press conference the other day that he is sick of having to say the same things every time he fronts the media - this was an opportunity to say something different. Unfortunately as pointed out earlier the mens and womens programs have very little to do with each other. When the Jillaroos (Womens RL team) recently played their world cup a number of NRL players went to some of the pre-departure training camp and to see them off at the airport and were tweeting about the girls results throughout the tournament. I was pretty proud of the support the boys showed for them.
Australian Rules
Guest
Agree with you here David. Not merely an opportunity lost...but attending the women's match was the decent thing to do.
SandBox
Roar Guru
another Gen Y fail
Allan
Guest
David I encourage you to have a look at the Western Sydney Wanderers, not only do the fans turn out on en masse to support the W League team they also put the rest of Australia to shame in the way they support the Powerchair Football team.
Michael
Guest
David you are beginning to be just as irrelevant as Kevin Sheedy is now.
Jayvan Collins
Roar Pro
PErsonally I think the media in general have missed an amazing opportunity to support women's sport. You say Clarke missed the ball, yet, I haven't seen any articles about the women's test match on this site. Except this one... which doesn't come from a congratulatory stand point, it comes from a facetious attack on Clarke. Pot, kettle, black.
Freddy of Bondi
Guest
Haha...touche! Clutching at straws David. Where does it stop...maybe Clarke should have used the opportunity to congratulate my nephews U14 winter cricket grand final win on the weekend! He is the Captain of the Australian cricket team...personally I rather him front the media a day after that batting debacle and explain to the media what went wrong, and how its going to be fixed. I couldnt care less if he didnt even know they were playing - its not his job to worry about anyone else! Get a grip you weirdos! PS-good luck to the Southern Stars! I like every other Australian want to see them do well, but I will not blame Clarke for not publicly congratualting them everytime they draw a match.