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Congratulations to England for regaining the Ashes so convincingly after thrashing Australia in the first Test in Cardiff, in the third Test in Birmingham and yesterday in the Ashes-losing fourth Test in Nottingham.
Although expected, the retirement of Australian skipper Michael Clarke after the final Test at The Oval next fortnight added to my sadness.
For not only is he a terrific batsman and an inspiring captain but also a good bloke. I had the pleasure to bowl to him in the nets a few years ago and he did not hit me all over the park to keep me happy!
Like Raymond of the television series, almost everybody loves ‘Pup’ Clarkey.
One hopes he goes out on a high note at The Oval and his Test swansong is as memorable as his Test debut when he had scored a scintillating century in the Bangalore Test against India in October 2004.
That series had many heroes, but none as sensational as 23-year-old Clarke who apart from smashing a century in his Test debut had marvellous figures of 6 for 9 in his fourth Test.
The first Test in Bangalore in 2004 will be remembered as much for Clarke’s stunning debut as Australia’s convincing win by 217 runs. Australia totalled 474 with hundreds by Clarke and Adam Gilchrist who added 167 sparkling runs for the sixth wicket.
Clarke’s 151 came off 248 balls and he hit 18 fours and four sixes. When he was on 98 he replaced his helmet with the baggy green which he kissed when reaching his ton.
The fourth Test in Mumbai was an intriguing cliff-hanger. Despite Clarke’s magical figures of 6 for 9 off 6.2 overs, Australia lost the Test but won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1.
An ambidextrous cricketer, Clarke batted right-handed and bowled his spinners left-handed. But he considered himself a batsman and hardly bowled later in his career due to several injuries.
Clarke went on to score a century in his first Test on Australian soil, 141 against New Zealand in the November 2004 Brisbane Test.
A star had arrived on the scene and for almost ten years he remained on top.
The 100th Test on the SCG in January 2012 was marked by a marvellous and unbeaten triple century by skipper Clarke. Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey also hit hundreds.
Clarke broke many records in this Test. His unbeaten 329 off 468 balls was the only Test triple hundred on the SCG and the third highest on the ground after Don Bradman’s 452 not out (NSW v. Queensland, 1929-30) and 340 not out (NSW v. Victoria, 1928-29).
Man of the Match Clarke hit 39 fours and a six in his master class which lasted 10 hours and nine minutes.
He could have gone on to become the highest scorer for Australia in Tests (Matthew Hayden 380 v. Zimbabwe at Perth in 2003-04) and the highest ever (Brian Lara 400 not out, West Indies v. England, St John’s also in 2003-04) but he put the interest of his team over personal milestone by declaring at 4 for 659.
The fourth and final Test in Adelaide was a run bonanza with two double centuries by Australians as they amassed a huge score, 7 declared for 604; Ponting (221 in 516 minutes) and Clarke (210 in 380 minutes) adding a massive 386 for the fourth wicket. This was the highest partnership in an Adelaide Test.
Clarke became the third batsman to score a triple and a double hundred in the same series after Bradman in 1930 and 1934 against England in England and England’s Wally Hammond against New Zealand in 1932-33.
As we bid farewell to Michael Clarke a fortnight later, let us remember him for his prolific batting from 2004-05 to 2013-14 and not for his recent slide.
In 114 Tests, he scored 8626 runs at 49.30 with 28 centuries (highest score e29 not out) and took 31 wickets at 38.19 and 131 catches.
Thank you Pup, and happy retirement. I hope you score your 29th century in The Oval Test to be on par with Don Bradman.