What does Clarke need to do...

[Underarm]

In a 5 test series against England in England, Bradman posted scores of 1, 8, 14, 131, 232, 254 and 334. Wow. God I would have loved to have seen Bradman bat!!

all or nothing batter it seems. No better than Marcus North.....

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

wow, talk about warming up...

They weren't in that order, I just put them from smallest to largest.

all or nothing batter it seems. No better than Marcus North.....

Haha, indeed. I'd have North just ahead due to the fact that his offies were pretty handy .

 

[Badesumofu]

I'm 28, some of my earliest memories of Cricket are of Warne's first Test, and before that guys like Mike Whitney, Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. Until recently, all I'd known of Cricket was Australian domination.

This series is like nothing I've seen, though. Clarke has somehow pulled a champion team out of his behind - look at how low we had fallen by the end of Ponting's captaincy. Since then, we've broken even with South Africa, beaten Sri Lanka, and somehow lost a Test to New Zealand. As you have to expect with a rebuilding team, there have been a couple of mis-steps. 48 was bad, Bellerieve was shameful. But those have been the exceptions. Under Clarke, we have assemebed a truly world-class pace attack that Viru described as the best he has faced. Our top 6 are starting to look very, very imposing - when Watson comes back we'll be in the best shape we've been in for a long time. We look to have unearthed an opening partnership that is balanced and dangerous. The middle order is compiling insane amounts of runs. Warner - Cowan - Watson - Ponting - Clarke - Hussey has the potential to be the best top 6 in world Cricket over the next 18 months. That is the top 6 that can win us The Ashes.

Not all of this due to Clarke, but what we're seeing now has been in the works since he took over. Aurthur and Inverarity complete the picture. Clarke's own batting is a big part of this turn around, and he seems to have lifted Ponting and Hussey around him - those two should now be planning and expecting to bat through the Ashes next year. Clarke insisted those two stay in the team.

For most players, I think you can say that respect for them as players and whether you think they are a good bloke are two sepearate things, but I think it's different for the captain. If you're a shit bloke, you probably won't succeed as captain because you won't be able to effectively unite the team behind yourself. I reckon the whole team and nearly everyone involved in Australian Cricket is 100% behind Clarke.

I don't know how anyone could not respect him at this point.

 

[dumb]

did read that clarke only the third player to score a triple and double hundred in the same series after bradman and wally hammond.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

I'm 28, some of my earliest memories of Cricket are of Warne's first Test, and before that guys like Mike Whitney, Craig McDermott and Merv Hughes. Until recently, all I'd known of Cricket was Australian domination.

This series is like nothing I've seen, though. Clarke has somehow pulled a champion team out of his behind - look at how low we had fallen by the end of Ponting's captaincy. Since then, we've broken even with South Africa, beaten Sri Lanka, and somehow lost a Test to New Zealand. As you have to expect with a rebuilding team, there have been a couple of mis-steps. 48 was bad, Bellerieve was shameful. But those have been the exceptions. Under Clarke, we have assemebed a truly world-class pace attack that Viru described as the best he has faced. Our top 6 are starting to look very, very imposing - when Watson comes back we'll be in the best shape we've been in for a long time. We look to have unearthed an opening partnership that is balanced and dangerous. The middle order is compiling insane amounts of runs. Warner - Cowan - Watson - Ponting - Clarke - Hussey has the potential to be the best top 6 in world Cricket over the next 18 months. That is the top 6 that can win us The Ashes.

Not all of this due to Clarke, but what we're seeing now has been in the works since he took over. Aurthur and Inverarity complete the picture. Clarke's own batting is a big part of this turn around, and he seems to have lifted Ponting and Hussey around him - those two should now be planning and expecting to bat through the Ashes next year. Clarke insisted those two stay in the team.

For most players, I think you can say that respect for them as players and whether you think they are a good bloke are two sepearate things, but I think it's different for the captain. If you're a shit bloke, you probably won't succeed as captain because you won't be able to effectively unite the team behind yourself. I reckon the whole team and nearly everyone involved in Australian Cricket is 100% behind Clarke.

I don't know how anyone could not respect him at this point.

</thread>

Well said.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

Generally speaking? Developing charisma would help, I suppose. Not giving a s*** what they public think would also help (the two are entwined). Acknowledging that he's lived a charmed life, I think, would make a difference (I mean, professionally). Not being a CA mouthpiece?

 

[King Elvis]

</thread>

Well said.

I think you're both getting way, way ahead of yourselves.

The signs are good, but India are a joke, they stopped trying during the second Test, and just want to go home..

 

[Matera92]

To everyone in this thread calling Clarke a tosser/w***er etc, have any of you actually met him?

From the people I know who have met him more than a few times they have said he's a top bloke and very easy going.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Generally speaking? Developing charisma would help, I suppose.

Lolsrs? Should he buy you dinner first?

Not giving a s*** what they public think would also help (the two are entwined).

I think he's quite straight with the media most of the time, but if he came out 100% honest all the time (how many captains in this country do that?) then he'd be critisised for that, too.

Instead of being "He doesn't say enough" it'd be "He shouldn't have said that".

Acknowledging that he's lived a charmed life, I think, would make a difference (I mean, professionally). Not being a CA mouthpiece?

So he should hold a press conference to say this or what? Seriously some people will just invent reasons to hate the guy.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

olsrs? Should he buy you dinner first?

Lol, you took that the wrong way! Although I could've chosen a better word, can't think of one right now.

I think he's quite straight with the media most of the time, but if he came out 100% honest all the time (how many captains in this country do that?) then he'd be critisised for that, too.

Instead of being "He doesn't say enough" it'd be "He shouldn't have said that".

I suppose this is a bit of grey area.

So he should hold a press conference to say this or what? Seriously some people will just invent reasons to hate the guy.

Once again you took it the wrong way. I'm thinking can you imagine if Clarke come out and said or implied...

"Yeah, I know I may not have been worthy of the baggy green, at the time of my test debut, especially compared to others. But what do you want me to do? Say no to test cricket?"

"Yeah, I may've been just as useless as Rick, prior to being promoted as captain, so therefore shouldn't have been promoted as captain. But what else were we to do? We were going s***house and had to do something."

Either way, he has been a fair bit spoilt, which I think contributes to people not warming to him. To anybody who like motorsport, the stick Clarke gets is not far away from what Lewis Hamilton also gets.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

I was listening to a Alec Stewart radio interview last night. He was asked "What's your best innings?" While he's answering tons in each innings against WI and a match saving ton against SA, I'm also thinking of answers I've heard other players say or talk about similar innings. When I got to Clarke though, I picked up a contradiction.

Not that I saw it, but others have gone on and on about his 157 in SA, fair enough, but if you ask Michael about it, he'll say "Doesn't mean anything cos we didn't win the game", fine, no worries, it's all about winning the game. But I've also heard him asked about what he thinks of his triple, then the double tons, paraphrasing "All hundreds for Australia are special". I know it's subtle but, do you pick up the contradiction? Does being a media performer warrant criticism? Does saying what he thinks people want to hear instead of being honest warrant criticism? Just asking...

 

[rickyp]

Imadodgyumpire, what are you rambling about? Your last three posts combined make absolutely no sense. Can you honestly say you want Clarke to come out in a press conference and say he didn't deserve to debut? And he didn't deserve to be captain? Have you lost your mind!!!???

 

[imadodgyumpire]

Imadodgyumpire, what are you rambling about? Your last three posts combined make absolutely no sense. Can you honestly say you want Clarke to come out in a press conference and say he didn't deserve to debut? And he didn't deserve to be captain? Have you lost your mind!!!???

Those two posts are three days apart! Read the post again...slowly. Then read it one more time even slower and see if you can pick up on what I said.

 

[rickyp]

Once again you took it the wrong way. I'm thinking can you imagine if Clarke come out and said or implied...

"Yeah, I know I may not have been worthy of the baggy green, at the time of my test debut, especially compared to others. But what do you want me to do? Say no to test cricket?"

"Yeah, I may've been just as useless as Rick, prior to being promoted as captain, so therefore shouldn't have been promoted as captain. But what else were we to do? We were going s***house and had to do something."

Either way, he has been a fair bit spoilt, which I think contributes to people not warming to him. To anybody who like motorsport, the stick Clarke gets is not far away from what Lewis Hamilton also gets.

Those two posts are three days apart! Read the post again...slowly. Then read it one more time even slower and see if you can pick up on what I said.

You're joking... The above quote, that's what you want him to come out and say?

 

[imadodgyumpire]

You're joking... The above quote, that's what you want him to come out and say?

"can you imagine"

 

[rickyp]

"can you imagine"

yes, that's my point. What is the purpose of your previous posts? They are just ramblings.

 

[MisterMarcus]

To everyone in this thread calling Clarke a tosser/w***er etc, have any of you actually met him?

From the people I know who have met him more than a few times they have said he's a top bloke and very easy going.

Well he's a public figure so will get judged on his public image and persona.

And the reality is the whole blonde tips, model girlfriend, flashy car, undies ads image he developed early in his career rubbed some people up the wrong way. Combine that with his apparent Chosen One status and you can easily see why people didn't warm to him. You can blame the media for the hype but he courted that media image as much as the media loved him.

Now he's moving from young gun to elder statesman and is consciously trying to re-invent himself, which is fine. But first impressions stick, so I can easily understand why Joe Public are skeptical of his new Serious-Captain, Team-First-Me-Second image.

On field, I think sometimes he has had a touch of the Mark Waughs about him.....he makes it look so easy batting then when he does get out it can seem casual and uninterested.

 

[imadodgyumpire]

yes, that's my point. What is the purpose of your previous posts? They are just ramblings.

Geezuz! First all, even if he thought it, it would take a lot of balls to say it in public. So, imagine the public opinion of him if he did? Compare the opinons.

Secondly, because there was doubt about his test call up in the first place, that he was the next best middle order/batsman. Had he said the first quote, it may soften the hard opinion people have about him. Because he would be relating to some of them.

Thirdly, his promotion to captain was a few years in waiting, without it being obvious that it was the best choice. Ideally, people would earn a promotion like that for their on-field efforts, not due, partly, to the off-field benefits. He was just as poor as Ricky before being promoted as captain. Ricky gets demoted, Clarke gets promoted. Explain? Just because the momentum is with him now, doesn't mean people forget what has happened before. Momentum can easily be stopped.

Fourthly, I've heard him dismiss his ton in SA because the team didn't win the game, then say every ton for Australia is special. A contradiction I picked up, OK?

 

[BACCS]

Fourthly, I've heard him dismiss his ton in SA because the team didn't win the game, then say every ton for Australia is special. A contradiction I picked up, OK?

I really don't see how that's a contradiction, surely it isn't that hard to understand what he is trying to say?

 

[Tyberious Funk]

Thirdly, his promotion to captain was a few years in waiting, without it being obvious that it was the best choice. Ideally, people would earn a promotion like that for their on-field efforts, not due, partly, to the off-field benefits. He was just as poor as Ricky before being promoted as captain. Ricky gets demoted, Clarke gets promoted. Explain? Just because the momentum is with him now, doesn't mean people forget what has happened before. Momentum can easily be stopped.

Sorry, but this is a load of crap. Clarke was made captain on the basis of the fact that he had been the vice captain for a number of years and had captained the team admirably in Ponting's absences. I'm not exactly sure what more he was supposed to do to prove his captaincy credentials "on the field".

Unless you are trying to draw a connection between playing ability and captaincy.

Fourthly, I've heard him dismiss his ton in SA because the team didn't win the game, then say every ton for Australia is special. A contradiction I picked up, OK?

Wow... talk about nit-picking.

 

[Matera92]

Well he's a public figure so will get judged on his public image and persona.

And the reality is the whole blonde tips, model girlfriend, flashy car, undies ads image he developed early in his career rubbed some people up the wrong way. Combine that with his apparent Chosen One status and you can easily see why people didn't warm to him. You can blame the media for the hype but he courted that media image as much as the media loved him.

Now he's moving from young gun to elder statesman and is consciously trying to re-invent himself, which is fine. But first impressions stick, so I can easily understand why Joe Public are skeptical of his new Serious-Captain, Team-First-Me-Second image.

On field, I think sometimes he has had a touch of the Mark Waughs about him.....he makes it look so easy batting then when he does get out it can seem casual and uninterested.

Yes because people don't change as they mature right? Why is it an act and not the real Michael Clarke that is coming out now he has the responsibility of Captain? He's done nothing but thrive since being put into one of the most difficult roles in Australian Sport yet people still want to tear him down, piss weak tall poppy syndrome at it's finest.

As for how he acted when he was younger, are you telling me if you had access to hot women, flash cars and sponsorship deals that you or anyone else wouldn't have jumped at it?

 

[Rustin Cohle]

[youtube]5hfYJsQAhl0[/youtube]

@ imadodgyumpire

 

[Outshined]

Clarke will never have the level of respect past captains have had, no matter what his achievements might be.

This is solely due to the fact that the majority of the Australian public are idiots who don't have the power to overcome baseless preconceptions and the personal biases formed because he breaks the mould of Ponting, Waugh etc.

I'm fairy confident that when he finishes his career, he'll be recognized as one of our most tactically astute captains, with a fair few notable achievements (50+ average, Ashes victories etc), but it won't make one iota of difference to many amongst us. Like others have said, he'll always appear as the cruiser drinking pretty boy who got gifted a spot in the side based on his looks.

 

[MisterMarcus]

Yes because people don't change as they mature right? Why is it an act and not the real Michael Clarke that is coming out now he has the responsibility of Captain? He's done nothing but thrive since being put into one of the most difficult roles in Australian Sport yet people still want to tear him down, piss weak tall poppy syndrome at it's finest.

As for how he acted when he was younger, are you telling me if you had access to hot women, flash cars and sponsorship deals that you or anyone else wouldn't have jumped at it?

Of course people change, but the reality is he's a public figure and once your public image is established then it's hard to change it. That's just plain fact.

The fact is that many people still perceive Clarke a certain way, and probably will never truly buy into the new "I'm a serious mature captain now" image. I'm not saying it's right or wrong, or that I personally believe it, but I reckon that is the root cause of people's reluctance to totally embrace him.

And while it's easy for me to say, given the hype Clarke had received almost from the moment he stepped out for NSW, he'd have been far better served to keep his head down. The fast-car-flashy-women thing and his open embrace of all the publicity that came with it just played into the negative stereotype people formed of him.

 

[rickyp]

[youtube]5hfYJsQAhl0[/youtube]

@ imadodgyumpire

Exactly what I was going to post. I can't believe I read the entire post, let alone those before it.