Michael Clarke quits Twenty20 cricket
Australian batsman Michael Clarke has announced his retirement from Twenty20 cricket in order to focus more on Test cricket.
He took the decision after the 2010-11 Ashes series loss on Friday and said that he would no longer lead the Twenty20 side as he preferred to concentrate on Test and One Day cricket.
“I think every individual is different but Test cricket is the ultimate for me,” http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Clarke-c51120 told the media.
He stressed that Test cricket has always remained his priority and he always focuses on the oldest format of cricket. However, he conceded that he had a poor run of form in the series but vowed to improve on that soon.
Clarke made only 193 runs at an average of 21.44 in nine Test innings recently. Not only he was being criticised for being immature to lead the side in Ricky Ponting’s absence, but his form was also worrying the Australian camp.
Clarke led the Test side against England in the last and final Ashes Test in Sydney which the Aussies lost by an innings and 83 runs.
As a result, Australia suffered a humiliating 3-1 Ashes defeat. The Sydney Test was their third innings defeat in the five-match series as England cast away the twenty-four year long spell of not winning the Ashes on Australian soil.
Clarke stated that his team knew about the decision. He said, “I’ve made that clear to the boys in the changing rooms, they’re aware of that.”
The now former Twenty20 captain has struggled to find the pace required for the shortest format of the game. His technically correct batting did not aptly suit the version. He had a strike rate of 103.17 in thirty two Twenty20 internationals and a mediocre
average of 21.21 which is well below of what is expected by a top-order batsman.
“Not performing well in that form of the game had made that decision easier,” the 29-year-old admitted.
Australia’s Twenty20 vice-captain Cameron White will now be leading the side in two Twenty20 games against England on 12 and 14 January 2011. Wicketkeeper Tim Paine was named as his deputy.
“We are confident that they will provide outstanding leadership for what is a very exciting young talent in this form of the game,” Cricket http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746’s chief executive Andrew Hilditch read in a statement.
He also announced that the squad will feature the return of fast bowlers Brett Lee and Shaun Tait. The Twenty20 games will be followed by a seven-match One Day International series.
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