TOPIC:

Not too sure what to make of the Michael Clarke interview on 60 minutes the other night. It was obviously a promotion for his new book but it does appear to have reopened old wounds and highlighted a not so happy time in Australian cricket.

Clarke does seem to have been a divisive figure in the sport in which he had as many detractors as admirers. No surprises that the relationship between Watson and Clarke was always frosty but to describe Watson as part of a tumour was a little over the top I thought. In contrast I felt that he handled himself very well in the wake of the death of Phil Hughes and became the public face of Cricket during that tragic period, but now he divulges that he was under considerable pressure at the time from Cricket Australia to play in the test after Hughes death when he was still crippled with back and hamstring problems. He felt he was then blamed when he inevitably broke down after making a ton in this test.

Also he seemed uncomfortable with some of the other senior players of the time such as Hayden, Hussey, Ponting Katich etc and there were some incidents which involved all of them during his career.

On the positive side there is no doubting his pedigree as a batsman as his test record showed. Results wise his captaincy stats were pretty good with the 2013 /14 Ashes victory and the World Cup win a highlight. He was still a very polarising figure amongst the public though with many still feeling that his record was boosted by a lot of talented teams that he played in.

My mind goes back to a guy named Kim Hughes who evoked similar responses from the public 30 years ago during a much more turbulent time for cricket. The similarities are there, a precociously talented individual, outwardly likeable and full of confidence in his own ability but one who also had a knack of rubbing other Senior players up the wrong way ( remember Hughes conflicts with Lillee and Marsh)

I wonder how history will remember M J Clarke?

As a good batsman Mike.

as Binger's ex

He had ability, rememmberring in particular, his 150 on a dodgy pitch in Africa; a test, which even so, Australia went on to lose in the end.

I Had no problem with the fact that he was not an 'ueber Australian' in the mold of some of the senior players. In truth, for me personally, I would always try harder for WA than Australia.

I think there is little doubt that the ACB helpped to shorten his career by his playing in the test match mentioned.

KJ had it much harder than Clarke. In simple terms, Marsh could never get over the Chappell brothers playing pass the parcel with the role of the captain in 1975; he had as much claim as GS to the role, something people seem to forget when writting or discussing the question. It is almost certain that he would have been made a belatted captain in 1977 had he stayed with the ACB.

No doubt whatsoever KJH was on a hiding to nothing AR ...also was a target by the Eastern States media who never wanted a WA boy in the country's highest position!