Michael Clarke (cricketer)

Michael Clarke

Source: [1], April 23 2007

Michael John Clarke (born 2 April, 1981 in Liverpool, New South Wales) is an Australian cricketer. Nicknamed 'Pup', he is a right-handed batsman, highly-regarded fielder and occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler.

Career

He made his first-class debut for New South Wales as an eighteen year old in the 1999-2000 Australian domestic season.

Clarke quickly began showing his potential, after being fast-tracked into the Australian national team, making his one-day international debut in January 2003 against England. He immediately made a name for himself on the international scene for his aggressive yet mature batting ability.

Clarke was selected to make his Test debut against India at Bangalore, October 2004, despite having a first-class average below 40. He succeeded on debut, scoring 151 and consequently helping Australia to victory, invoking comparisons to past Australian batsmen such as Doug Walters and Mark Waugh. Clarke played a major part in Australia's 2-1 series victory, their first in India in over thirty years, contributing outstanding bowling figures of 6 for 9 in the final Test of the series. After this, the media dubbed him he the "next captain of Australia".

On his return to Australia he made another debut century, his first home Test in Brisbane against New Zealand, becoming one of the few Test cricketers to have achieved the feat of Test centuries on both their home and away debuts.

In recognition of his performance in the 2004 calendar year, he was awarded the Allan Border Medal in 2005.

He was dropped from the Test team after a poor Ashes series and subsequent Test matches in late 2005 upon his return to Australia after not scoring a century for a year. Clarke had previously remarked that one of his career aims was to never be dropped from the Test team. It was announced on 7 March 2006 that he would be included in the Test squad to tour South Africa after making his first ever first-class double century and heavy scoring in ODIs. He was recalled in place of Andrew Symonds for the Test matches in April 2006 against Bangladesh. He now looks to have cemented his place back in the Test side, after he was selected due to Shane Watson's injury ruled him out, with two consecutive centuries in the second and third Tests in the Ashes series to help Australia regain the Ashes.

Teams

International

• Australia (current)

Australian state

• New South Wales Blues (current)

English county

• Hampshire

Career highlights

Tests

Test Debut: vs India, Bangalore, 2004-2005

• Clarke's highest Test batting score of 151 was made against India, Bangalore, 2004-2005. He then made 141 against New Zealand in November 2004 on his debut on home-soil at the Gabba (Brisbane, Australia). He became the only Australian to ever score a century on both home and away debuts.
• His best Test bowling figures of 6 for 9 (6.2) came against India, Mumbai, 2004-2005.
• His first Ashes century came in December 2006, when he hit 124 at the Adelaide Oval to help Australia to victory. Words of Edward Pollitt "Michael clarke is my hero he is the greatest player ever"

One-day internationals

ODI Debut: vs England, Adelaide, 2002-2003

• Clarke's highest ODI batting score of 105 not out was made against Zimbabwe, Harare, 2004
• His best ODI bowling figures of 5 for 35 came against Sri Lanka, Dambulla, 2003-2004
• Vice Captain 2006-2007 Chappell-Hadlee Series

External links

• Official Michael Clarke website
• Cricinfo profile on Michael Clarke
• HowSTAT! statistical profile on Michael Clarke