Michael Clarke shows his fighting spirit

Yesterday was another day that Michael Clarke was all too familiar with throughout his entire cricketing career.

But, it wasn’t the re-injuring of his fragile back condition that he has had to manage since he was 17.

Ever since 2004, when he first debuted for Australia in the baggy green against India, there has been a section of cricket fans that thought Clarke really didn’t belong, because of his first class average of below 40.

But he quickly squashed those queries with a sublime 151* in his first innings. And if that wasn’t enough he would then go on to take 6/9.

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It’s been a continuous trend for Clarke throughout his whole career.

It almost seems like as though Clarke thrives on ‘the back against the wall’ situations and the calls for his head.

The last two days have been no different in the love/hate affair that many people have had with Michael Clarke throughout his career.

On Day 1, many people were thinking that Clarke may have graced the field for the last time, as his re-injured his back yet again.

Some people on social media went as far as saying that Clarke was selfish for playing.

On day two, beyond imagination Clarke managed to come out and bat with sheer will and determination in an effort to not only get his country into a winning position, but to continue on his way to a century in a bid to pay tribute to his mate.

By the close of stumps, he was captain courageous. But it should have been captain courageous from Day 1.

The emotional and physical toll that Clarke has suffered in the past couple of weeks has been enormous.

But there was no way he was going to miss this match. There was no way his dodgy back was going to stop him from continuing his innings; such is his nature and determination.

I read somewhere that you would have to arrest Clarke to stop him from batting again.

Clarke deserves all the accolades and compliments he receives for his last knock.

It’s a far cry from his captaining of a one day international against England in 2011 at The Gabba, when he was booed as he was walking out to bat.

But he didn’t complain he just got on with the job.

It took him a long time to gain the trust of the Australian cricketing public. Not too many people were happy with him being named captain.

Slowly, but surely, that all changed.

His famous knock of 329* at SCG followed by his outrageous scoring in the 2012 calendar year gained him some respect.

Last year’s infamous ‘Get ready for a broken f***ing arm’ incident, remarkably helped his cause.

His last two centuries have arguably been his best by far, but they are proof to never write him off.

His maturity has risen through the roof right in front of the cricketing world’s eyes.

It’s been a long time since he has had the bright blonde hair, the shiny diamond earring and the Bondi beach house. But beneath the wrinkled, aged face, the slight stubble and the grey hair he still has that twinkle in his eye for the game he loves.

In 2010, he missed a Test match to be with then fiancée Lara Bingle, a gesture that not many people approved of including his teammates.

Yesterday, a dodgy back, fragile hamstring, emotional state of mind and a heavy heart couldn’t stop him from getting out onto the cricket pitch.

There is an age old saying ‘Never write off a champion’.

Michael Clarke showed us to never write him off again.