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With the fourth Test done and dusted and the Ashes going back to England, Michael Clarke has announced that after the fifth Test he is going to retire from international cricket.
He has graced the Test cricket fields all across the world for Australia since October 6, 2004 when he made his debut against India at Bangalore. He scored 151 in his first innings of Test match cricket and won man of the match.
Since then he has played a further 113 Tests to leave him at 114 matches. 114 matches, 8628 runs @ 49.3 with 27 half centuries and 28 tons.
He also took 31 wickets at an average of 38.19 with his best bowling figures being 6/9 against India in only his fourth Test.
From then on he was destined to be something special; just a kid learning the ropes in a tough caper alongside greats of Australian cricket.
He had his fair share of ups and downs as anyone does throughout a career, one of his lowest being at a time where he was with Lara Bingle, his profile took a massive hit at that time and the public were turning against him.
Even when he became captain he wasn’t always well-liked by the Australian public. However. he gradually grew on us through his performances.
One series I won’t forget from him will be the Indian series here in Australia when he went on a massive run fest and making his top score of 329 not out. By then he was well-loved by the public and was the focus of turning Australia back into no.1 in Test and ODIs.
The last 12 months has probably been the hardest of his life. From suffering hamstring complaints and back issues he was always on the verge of retiring from international cricket.
The last ton he made was the most emotional but also very damaging to his body, that almost ended his career. However, he fought hard to get himself right to take Australia to a successful World Cup campaign.
Since then it hasn’t been smooth sailing. Going to the Ashes, Australia was the favourite by a lot of daylight. No one gave England any chance, however Clarke’s form and losing the Ashes as badly as what’s happened there needed to be a scapegoat and therefore it has ended in his retirement.
The hardest part of the past year wouldn’t of been the Ashes series though. It was back in late November when Phillip Hughes was tragically hit and passed away.
This hit just as hard for Clarke as it would have for Hughes’ family. The way he presented himself at the press conferences won the nation over from the strength he showed.
The speech he made at his funeral would have brought tears to the eyes of everyone across the nation and the world. It showed that grown man can cry. The leadership he produced to get the team set to play in the following weeks afterwards showed even more strength, this was the hardest time of any of their lives but through their captain they managed to get through it.
He will be missed greatly with his leadership and his skills but he should go out with no regrets, he did everything he could for Australia and for that I am grateful for and so privileged to of seen him play. I wish you all the best for the future Pup!
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