YOTC
8 Oct 2004, 01:24
Dasher the new Dougie
By Robert Craddock in Bangalore
October 8, 2004
MICHAEL Clarke's stunning Test debut has cricket historians drawing comparisons with the great Dougie Walters and the national selectors feeling extreme pressure to find a permanent place for him in the top six.
Clarke, 23, yesterday blazed an amazing 151 to become the sixth highest scorer on debut for Australia and only the 12th Australian to make a century in his first Test innings. On the back of his partnership with Adam Gilchrist (104), Australia surged to a dominant 474 in the first innings of the first Test in Bangalore.
Comparisons between Clarke and the legendary Walters have abounded since the whiz kid from Liverpool burst on to the scene for NSW five summers ago.
In 1965, a 19-year-old Walters from Dungog slammed 155 against England on debut. He came in at No.6 with Australia teetering at 4-125 and guided them to 6(dec)-443. When Clarke entered the fray on day one, Australia were 4-149.
Walters and fellow Test great Greg Chappell insist Clarke must stay in the side when captain Ricky Ponting returns. "The selectors can't possibly leave him out now," Walters said.
Chappell said: "Clarke has the talent to be one of the great batsmen of his era."
Things will get desperately tight in the Australian top order by the third Test in Nagpur when Ponting returns at No.3.
Chappell said the selectors had no option but to make a tough decision and drop one of the established stars.
"The selectors simply have to find room for Michael. He's going to be a leader of the team for the next 10 to 15 years and may well be a future captain," Chappell said.
"Those of us who have watched Michael Clarke for the last four or five years have thought he was a player of rare quality and rare class.
"You ignore the exuberance of youth at your peril. It can get you a long way."
Chappell scored 108 against England in Perth in 1970-71 but admitted he learned more from his next innings than from his stellar debut.
He scored 20 runs from his next three innings.
"I learned much more in those innings than I learned in my first knock. You learn about what it takes to perform in Test cricket on a regular basis," Chappell said.
"Michael has done well in this innings but he still has so much to learn and he's not going to do that while sitting in the dressing room watching other blokes play. He has to stay in the team."
Chappell would not say who should miss out in one of the toughest decisions to face the selection panels in years.
But Walters believes veteran Darren Lehmann, 35 in February, is the player who must make way for Clarke.
"I've got nothing against Darren Lehmann, I think he's a fantastic player but Michael Clarke is the future."
The selectors face a most difficult task because no one deserves to go.
Lehmann has four centuries in his past nine Tests, Damien Martyn was majestic on the recent Sri Lankan tour with two centuries while Simon Katich has a century and scores of 77, 86 and 81 in his past eight Test knocks.
The only certainty is that Clarke has made the whole ageing top order realise that they are on notice.
The selectors know five of the top seven batsmen aged between 32 and 34 will probably bow out close together and that is not ideal.
The earlier Clarke becomes a fixture the better.
____________________________________________________________ ____
Does anyone else get sick and tired of players being the new someone? For me clarke will be the next michael clarke, not doug walters. Thoughts?
By Robert Craddock in Bangalore
October 8, 2004
MICHAEL Clarke's stunning Test debut has cricket historians drawing comparisons with the great Dougie Walters and the national selectors feeling extreme pressure to find a permanent place for him in the top six.
Clarke, 23, yesterday blazed an amazing 151 to become the sixth highest scorer on debut for Australia and only the 12th Australian to make a century in his first Test innings. On the back of his partnership with Adam Gilchrist (104), Australia surged to a dominant 474 in the first innings of the first Test in Bangalore.
Comparisons between Clarke and the legendary Walters have abounded since the whiz kid from Liverpool burst on to the scene for NSW five summers ago.
In 1965, a 19-year-old Walters from Dungog slammed 155 against England on debut. He came in at No.6 with Australia teetering at 4-125 and guided them to 6(dec)-443. When Clarke entered the fray on day one, Australia were 4-149.
Walters and fellow Test great Greg Chappell insist Clarke must stay in the side when captain Ricky Ponting returns. "The selectors can't possibly leave him out now," Walters said.
Chappell said: "Clarke has the talent to be one of the great batsmen of his era."
Things will get desperately tight in the Australian top order by the third Test in Nagpur when Ponting returns at No.3.
Chappell said the selectors had no option but to make a tough decision and drop one of the established stars.
"The selectors simply have to find room for Michael. He's going to be a leader of the team for the next 10 to 15 years and may well be a future captain," Chappell said.
"Those of us who have watched Michael Clarke for the last four or five years have thought he was a player of rare quality and rare class.
"You ignore the exuberance of youth at your peril. It can get you a long way."
Chappell scored 108 against England in Perth in 1970-71 but admitted he learned more from his next innings than from his stellar debut.
He scored 20 runs from his next three innings.
"I learned much more in those innings than I learned in my first knock. You learn about what it takes to perform in Test cricket on a regular basis," Chappell said.
"Michael has done well in this innings but he still has so much to learn and he's not going to do that while sitting in the dressing room watching other blokes play. He has to stay in the team."
Chappell would not say who should miss out in one of the toughest decisions to face the selection panels in years.
But Walters believes veteran Darren Lehmann, 35 in February, is the player who must make way for Clarke.
"I've got nothing against Darren Lehmann, I think he's a fantastic player but Michael Clarke is the future."
The selectors face a most difficult task because no one deserves to go.
Lehmann has four centuries in his past nine Tests, Damien Martyn was majestic on the recent Sri Lankan tour with two centuries while Simon Katich has a century and scores of 77, 86 and 81 in his past eight Test knocks.
The only certainty is that Clarke has made the whole ageing top order realise that they are on notice.
The selectors know five of the top seven batsmen aged between 32 and 34 will probably bow out close together and that is not ideal.
The earlier Clarke becomes a fixture the better.
____________________________________________________________ ____
Does anyone else get sick and tired of players being the new someone? For me clarke will be the next michael clarke, not doug walters. Thoughts?