In 2011, Michael Clarke made one of the most superb hundreds you will ever witness at Cape Town, while the rest of his teammates struggled to hit the ball.
Three years later, he returned, making one of the grittiest hundreds anyone will ever see.
The innings was nothing like the Michael Clarke of old. It reflected none of the class or elegance that the Australian captain usually posses. The innings was ugly, it was hard-fought and it was gutsy.
Coming into the match, Clarke was under extreme scrutiny after failing to score a hundred since his first innings heroics at the Adelaide Oval.
Facing up to the likes of Morne Morkel and his 150 km/h lightning bolts would be no easy task, and it soon started to look that way.
Body blows were taken, and many fans would have been reminded of Brian Close and his innings against the likes of Michael Holding and co.
Shots to the helmet and unprotected forearm grounded the Australian skipper, but he batted on.
Clarke has had many career defining innings, but this one would surely be his most memorable.
Often criticised throughout his early career of being a ‘flat-track bully’, scoring runs when the opposition’s already on its knees, Clarke played a Chris Rogers-like innings of working hard for his runs, and taking many blows upon his body for his nation.
He is now among the elite of the greatest Australian batsmen to ever wear the baggy green. The courage that he has showed has now proven that he is a symbol of Australian cricket.
The determination and fight showed by Clarke is reminiscent of the bravery shown by previous captains such as Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
His innings now sets up the whole Test match for his bowlers, and a Test series win.
His team is full of potential. The combination of Warner and Rogers is working well, Doolan has immense potential and Smith shows that he can bat a class above the rest.
Clarke’s innings proves he is now a symbol of Australian cricket, and should make his teammates and his whole nation proud to be an Australian.
With the talents of Australian cricket starting to shine through, and though Clarke’s leadership, the number one Test ranking can surely not be too far away.
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
I am sure that once the battle between Morne Morkel and Michael Clarke begins once more the South African stands will be packed, as well as the many other battles that these two fierce nations are producing.
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
You must look at the way Clarke played. It wasn't that he cashed in, but that he just kept standing in the way of 150 km/h thunderbolts at his head. He fought through the tough times and worked hard to manage to be able to score heavily afterwards.
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
It was one of the gutsiest innings to ever have been played. Watch it on replay or YouTube whenever you can find the time, just a quality knock!
Dylan Carmody
Roar Guru
The way Clarke is batting, he is getting close to rivaling the great Ricky Ponting.
Bluebag
Guest
Waughs and Blewett in the Windies
up in the north
Guest
I'm filthy that I missed it. Sounds as though it was one of those sporting moments we will talk about for ages. Great stuff, I just hope it wont go to a draw, that'd be a damn shame.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Great ton Clarke. Everyone said he could step up this test and he has backed us that faith with a sublime innings.
Adam Julian
Roar Guru
11 innings without making over 25 and 25 balls on 99, it was a top effort. What about the best backs to the wall efforts by Australian's. Here are some I can think of. Stan McCabe 187 during the Bodyline series. Mark Taylor 129 v England in 1997. Although Australia lost the game, Taylor hadn't passed 50 in 21 innings and went onto to prolong his career after this knock, averaging nearly 53 in his last 35 innings. Taylor made 334 not out against Pakistan in 1998. Steve Waugh 108 and 116 in the same Ashes series in the Manchester game. On a green top Waugh was the only batter to make a century in the game as Australia leveled the series and went onto win it. What about his 102 v England in Sydney or the 200 in the West Indies in 1995 as well. On the subject of the West Indies, Kim Hughes 100 in Melbourne in 1981 or Alan Border's double of 98 and 100 not out in 1983-84 was outstanding. Bradman made 270 in the Third test of the Ashes in 1936 when Australia was 2-0 down. They came back to win the series 3-2. In 1934 he made 244 in the 5th and deciding test of the series after being sick for a month and at one stage going a record 13 innings without a century on tour. Rick McCosker's 25 after breaking his jaw in the 1977 Centenary test was a classic display of guts to!
casper
Guest
Must say, never really been able to buy into the Clarke fan club, but that was a good innings. Bowler down or not, they threw a lot at him & he stuck around. Others may have turned it up so give credit where its due. He's getting on now, in that age bracket where reflexes start to wane & that might give an indication why he got hit so much. You set the bar pretty high Tony3012, who's worthy in your book? Old footage indicated Bradman took evasive action against bodyline while Woodfull wore it on the body - does that mean you'd denigrate the Don? Clarke is a better 5 than 4 so I have no issue with that, but this time Marsh got dropped so 4 was the best fit with Watson back. You're a hard marker & a double 100 will probably not please you.
David Baker
Roar Pro
Newlands was sold out for Day 1 and 2. I was there. Our test attendances are sad but one should be careful about the conclusions one draws. I have heard people spouting forth economic arguments why it is so. Those are nonsense. A Test cricket ticket is cheaper than a Super rugby match ticket. Our rugby stadiums pack in the crowds yet cricket struggles. It doesn't say anything about the knowledge of the supporters. It says a lot about e level of support.
Johnno
Guest
Kim Hughe's 80's, MCG vs windies on hostile ptich.
Johnno
Guest
Bob Simpson
Tony3012
Guest
So let me see if I have this right. After hiding himself back down at number 5 for 2 tests, behind 2 'newbies' no less, our esteemed skipper finally sees the light and comes in where he should at 4. Then South Africa's best bowler breaks down and he cashes in by making a hundred. And everyone goes into raptures calling it the best hundred ever. Please spare me -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Robz
Guest
His back issues may have something to do with him not being able to comfortably get out of the way
JB
Guest
Agreed Chris massive respect for Clarke and Morkel what a great battle, I have not seen many batsmen get themselves out of a hole that deep. The mental application displayed by Clarke was immense and made me incredibly proud to be an aussie, it had shades of Waugh Border Ponting, a genuine grit to his game that I didn't think existed. My estimation of Clarke has gone even higher and I was a chronic armchair critic of his for a long time. Clarke has made me eat that much humble pie the last 3 years that I'm a shoe in for diabetes!
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Batsmen go through periods where they struggle for form. In those situations the feet are often not moving well and they aren't picking the ball up as well and able to make the best decisions. In form Clarke would have picked up the ball quickly and played the pull shot, but he clearly decided that he would rather wear a few than risk getting out playing the pull shot if he wasn't sure he was going to be able to play it that well. Also, Morkel seemed to grow an extra leg against Clarke. He bowled very few balls to him that weren't in the 147-150km/h range, while then Warner would get on strike and often get balls in the low 140s. It's amazing how sometimes when you just aren't quite right in an area and a bowler wants to target that he'll just have that much more effort when he bowls to you. I think there was also an inconsistency of bounce there, some bouncing more, others not getting up as much, which caused a lot of the problem in trying to just stand and play. I wouldn't be worried at this point.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It's not the test schedule that stops 5-test series, it's the fact that both nations have their cricket seasons at the same time and both want to be playing at home around Boxing Day / New Years day. So playing a 5-test series would require the away team to sacrifice test cricket at the traditional core dates in their summer, or for the series to either be extremely early or late in the season which would then lead to it being a very long summer of test cricket, as you'd have to have to play someone else in tests during the core part of the summer as well, so you'd be talking about an 8 test summer where most of those tests are actually in Spring or Autumn.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Yeah, in 2011 he scored 150+ out of a team total around 280.
Pclifto
Guest
It was brilliant, amazing to watch and full credit to his guts. However... and please take this as an open question to the forum rather than a criticism or pot-shot... should we be concerned by how Clarke was so utterly at sea during those few overs of short-pitched Morkel? Was it just that he's been a bit rusty and unsure of himself recently? When in his regular form he would have dealt with that spell much more comfortably. Or is it a technique issue? He looked like a tail-ender at times, not able to put bat on ball and copping it on the body rather than hitting it or swaying out of the way. Thoughts?
Pedro the Maroon
Guest
Border vs the West Indies in the mid-80s. Dean Jones vomiting comes to mind.