Michael Clarke. As much as we love you mate, your time in the ODI team has expired.
You are a brilliant Test cricketer. You’re also a bloody good captain. Watching the complete highlights of the Ashes series remind me of that fact. In you, we have a leader with the bat and a very smart cricket brain. Keep up the good work.
When it comes to One Day Internationals though Clarkey, I am afraid that your time is up. You would have made an unreal ODI player in the 1980s and ’90s. You might have even made Mark Waugh look slow. But these days, there are simply too many quality players knocking on the door that offer that bit extra to the team.
I know Clarkey. That damn T20 has gone and ruined things again. It’s the aggressive nature of T20 cricket that has demanded a greater strike rate, as a 280 score in ODIs these days isn’t a big one, it’s a par.
I remember as a kid thinking ‘holy crap’ when Andrew Symonds and company would put the clobber on at the end of a match to scrape the team past the 300 mark. These days, it’s a formality for a good score, not a great one.
Clarke’s ODI strike rate, at 78, mimics his List A average as well. Unfortunately it’s just a little too low these days. A quick investigation reveals it’s the lowest of the current playing team by some way, with the average being over 90.
I also subscribe to the idea of Clarke being preserved as a Test Cricket player. Mate, we want you to be a part of belting the Poms for a few more Ashes series yet. With the back issues and other niggles constantly playing a part, why would you add more pressure to the body for a few pyjama matches?
In George Bailey, we’ve found a great leader of men in the shorter form of the game. I’ve always been impressed with his humility, humour, conservative confidence and leadership with the bat. An average of 52 with a strike rate of 92 is testament to that.
We’re also sitting pretty as the number one team in the world. A spot that is fiercely competitive right now, such is the talent that all teams are blessed with.
On that note Clarkey, it’s time to hang up the ODI gloves. Let some of the younger boys have a run. Preserve yourself for the greatest format of all. We won’t forget you as a talented ODI player, a solid batsman who builds a steady innings, a handy part-time spinner and incredible fielder.
You’ve earned that place in history. But now, it’s time to retire with style and move on.
Armchair Expert
Guest
Yes Lewie, there were plenty of clues as to what you are saying in Ponting's recent book and it will probably all "come to a head" if Australia loses the next test series or 2 under him, the hypocrisy of Clarke speaking out against selections would certainly be bemusing some current and former players.
The Bush
Roar Guru
Well go on, share a little, can't just make these comments and then not back it up. Even if this was true, we don't have the talent to leave him out as a batsman. He's been our only world class bat since Hussey retired.
sdep0-[=
Guest
Wow that is an interesting comment if true. Always had my doubts about Clarke but he captained brilliantly in the last Ashes. Interesting that Bailey returns to captaincy and things look solid after the Zim debacle under Clarke. Can't read much into that, but the question has to be asked. Why did we perform so dismally? Did Clarke do a hammy or was it more serious than that?i.e. a major rift between coach and captain and an unsettled team. Publicly slamming the selectors indicates there is something not right behind the scenes.
deccas
Guest
where do you play golf?
LewieC
Guest
Remove him all together, he's THE cancer in Australian Cricket. I play golf weekly with current and former members of the test 11, the stories they tell of him would astound you.
jammel
Guest
I think we definitely need Clarke! Ridiculous to call for him to be dropped. Without the likes of Clarke, Smith and Haddin in the ODI XI, we mightn't even be able to bat out the 50 overs…..
Armchair Expert
Guest
It won't happen, especially with the World Cup next year, but I think it would extend Clarke's test career by a year or so if he retired from ODIs now, by playing both, his back and hamstring issues may, dare I say it, render him virtually lame before the world cup, especially with all the tours coming up.
jack thomas
Guest
With clarke as captain/player, world cup is just a Oz dream. A dream which will never be true. You talked about ashes. Ashes was a Johnson's show. Aus would have won if haddin/bailey captained. I give zero credit to clarke. Infact he is -ve/disruptive/divisive/bad captain. I've said this before too "Not a leader by any means". To me, he's nothing but a joke, Just in this series i can point 2 bad things about him 1. Before this series, he said "I think new players see it as an opportunity to ..... make it hard for the players that aren't on this tour to get back into the team. That's how I'd like them to see it" 2.After losing against Zimbabwe, he puts the blame on smith's omission. As if this team isn't good enough to win against Zim without smith I never argue. So, Don't bother to reply. Wait till March'15 to see the result. But I guarantee that, after WC loss, he'll put blame on someone. Coz thats the only thing he's does.
Shahir
Guest
Well said. I appreciate that!
Shahir
Guest
suck it up haters.... Clarks is the best player of spin at the moment. Look at the conditions of that pitch and a pitch which favours the spinners and if Clarke wasn't there Australia would have lost a many a mile. only thing he needs to consider is take care of his health, he could have return to the track after becoming fully fit. Now to make matters worse, he is racing to be fully fit to the upcoming series!
Timmuh
Roar Guru
You mean after the World Cup? Its the best way to extend his long form career, so yeah, I'll agree then.
ozinsa
Guest
Haven't sold me I'm afraid. Without his test class yesterday we would have lost by lunch time. We need either he and Smith or both in the side to accommodate the possibility of actually playing cricket on a pitch (rather than a road, when there are dozens of options to score at >6 per over).
Dog's Breakfast
Guest
I agree that Bailey is a good enough captain to take the ODI side forward. Clarke may have injected some of his personality into the game when he came back out onto the field last night, but his tactics/fields did not differ from Bailey's. Clarke is a key man in any team he plays for, but his injuries, the game-to-game uncertainty on his ability to play, must have a destabilising effect on the team. If this tournament is any example, Clarke has to decide beforehand whether his body is up to the challenge of playing in the World Cup. Questions I have from last night's game: 1. The opposition aside, why did Clarke win the toss and bat? He basically gave Zimbabwe their only chance to win. Invite their weak top order to make the running and set a score and they probably wouldn't have made 200. Then scoreboard pressure would have been on the Zimbabwe spinners on what, as we have seen in most matches so far, is a cracking chasing pitch. 2. What is it with our batsmen and their inability to play spin? One area I expected more of Bailey last night. He got a pretty good ball but he should have been able to keep it out. He played the Indian spinners so well last year. Finch and Hughes: not sure what they can do there. Was thinking Maxwell for the UAE. Now certainly not. Marsh will (hopefully) learn. 3. How concerning is it that our bowling can't exert pressure? The so-called experts were calling 210 a competitive total on that wicket. I have to think that if SA were bowling it may have been. It's fine to say we want to play an attacking brand of cricket and blow teams off the park etc. But sometimes conditions don't allow that. There is such a thing as drying up the scoring to induce wickets. Can't have both Starc and Johnson in the team -- only need one potential match-winner who can go for plenty/lack penetration if he doesn't get it right.
brian zhang
Roar Rookie
I'm sorry mate but you could not be any more wrong. Michael Clarke has been one of our best odi players over the last decade and his stats back it up. Clarke has just over 7700 runs at an average of 45. That is a terrific average. His strike rate of 78 is nothing to scoff at. Some of the great ODI players in the modern era didn't average over 85 or 90. Ricky Ponting's strike rate was 80, Matthew Hayden's one was 79. With a team that is filled with explosive hitters like Warner, Watson, Bailey, Maxwell and Finch, there needs to be an anchor or someone who can rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking over when the field is spread or when the team is 3 or 4 down for not many and Clarke is that anchor. Additionally, over the last few years, Clarke has come in when Australia have been in trouble so he can't afford to go in and start hitting out from the get go. Clarke's ability to construct an innings but still maintain it at a rate of 80-90 is one of a player with class. He is never going to score at a strike rate of 150 but he is always going to rotate the strike and not get bog down, whilst maintaining a decent rate.
San
Guest
Ala I agree it doesn't make sense to play Hughes when he can't play spin, he looks worse then a club cricketer
Stellenbosched
Guest
I think Clarke should understand that arrogance is earned. We have seen a revival of the aggressive Aussie sledging lately. In the Waugh years the team could back up the sledging with world-beating performances. Clarkes problem as I see it is he riles the opposition by opening his mouth so much.
Matt Sterne
Roar Rookie
Yep, shocking timing for the article - which was written a few days ago! Clarke was the pick of the batsmen yesterday and I am indeed eating my words. He is a quality player and one of the best batsmen in the country, but I stand by the idea of preserving him for ODI's and that Bailey is a strong enough captain for the team. He's been a part of some incredible wins at home and abroad when Clarke was injured. I'm also gutted we've slipped down the rankings, but we will bounce back for sure.
Tom from Perth
Guest
Yep, it's on the CA site as well. He wasn't too happy with the selectors.
Sideline Comm.
Guest
That's pretty interesting Jo. You'd think Clarke would have more of a say in the makeup of the team, once the squad was selected.
Ala
Guest
Clarke wanted his mate Hughes in which is why smith was dropped, ridiculous decision playing Hughes when again he shows he can't play spin