The Michael Clarke Appreciation Thread

[Bucking Beads]

I really hope Clarke now has the nuts to get rid of Haddin.

 

[OzBomber]

Step dad's housemate comes home and says "good knock but never does it under pressure". I felt like punching him under pressure. Reeled off a number of innings and he goes "yeah that was good (in the 47 test), don't remember, don't remember etc. etc." Also said that this innings doesn't count because it's a "flat pitch". Yeah it's flat now, but it wasn't when we werre 3/37... Absolutely shits me.

 

[BradWCE]

Awesome innings from Clarke. I didn't see all of it but from what I saw besides one dropped catch he didn't look like getting out.

Step dad's housemate comes home and says "good knock but never does it under pressure". I felt like punching him under pressure. Reeled off a number of innings and he goes "yeah that was good (in the 47 test), don't remember, don't remember etc. etc." Also said that this innings doesn't count because it's a "flat pitch". Yeah it's flat now, but it wasn't when we werre 3/37... Absolutely shits me.

I don't see how someone could bring up the not scoring when under pressure line when he came in when the score was 3/37.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Step dad's housemate comes home and says "good knock but never does it under pressure". I felt like punching him under pressure. Reeled off a number of innings and he goes "yeah that was good (in the 47 test), don't remember, don't remember etc. etc." Also said that this innings doesn't count because it's a "flat pitch". Yeah it's flat now, but it wasn't when we werre 3/37... Absolutely shits me.

Even if you want to call it a flat wicket (I don't believe it's that flat as we could have had them 3-4 down tonight), it's still a remarkable effort to maintain concentration for about 5 sessions and only offer one chance to the bowlers.

Incredible knock, no matter how many people try to play it down.

 

[OzBomber]

Even if you want to call it a flat wicket (I don't believe it's that flat as we could have had them 3-4 down tonight), it's still a remarkable effort to maintain concentration for about 5 sessions and only offer one chance to the bowlers.

Incredible knock, no matter how many people try to play it down.

Yep, he did acknowledge the innings saying it was brilliant but then had to mention the flat pitch thing. I highly doubt that there's been a 300 on a greentop before. I also believe there's something in it for the bowlers if you execute your plans right.

But he is a man who was born in Australia but supports England in all sports and is always trying to find an Australia to bag.

 

[Dont be a lemon]

Taylor's declaration back in the 1990s was stupid and so was this one.

Why do they feel the need to suck Bradman's dick?

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Because Bradman made 329..

 

[Upgrayedd]

Step dad's housemate comes home and says "good knock but never does it under pressure". I felt like punching him under pressure. Reeled off a number of innings and he goes "yeah that was good (in the 47 test), don't remember, don't remember etc. etc." Also said that this innings doesn't count because it's a "flat pitch". Yeah it's flat now, but it wasn't when we werre 3/37... Absolutely shits me.

How could a team be possibly under pressure when a guy smashes 300? We also lost our first 3 wickets for absolutly nothing so comming in at a score like that is pressure

 

[JonoNash]

Would you consider Clarke's dig today better than say a Dean Jones at Madras in the mid 80's or Border against the Windies In Trinidad? It would be a fraction of them pressure wise.

I don't mind Clarke that much but his legacy will be like the greats when he can carry his bat against the best opposition away from home, the first chance for this is against England in the Ashes. India are mere cannon fodder away from their dirt tracks.

 

[Lemma]

^^You should start a 'Bagging Michael Clarke' thread, and then you can put your vitriol in that thread- so people in this thread don't have to read it

 

[dan warna]

not a fan of clarke, but that was a legendary innings.

came in when it looked like another embarrassing innings collapse.

batted like rubbish for the first 20 then scored 300 runs.

happy to put the boot into clarke when he deserves it, but deserves much kudo's for his batting.

Thought he should have tired the indians a bit more but declared with a 450 plus run lead and India should have been 3 for a hundred something with 2 days and another 350 odd.

As it is, they are 2 down.

 

[Righteo]

Pffft. Stupid declaration, just wants to appear unselfish. Clearly more worried about his image and his average than his team's success. Typical of a guy who spends most of his time doing Vodafone ads and Bonds photo shoots instead of playing cricket. And this guy captains Australia?

Lol don't push your luck mate, surely you won't get as many the second time around.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Props for that innings.

Sensational effort.

 

[Tazwegian]

Yeah, the pitch is so flat that 13 wickets were taken on the first day with arguably the greatest batting line-up of all time getting completely done in around two sessions...

 

[peternorth]

But he is a man who was born in Australia but supports England in all sports and is always trying to find an Australia to bag.

and people out there get pissed when those of greek/italian/ethnic decent support the country where their parents were born.

-----

anyway, great knock by clarke.

sorry if its been bought up already, so taylor mentioned that clarke did some boot camp before the series and wanted to keep it quiet? but let cameras in when people found out? if you didnt want them there why let them in?

 

[OzBomber]

and people out there get pissed when those of greek/italian/ethnic decent support the country where their parents were born.

I probably didn't explain the story well enough. Claims to be English etc. but when he goes to English he accepts the nickname "Aussie suchandsuch" and claims that he's Aussie. Got no problem with people supporting the country where their parents were born.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I think it's because he loves himself and wanted to hear the sound of his own voice on television.

 

[hbk_aus]

By golly it must be the cool thing to hate on Clarke. What is it, your posse will kick you out of the gang if you give him respect and don't hate him? Or is it that it just makes you feel that little bit more macho to follow the herd like an obedient little sheep?

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

No matter what Clarke does, or how well he bats, it will not matter to those sort of people. Their stubbornness and immaturity will continue to get in the way.

Yep, it's been amazing hasn't it? A guy walks in at 3/37, badly needing a score for the team as well as himself, walks of at 4/659 with 329 next to his name ... and he gets bagged. Only in BigFooty .......

His declaration ... bagged for batting too long ... bagged for not batting long enough ... bagged because he was "trying to appear unselfish" ... geez

My personal favourite ... bagged because batting was too easy out there. Well, it wasn't easy until Clarke walked in, so what does that tell you? Looking back at any score of 300+ you can guarantee conditions were in favour of the batsman, so we may as well pay no attention whatsoever to Lara's 405, Hayden's 380, Sobers' 365, Hutton's 364 .. oh to hell with it, let's ignore Bradman's triple centuries and put them down to someone who couldn't really play and just had a lucky day now and then.

If you're bagging Clarke after his innings over the past 2 days, you really needs to find something else to do because cricket is not for you.

 

[frankrizzo]

Personally i didn't agree with the timing of the declaration but i don't think for a second clarke declared when he did for selfish reasons or to earn brownie points, he declared when he thought it was the right time to bowl at india.

I disagree with the declaration but that was more a timing and team total issue nothing to do Clarke and his score at the time.

I do agree some people just seem to dislike clarke but on the other hand you should be able to disagree with a particular decision without being labeled a "hater", people on both sides of the argument are being overly emotional and simplistic.

 

[Dan]

One of the best batsman since the 2nd War

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

Would you consider Clarke's dig today better than say a Dean Jones at Madras in the mid 80's or Border against the Windies In Trinidad? It would be a fraction of them pressure wise.

I don't mind Clarke that much but his legacy will be like the greats when he can carry his bat against the best opposition away from home, the first chance for this is against England in the Ashes. India are mere cannon fodder away from their dirt tracks.

Didn't he just make 151 against Steyn, Philander and Morkel overseas on a bowler friendly pitch?

 

[frankrizzo]

Honestly his innings in south africa was his best knock, he's very unlucky that our 47 meant it was doomed to become a forgotten innings.

 

[pickman]

It was a great innings by Clarke. Doesn't change the fact he is a ********.

 

[JonoNash]

Didn't he just make 151 against Steyn, Philander and Morkel overseas on a bowler friendly pitch?

Right now, England are the No 1 test nation. We have failed to adapt to their pitches and swing bowling in the last 2 series there.

The S.A bowling attack is a fine bowling attack but if my memory serves me correctly, they had not played a test in over 9 months. Philander was playing in his first series and Morkel is very up and down.

When he stands up to the English like Waugh did to the Windies in the mid 90's, like Border in the 89' Ashes series, then Clarke will be considered a great post war batsman. Right now, he is a manufactured cricketer who isn't at that level yet. Fair play to him today.