Last night on 60 Minutes, Michael Clarke gave another Oscar-winning performance of milking the media with a combination of laughter and tears.
No Australian Test captain since World War II has polarised the fans more than Clarke.
He’s the only one in 26 who have held the highest appointment in the land after the Prime Minister to have been covered in tattoos, dyed his hair, and driven a Ferrari.
He was involved in an ugly dressing room incident with Simon Katich, lumped his vice-captain Shane Watson in a group that were a “tumour” in the team, and missed the vast majority of an ODI series in New Zealand to return home to break off his engagement to Lara Bingle.
And Clarke explained it all away with “I haven’t done anything wrong, criticise all you like, I just did it my way”.
Yet the same cricketer is the fourth most successful Australian Test batsman in history.
Ricky Ponting shows the way with 13,378 runs at 51.85 that included 41 tons and 62 half-centuries, and a career high 257.
Allan Border – 11,174 at 50.56 – 27/63 – 205.
Steve Waugh – 10,927 at 51.56 – 32/50 – 200.
And Clarke – 8,643 at 49.10 – 28/27 – 329*.
But the quote of the night was Clarke’s “I couldn’t care less if I was captain”.
“Seriously?”, was reporter Allison Langdon’s shocked reaction.
“I was appointed Ricky Ponting’s vice-captain which automatically meant I was the next captain.
“But I didn’t seek the captaincy”.
Langdon’s handling of the interview was superb. Not once did she butt in on a Clarke answer, a welcome change from the vast majority of current sporting and political interviewers who have made butting in a media sickness.
Having said that, it’s a pity Langdon didn’t follow up the “didn’t seek the captaincy” quote with, “Why didn’t you knock back the captaincy like Kim Hughes did?”
Another Clarke quote was extraordinary.
When asked if his team respected him, Clarke answered in the affirmative.
There’s little doubt the team respected Clarke’s proven talent, but that doesn’t mean they respected the man.
The inevitable Phillip Hughes tragedy surfaced, and so did the tears. They were genuine; the two were close.
But there was no mention of Clarke’s signing with the Channel Nine commentary team this summer. We can expect viewers to be hit with Clarke’s opinion about what Steve Smith’s doing wrong as captain, contrasted by what Clarke would do.
More polarisation, but that’s the nature of the beast.
As a direct result, radio ratings will rise as Channel Nine viewers turn down the sound.
Will Michael Clarke ever try to change his image to his detractors, or will he remain committed to just doing it his way?
Tony
Guest
Oh and get rid of Kevin Pietersen too, the bloke is an arrogant prick
mick gray
Guest
it will be volume down for me this summer, listening to the biased fake crap of Clarke, not for us !!
Tony
Guest
Don't like his commentary on channel nine. He needs some kind of 'tone of voice' and general speaking training. The others sound natural, he doesn't. Once this improves, no doubt he will be a valuable member of the team. Oh and agree with the "pretty boy" image, notice how he, Warne, Peterson and others would rather suffer from sun stroke then wear a hat whilst on camera?
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Cricket Australia did Clarke no favours by making him the heir apparent to the captaincy, before he had even secured his spot in the test side. Clarke's disrespect for team culture and love of the media spotlight did even more damage. Obviously, his passion for being in front of the camera has not abated. Some have even, tongue in cheek, that his big scores came less form his love of batting and run-scoring, and more from his desire to remain in camera shot, and that can't be achieved from the dressing room.
Chris Love
Guest
Well Said Kaks, Steve Waugh made the call to drop Warne for a test in the Caribean and while Warnie was the greatest of all time, he had just come back from surgery and was no where near his best. He may have been the greatest of all time (eventualy) but like Watson, Warnie was a petulant little brat and Steve Waugh's call was the correct one.
Chris Love
Guest
"He’s the only one in 26 who have held the highest appointment in the land after the Prime Minister to have been covered in tattoos, dyed his hair, and driven a Ferrari" Right there is where it started for you David and it remained there for his entire career. That bias must have been nagging away at you everytime he put the team before himself because you were there waiting with baited breath to tear him down. Michael Clarke was the least Jack person in the Australian team. A fantastic Captain, better than both Tubby and Punter, yet he was the first of the new generation that are so disliked by yours. The blonde hair, the ear rings and model girl friends never went away in your head. You must be the worst sports journo since the late Rebecca Wilson.
Chris Love
Guest
Agree Bush, also Pope, at the time of the homwork debacle I was calling out Watson as the instigator before it was even broadcast. It was so obvious at the time that Watson had a bad attitude and as farcial as the ordeal was, Watson's attitufe picked up, if only slightly after that. Col, to call Clarke selfish would have to be the biggest cop out I ever read, he was many things, but selfish was the last thing you could legitimately call him when he took over the captaincy.
Chris Love
Guest
Well said Mike
Internal Fixation
Guest
Hi David. Thanks for taking the time to respond. We all have our own opinions on Clarke and I do value yours. I will argue with you on one point though - Without trying to offend, I have seen and treated a few thousand more back injuries than you have met Australian cricket captains :) Clarke played through significant pain and without breaching confidentiality I can assure you nothing about his chronic condition was done in the name of self promotion. His effort in Adelaide against India 2 years ago was amazing given the pain he was in.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Welcome to the real world, you wont be liked by everyone.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Fair point re relative talent and he wasn't the sole selector but under him there was a tendency to catastrophise ( still is now actually ) and it was always the top order who copped it. Can't have been helpful to team unity when the captain is on your case and any error might be your last. Is it possible he might have contributed to Watto and Team Cancer?
Johnno
Guest
They were to, maybe pup was more ambitious and competitive than some of his teammates.
armchair expert
Guest
Casper, Clarke could also do another interview thanking his mate Warne for virtually doing the bidding for him to get his foot in the door at channel nine.
Lancey5times
Guest
Don't expect a response from the 'expert' author
Lancey5times
Guest
Clearly all the time you have spent with Clarke leaves you well placed to judge both his captaincy and character. Your reply to IF's post simply confirmed his point ten fold
David Lord
Expert
Internal Fixation, I have been privilege to know every Australian Test captain since World War 2 - Sir Donald Bradman, Bill Brown, Lindsay Hassett, Ian Johnson, Ray Lindwall, Ian Craig, Richie Benaud, Neil Harvey, Bobby Simpson, Brian Booth, Bill Lawry, Barry Jarman, Ian Chappell, Greg Chappell, Graham Yallop, Kim Hughes, Allan Border, Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Shane Watson, and Steve Smith - all great blokes in different ways who respected the captaincy. The only skipper I've never met is Michael Clarke, and never sought to do so. He is the only one who constantly used the highest honour in Australian sport to the max for self-promotion - and he was a master at it from dumping on team mates, arguing with Cricket Australia, back injuries, or tears. He was a Jack-man, the shortened version of "I'm alright Jack, and the rest of you can make your own arrangements". In the last 48 hours he has again used the media to the max, firstly with 60 Minutes, and the next day at his book launch. And he will keep doing it, he can't help himself. Thankfully Steve Smith has returned the captaincy to the pedestal it deserves.
Nudge
Guest
Gee David, top notch article by the looks. Looks like you have just about no one's support once again. You sounded like a jealous whining old man
JoM
Guest
Why would he support Bingle, or rather why should he? She was dragging him down and indirectly the whole team but you want him to sit there and say what a gem she was? It was always drama after drama and the best thing he ever did was to come back and do what he did. He had to.
Joe
Guest
What about Virat Kohli?
Peter
Roar Rookie
Channel Nein will rub that out of him soon enough.