War
Chairman of Selectors
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2010
- Online Cricket Games Owned
The recent revelations by Mikey Arthur - Australia Cricket News: Mickey Arthur legal claims leaked | ESPN Cricinfo about his tenure as coach, made me start to think about the state of Clarke's captaincy. But we will get to that.
Firstly going back to 2011 when AUS lost the Ashes & were knocked out in the world cup quarter finals, their was a loud crescendo for Ponting to lose the captaincy across all formats. I was still of the view that Ponting shouldn't have resigned as captain, but should have kept the captaincy (at least in tests) because i didn't see any younger players who had the same captaincy "aura" that had become synonymous with AUS captains in the last 25 years from Border, Taylor, S Waugh, Warne, Taylor, Ponting.
Ponting was often criticized for not being very imaginative and very tactical - but he certain had an aura that players respected in the dressing room.
Clarke clearly is AUS best tactical captain since Taylor - but he has no aura. Clarke to me has never graduated from the "pup" nickname he was anointed all those years ago. You compare a young S Waugh in the mid 80s to Waugh in 99 when he became skipper or young punter in late 90s compared to when he became skipper in 2004 & you see a mature figure. I just don't see that with Clarke.
With senior players like Katich, Ponting, Hussey gone - Clarke sadly has no control over the dressing room. Despite all the runs he had been making, he unfortunately doesn't inspire the dressing room that way Ponting did, which is why when one reads between the lines of what Arthur is saying about his relationship with Watson, home-work gate, Warner's erratic behavior - their is no way these things would happen under the captaincies of Border, Taylor, Waugh or Ponting. Never.
I remember Justin Langer used to say he would jump into front of bus for S Waugh, how he inspired them. Would any member of the current team do that for Clarke?...Mann i doubt it
In this period of doldrums which is just like the late 80s, AUS need another Border type leader - just not a captain who set a good field and make smart bowling changes. Because sooner rather than later its going to start affecting Clarke's batting (if it hasn't already) & lord know what AUS will do if Clarke isn't scoring runs consistently.
Firstly going back to 2011 when AUS lost the Ashes & were knocked out in the world cup quarter finals, their was a loud crescendo for Ponting to lose the captaincy across all formats. I was still of the view that Ponting shouldn't have resigned as captain, but should have kept the captaincy (at least in tests) because i didn't see any younger players who had the same captaincy "aura" that had become synonymous with AUS captains in the last 25 years from Border, Taylor, S Waugh, Warne, Taylor, Ponting.
Ponting was often criticized for not being very imaginative and very tactical - but he certain had an aura that players respected in the dressing room.
Clarke clearly is AUS best tactical captain since Taylor - but he has no aura. Clarke to me has never graduated from the "pup" nickname he was anointed all those years ago. You compare a young S Waugh in the mid 80s to Waugh in 99 when he became skipper or young punter in late 90s compared to when he became skipper in 2004 & you see a mature figure. I just don't see that with Clarke.
With senior players like Katich, Ponting, Hussey gone - Clarke sadly has no control over the dressing room. Despite all the runs he had been making, he unfortunately doesn't inspire the dressing room that way Ponting did, which is why when one reads between the lines of what Arthur is saying about his relationship with Watson, home-work gate, Warner's erratic behavior - their is no way these things would happen under the captaincies of Border, Taylor, Waugh or Ponting. Never.
I remember Justin Langer used to say he would jump into front of bus for S Waugh, how he inspired them. Would any member of the current team do that for Clarke?...Mann i doubt it
In this period of doldrums which is just like the late 80s, AUS need another Border type leader - just not a captain who set a good field and make smart bowling changes. Because sooner rather than later its going to start affecting Clarke's batting (if it hasn't already) & lord know what AUS will do if Clarke isn't scoring runs consistently.
