Pressure mounts on Michael Clarke’s Twenty20 captaincy
If Australia had won the World Twenty20 final, an analysis of Michael Clarke’s performance in the shortest form of the game may have been avoided.
But after the two best sides in the Caribbean competition did battle in the decider, it was the old enemy, England, that won the right to celebrate after inflicting a seven-wicket defeat upon the Aussies.
Unfortunately for Clarke and the 10 other men decked out in green and gold, after an undefeated run of six matches through the group stage, Super Eight and semi-finals they fell just one victory short of a maiden World Twenty20 title, and that fact makes it just that bit tougher to gloss over the fact that as a batsman, Pup didn’t really pull his weight in the Australian side.
The harsh truth is that over the course of seven matches, there was just one Australian player that failed to break a game apart, or even make a telling contribution, with bat or ball and that was the skipper.
"There's no doubt that the selectors will need to have a look at my performances," said Clarke after the match.
"I certainly know they haven't been up to scratch through this whole tournament and probably in Twenty20 cricket in general. I'm sure the selectors will sit down and have a look and if I'm not the right guy for number three and the captaincy then they'll make that decision."
Indeed, it’s difficult to escape the conclusion that if Clarke was not the heir apparent to Ricky Ponting’s Test and ODI captaincies, then he would have struggled to secure a place in Australia’s squad for the World Twenty20.
In Twenty20 Internationals, of which he’s played 31, Clarke bats at an average of 21.85, with a strike rate of 101.39. In his seven matches in the Caribbean, Clarke averaged 15.33 runs per match, and a disappointing strike rate of 80.70. No other Australian batsmen had a strike rate of less than 100.00 during the tournament, with Michael Hussey leading the team with a strike rate of 175.70, and an average of 94.00.
Hussey, as he proved in the semi-final against Pakistan, is a batsman who can make the task of smacking 18 runs off the final over look like child’s play. Two sixes, a four, and another six later and Mr Cricket was at the heart of some jubilant celebrations in the Australian camp.
It’s not an innings that seems within the realms of possibility for Clarke, and that’s another compelling reason for Australian selectors to swing the axe on Pup’s place in the Twenty20 team.
What Clarke is, is about the most elegant stroke-maker there is in the current Australia Test side. He was undoubtedly the most consistent of Australia’s batsmen in last year’s losing Ashes series.
In the media storm that surrounded the end of his relationship with ex-fiancée Lara Bingle earlier this year, Clarke maintained his dignity, and upon rejoining the Australian team in New Zealand posted his highest test score, 168, to prove the whole saga had not affected his focus on cricket. Not one bit.
What Clarke isn’t, however, is a Twenty20 player. While there can be few quibbles with his captaincy in leading Australia all the way to the final in his first ICC tournament, his batting belongs in the more traditional cricketing formats where he’s got more opportunity to bat himself in and build an innings.
Certainly, Australia is not without alternative options for the Twenty20 captaincy, if they can move away from the notion the role is an apprenticeship for the ODI and Test arenas.
Hussey, a 34-year-old veteran of 50 Tests, 140 ODIs and 25 Twenty20 Internationals, would surely be one who could step into the role, but if Australia are looking for proven leadership ability in Twenty20 cricket, they could do worse than current vice-captain Cameron White, who has captained state side Victoria to domestic Twenty20 success.
There’s no reason to doubt that Clarke will one day captain Australia’s Test side, but on the form he showed in the Caribbean there has to be legitimate doubt as to his place in Australia’s Twenty20 side, let alone as its leader.
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