Michael Clarke continued his remarkably swift return from injury to bat, field and bowl in an Australian XI’s six-wicket demolition of Bangladesh in a World Cup warm-up match at Allan Border Field in Brisbane yesterday.
Warm-up games between representative XI’s and Test cricketing minnows rarely attract much attention, especially when it takes place on a weekday. That is, unless the national team captain joins a host of less celebrated names from around the states.
A big crowd assembled at Allan Border Field, including TV cameras and a gaggle of photographers, their attention fixed upon Australia’s incumbent Test and ODI captain, Michael Clarke.
I’d wager there has rarely been such an intense focus on one player in a game since fans in the Victorian era purportedly visited ovals in droves to see WG Grace bat, not his opponents bowl.
In this case however, Clarke’s public were here to see him field, as well as bat. And surprisingly, they even saw him bowl as well.
From the moment he jogged out to the slip cordon – where he spent the majority of his 32 overs in the field – every lens was trained upon him, the travails of the Bangladeshi batsmen a mere sideshow.
Sitting in the crowd, there was a palpable sense that every movement Clarke made would be analysed and scrutinised in relation to his injury.
Is he ambling or striding? Walking or limping?
With every movement under the spotlight, it was almost a relief when he crouched into his familiar slip position, awaiting the next delivery, and seeing him jog between ends he looked more and more his effusive self, cajoling and encouraging his teammates in their endeavours.
It was even more comforting when he bent low to take an excellent low catch off the bowling of his skipper for the day, Ashton Turner – who excelled, playing out of his skin in his leadership role.
Clarke eventually ventured to square leg – certainly the first time in a long time he would have fielded in the outfield – and treated a number of fans to selfies and autographs, and spent a great deal of time going through some stretching and flexibility exercises.
The appreciative Brisbane crowd, which had swelled even further over the course of the Bangladesh innings in anticipation of seeing Clarke bat, were even treated to seeing him bowl.
Two nondescript overs, three runs coming from each, were each a figuratively raised finger to those who thought of him as finished. I’m not done yet, Clarke seemed to say, smiling effusively as he left the ground after his second over (the second of the game). The Brisbane crowd were clearly impressed, warmly showering applause on the efforts of their leader as he departed the scene.
That the Australian XI bowled out Bangladesh in 43.1 overs for 193 was almost irrelevant. Turner (4-30), Conway (2-23), Van Der Gugten (2-26) and Gregory (1-9) were the pick of the bowlers, and if not for a well-executed 52 (from 56 balls) by number eight batsman Nasir Hossain and a 64-run partnership between Mahmudulla Riaz (36 off 62) and Sabbir Rahman (33 off 30), the total could have been even lower.
Clarke opened the batting for Australia XI, and got off the mark with a sharp hook backward of square to fine leg for four Clarke proceeded to hit a full range of fluid strokes through the off side, before falling to Rahman for 34 (off 36). While his stroke play was good, he did not look particularly quick between the wickets, and if he needed to stretch for a quick single, I wouldn’t back him.
Turner, blooming in his captaincy role and winner of my vote for man of the match, got the Australia XI over the line with 8.1 overs remaining, and six wickets in hand, by scoring a well-paced 71 from 108 balls.
Clarke had already left the ground by that time though, shaking each of his teammates’ hands before facing the media, their interest in the game nullified by Clarke’s departure.
When asked whether his Cricket Australia overlords would be happy with is performance, a jovial Clarke quipped that “scoring a 100 and fielding the entire 50 overs would have been better” but he professed to being “happy” with his performance and, more importantly, happy with how his body was feeling.
Clarke made light of bowling, telling the media he’s “been bowling for three weeks in the nets”, so being asked to bowl a couple of overs wasn’t a problem.
Clarke is due to meet up with the rest of the World Cup squad in Adelaide tomorrow, but will not play in the first warm up match against India, preferring to target the second match against the UAE in Melbourne on 11th February. Clarke admitted “there is a gap between where I am and being ready for an ODI”.
Despite this “gap” still existing for Clarke, there is no doubt it is narrowing. Despite the somewhat relaxed nature of his surroundings at Allan Border Field yesterday, this counts as another success to match his first grade return last weekend. Australia’s Captain has given his strongest indication yet that he will be ready to lead his country at the World Cup.
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