When Michael Clarke announced Sunday’s World Cup final would be his last one day international, New Zealand cricket writer Jonathan Millmow accused the Aussie skipper of hijacking the occasion.
Millmow played for New Zealand for a nanosecond 25 years ago. He never made the Test team but took four wickets in five ODIs, at an average a batsman would be proud of. In fact Clarke has a better bowling average than this guy – by a good 20 runs.
These days, Millmow’s the cricket writer for The Dominion Post. And it was in that publication that he declared Clarke’s announcement “reeked of self importance and could’ve waited a few days”.
Presumably until after the final, robbing us all of the chance to appropriately farewell one of the greats from the one-day stage he has graced for 12 years.
Clarke probably thought that having scored almost 8,000 one-day runs and captained the national side for four years, he’d earned the right to retire on his own terms.
At least now he knows to get Millmow’s permission before he hangs up the baggy green.
Millmow was right about one thing though; Clarke did hijack the occasion. He hijacked it with shrewd captaincy that strangled New Zealand’s innings, and with the bat when the Kiwis tried to contain him in return.
He hijacked an occasion from which the Black Caps shrank.
What loomed as an epic contest had a whiff of inevitability about it from the moment Mitchell Starc dislodged Brendon McCullum’s bails with the fifth ball of the day.
In the showdown between the two players of the tournament, Starc was up to the challenge and McCullum wasn’t.
As the Kiwi captain trudged back to the pavilion, not having laid bat on ball, the symbolism wasn’t lost on any of the 93,000 MCG spectators. Or on the team, who followed his example.
Four Black Caps scored ducks, leading to calls for the national emblem to be changed. Certainly we should be changing Clarkey’s nickname. This bloke ain’t no Pup.
Set 184 for the trophy, the Aussie run chase never looked in doubt, even when Aaron Finch went for a bagel.
Dave Warner played like there was somewhere else he needed to be in a hurry. When he fell, there was Clarke, who wasn’t about to give his wicket away.
For a while, it looked like Clarke might be there for the fairytale finish and hit the winning runs. It wasn’t to be. Bowled on 74, just shy of the victory target, Clarke acknowledged the record MCG crowd and a mate looking on from the heavens.
Fittingly, it was the summer’s run machine Steve Smith who played the final shot. In his excitement, he straddled the nearest person – Shane Watson, who didn’t mind a bit.
Clarke dedicated the win to Phillip Hughes, taken from us just four months ago. “We played this World Cup with 16 players,” he said.
Yes, Clarkey and his golden band of brothers did hijack the occasion. But these moments aren’t given to you, they’re there for the taking.
alec
Guest
there are two ways a sportsman can retire: 1: LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME, LOOK AT ME 2: respectfully. the first option involves shoulder rides around the ground, headlines, selfies, public speeches, general grandstanding the second option involves intimate moments with friends/family/teammates before and after the game, passionate speeches in the locker rooms, and a respect for everyone involved in the game. i'll leave it up for readers to decide which way they'd personally sign off. clarke, with his blonde tips, slutty gf's, tattoos and general sydney demeanour has always been an option 1 kinda guy, so no surprises really... and lastly, a commentators sporting credientials should never overshadow an argument. personal attacks are the lowest common denominator of rebuttal. you dont have to be wayne carrey to have a solid opinion on football...
mactheblack
Guest
Jonathan "motor-mouth" was probably looking for a controversial angle that would sell, wasn't he? Exactly as this writer says .. you are allowed to depart the scene on your own terms ... like so many sports folk do. Good on Michael Clarke - what a way to bow out, whether it was planned, manufactured or not. They all do don't they? However it always befuddles me when players call it quits mid-stream in a series or all of a sudden when least expected. Like Graeme Swann did, and even SA's Graeme Smith ... Let's not sour Australia's victory ... by digging up angles that have no sense really...
Howzat
Guest
Yeah cause if anybody is going to step up to the big cricketing occasion it's South Africa.........
botham
Guest
big question marks about the india game been fixed though really a team hitting singles needing 130 off 80 or soo ..clarke only got a few runs when nz allready gone he was limp whole tournament Aus id say very lucky it rained in auckland saffas wouldve taken bowling apart at g alot more firepower than kiwis
joe b
Guest
it is probably just an aussie cricket thing to announce your retirement before you play your last game/s. It happened with a bunch of players leading into an ashes series a couple of years back (McGrath, Warne, Gilly)...don't see it very often in the football codes.
Gordon smith
Guest
Well said Tony
Tony
Guest
Yes, Michael Clarke played his final ODI innings and when he was dismissed several Blackcaps shook his hand & congratulated him out of respect etc. As it happened, Daniel Vettori was also playing in his final ODl as well, but when he was dismissed the Aussie players told him to go F-himself. The Aussies might be winners, but they are rotten to the core.
Clark
Guest
I wouldn't pay attention to that article at all. Michael deserved to go out a winner and could announce his retirement whenever he wanted. As a Kiwi, this article does annoy me as it make us to be whingers, where most of the country fully supports the Blackcaps and acknowledges that we were simply outclassed by a very good team who stepped up to the occasion from ball one. And all the coverage about the sledging is getting a bit old now too, although it's disappointing to see, the world is well aware about what goes on when you play Australia, and I don't think it is going to change anytime soon.
bigbaz
Roar Guru
Good reply, not that it was really needed, never heard of him or his rag. Sounds like another loser telling us how bad a winner Australia is.