Michael John Clarke
Michael John Clarke (born 2 April 1981), is a former international cricketer and captain of Australia. He led Australia to their 5th Cricket World Cup triumph, when his team defeated New Zealand in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 at the MCG. Under his captaincy, Australia whitewashed arch-rivals England 5-0 during the 201314 Ashes series down-under and also gained the No. 1 Test ranking from South Africa after a long span of 4 years and 9 months (from August 2009 to April 2014), when Australia defeated South Africa 2-1 in a 3 match Test series, during Australia’s tour of South Africa in 2014. His ODI shirt number of 23 was passed on to him by Shane Warne after his international retirement. Nicknamed “Pup”, he is a right-handed middle-order batsman, an occasional left-arm orthodox spin bowler and also a slip catcher. He represented New South Wales at a domestic level. In January 2011, Clarke stood down as captain of the Australian Twenty20 cricket team to concentrate on his Test and ODI performance. On 22 November 2012, Clarke scored a double century at the Adelaide Oval, making him the only Test batsman to ever achieve four double centuries in a calendar year. He won the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, thereby winning the Cricketer of the Year 2013 and also the Test Cricketer of the Year 2013. He led Australia to a 50 whitewash of England in the 201314 Ashes series for the first time since 200607 Ashes series. He was named as a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2010 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack. He was named Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World for the year 2012 in 2013 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack. After announcing he would retire from One Day cricket after the end of the 2015 Cricket World Cup, Clarke starred in the final against New Zealand top scoring with a score of 74 off 72 balls, as Australia won their fifth World Cup title. He was bowled when nine runs were required to win and received a standing ovation from the 93,013 strong MCG crowd after his dismissal. Under his captaincy, Australia made their lowest Test score (47 all out) in 109 years,and shortest first innings (18.3 overs, 60 all out) in Test cricket history,and their worst-ever series defeat against India in Test history, which is also the first 4-0 whitewash for Australia against any side since 1969.Several of his teammates have criticized his captaincy. Mitchell Johnson described the team atmosphere as ‘toxic’ under his captaincy, while Michael Hussey described the dressing room was stressful and tense. Several former players including John Buchanan Andrew Symonds, Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich spoke against his captaincy. On August 8, 2015, Clarke announced that he would retire from all forms of cricket after the final test of the Ashes Series following a difficult series in terms of both his and the team’s performance. Australia suffered a crushing defeat of an innings and 78 runs thus losing the Ashes. This was Clarke’s fourth successive Ashes loss in England overall and his second as captain.
Career:
Michael Clarke made his first class debut for New South Wales as a seventeen-year-old in the 19992000 Sheffield Shield (then called the Pura Milk Cup). He made his One Day International debut in January 2003 against England at Adelaide and his Test debut for Australia in October 2004 against India. He was an AIS Australian Cricket Academy scholarship holder in 19992000. Clarke also played at an English Club Team in 2002 (Ramsbottom Cricket Club). On 1 May 2012 Clarke made his debut in the Indian Premier League for Pune Warriors India.In 2013 Clarke was named captain of the Sydney Thunder in Australia’s Twenty20 Big Bash League.
International career:
Clarke was chosen to make his Test debut against India at Bangalore, in 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. The innings, felt Peter Roebuck, was especially notable for its aggression and freedom. “Not that the assault was reckless,” he added. “Indeed the control was impressive. Clarke calculated the risks and took his brains with him down the track. Of course he need a bit of luck, was plumb in front in the nineties, but few begrudged him his hundred. And everyone except his weary foes celebrated with him and his tearful family when he reached three figures. After all, he had advanced both the match and the game.
Personal life:
Michael Clarke’s father used to own an indoor sports centre. In 2005-2006 Michael Clarke was diagnosed with skin cancer. He was also diagnosed with chronic back pain at the age of 17. He has successfully managed his back pain since that time. In the later part of his career he also suffered from hamstring injuries. During the Australian Cricket tour of New Zealand in March 2010, Clarke left the tour to return to Sydney for “personal reasons”. In a late night press conference on 12 March 2010, Clarke’s management confirmed he and then-fiancée, model Lara Bingle (now Worthington), had decided to terminate their engagement. Speaking to GQ Australia in November 2010, Clarke said of his decision to leave the tour of New Zealand, “My decision that I made there, was what I thought was right. I respect playing for my country that much that I thought, if Im going to let anybody down, I shouldnt be here theres somebody else who could be doing a better job than me. Going home was the right decision at the time for me. I dont regret that decision.” Clarke married business owner and Model Kyly Boldy on 15 May 2012. On 8 July 2015, the couple announced that they were expecting their first child. On 17 November, it was reported that Kyly had given birth to a baby girl. They named her Kelsey Lee. He was very close to former Australian test opener Phil Hughes, and was very grieved at the 25-year-old’s untimely passing after being hit in the neck by a bouncer.He requested Cricket Australia to retire Hughes’ jersey number, 64, which was accepted.
Career highlights:
Clarke’s debut Test score of 151 was made against India in Bangalore, 200405;
He made 141 against New Zealand in November 2004 on his debut on home-soil at the Gabba (Brisbane, Australia),making him the only Australian to score a century on both home and away debuts.
His best Test bowling figures of 6 for 9 (6.2) came against India, Mumbai, 200405.
His first Ashes century came in December 2006, when he hit 124 at the Adelaide Oval to help Australia to victory.
He dismissed India’s last three batsman in five balls on the fifth day of the 2nd Test against India on 6 January 2008.
He won Australian Man of the Series in the 2009 Ashes Series. He was nominated by England team director Andy Flower for his “excellent batting”.
He was named full-time one-day and Test captain of Australia on 29 March 2011.
Clarke’s highest Test batting score of 329* was made on 5 January 2012 against India. This is the highest Test match batting score at the Sydney
Cricket Ground, and the fourth best Test match batting score of all time by an Australian.
Clarke made 210 in Adelaide, thereby joining Don Bradman and Wally Hammond as the only players to have made a triple century and a double century in the same series.
Clarke’s score of 259* made at the Gabba on 9 November 2012 against South Africa is the highest Test score at the ground.
Clarke is the only Test batsman to reach four double centuries in a single calendar year, with a double century (230) at the Adelaide Oval on 22 November 2012.
One-Day Internationals:
His best ODI bowling figures of 6 for 9 came against India, at Mumbai, 2004.
Clarke’s highest ODI batting score of 130 was made against India, at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore, 2007.
He was the captain of Australia for the 2009 One Dayers as well as Twenty20 matches vs England.
He was named full-time one-day and test captain of Australia on 29 March 2011.
Career best performances:
Batting Score
Test: 329*
ODI: 130
T20I: 67
T20: 67
