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Michael Clarke

Prince EWS

Global Moderator
Don't think anyone could point to the last five Tests - especially those in India - and say he's especially struggled with the conditions. Struggled with the pressure of being the only competent batsman in the team, maybe.
I do think he's struggled with the conditions a bit in England. Playing the moving ball has never been his strength and I think that's been shown a bit here. India was an aberration though; there's nothing about his game in the slightest that suggests he shouldn't do well in the subcontinent.
 

Maximas

Cricketer Of The Year
Most players struggle somewhat in overseas conditions, however he has made centuries or good runs in basically every country he has played in, I think it's very unfair to call him a home-track bully.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
I do think he's struggled with the conditions a bit in England. Playing the moving ball has never been his strength and I think that's been shown a bit here. India was an aberration though; there's nothing about his game in the slightest that suggests he shouldn't do well in the subcontinent.
He did alright, tbf. Hundred and a 90, and then had a bad Test. I think there it really was a mental thing.

I think he's looked okay here, he's never going to be at his best at swing bowling but I think he showed at Lord's that he's in better nick than his scores suggest, but he seems to be finding ways to get out at the moment, which is unusual for Clarke since he took up the captaincy.
 

flibbertyjibber

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Clarke isn't a flat track bully/homester bully. He was ok in 05 in England, brilliant in 09 in England and now has struggled with injury yet still looks the best Aussie player this time. A fine player who is struggling for form and fitness with a poor team is always going to struggle. Look at Atherton in the 90's, not in the same class as Clarke but basically the same problems as Clarke has now.
 

Teja.

Global Moderator
Clarke overall: Home average - 61.9, Away Average - 41.9

Clarke since 2012 - Home average - 63.34, Away Average - 41.7

I think it has got to a point where it's not an aberration anymore but Clarke is outstanding at home and a decent batsman capable of some awesome innings' away. I don't think it's even a form thing. Due to whatever reasons, technical or mental, Clarke is a miles better batsman on home tracks than away and will probably end his career that way.

Thoughts?
 

OverratedSanity

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Yeah, possibly. Is certainly capable of playing magical knocks but doesn't seem to be consistent enough overseas.

Also, for a player who is supposedly one of the great players of spin bowling, his record in India/SL/UAE isn't too flattering
 

Furball

Evil Scotsman
Yeah, possibly. Is certainly capable of playing magical knocks but doesn't seem to be consistent enough overseas.

Also, for a player who is supposedly one of the great players of spin bowling, his record in India/SL/UAE isn't too flattering
The problem Australian (and English) batsmen have against spin is the lack of pace and bounce they face in Asia rather than the fact it's spin.

The same Asian spinners get utterly belted when they tour.
 

smash84

The Tiger King
The problem Australian (and English) batsmen have against spin is the lack of pace and bounce they face in Asia rather than the fact it's spin.

The same Asian spinners get utterly belted when they tour.
The problem SC batsmen have against pace is the pace and bounce they face in Aus/SA rather than the fact that its pace.

The same batsmen utterly belt the pacers at home

8-)
 

Contra

Cricketer Of The Year
Yeah, possibly. Is certainly capable of playing magical knocks but doesn't seem to be consistent enough overseas.

Also, for a player who is supposedly one of the great players of spin bowling, his record in India/SL/UAE isn't too flattering
Yep, always found Clarke to be overrated against spin, he's not been someone I've ever worried about whenever he toured India. His plan is basically to jog down the wicket every few deliveries which doesn't automatically qualify him as a great player of spin bowling. I mean he's good, but not exceptional by any means.
 

Daemon

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The problem SC batsmen have against pace is the pace and bounce they face in Aus/SA rather than the fact that its pace.

The same batsmen utterly belt the pacers at home

8-)
No need to roll your eyes, it's actually true :p
 

ImpatientLime

International Regular
The problem Australian (and English) batsmen have against spin is the lack of pace and bounce they face in Asia rather than the fact it's spin.

The same Asian spinners get utterly belted when they tour.
Yeah there's something in this. When India served up fizzing, spinning wickets in 2012, Panesar and Swann comprehensively outbowled Aswin and Ojha.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Yeah there's something in this. When India served up fizzing, spinning wickets in 2012, Panesar and Swann comprehensively outbowled Aswin and Ojha.
Nah they just bowled **** - most Indian spinners of previous generations would have dominated on that pitch. That's just an anomaly. Swann and Panesar bowled awesome on that Mumbai pitch. But Harbhajan and Kumble would have done so as well. Ashwin's inability to do anything on that was because he bowled absolute tripe.
 

Daemon

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England batted really well on that tour too. They learnt from the warm ups and the first test and actually bothered applying themselves. Ashwin and Ojha on the other hand were too used to NZ and WI batsmen getting themselves out to anything that landed on the pitch.
 

Teja.

Global Moderator
Nah they just bowled **** - most Indian spinners of previous generations would have dominated on that pitch. That's just an anomaly. Swann and Panesar bowled awesome on that Mumbai pitch. But Harbhajan and Kumble would have done so as well. Ashwin's inability to do anything on that was because he bowled absolute tripe.
Yeah, can't stress this enough, It's also true re:Ashwin's bowling away from home. The main problem isn't that his bowling is structurally constructed to average 500 away from home, it's just that he has bowled complete filth in the few away opportunities he has had.
 

OverratedSanity

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Yeah there's something in this. When India served up fizzing, spinning wickets in 2012, Panesar and Swann comprehensively outbowled Aswin and Ojha.
Basically just Ashwin bowling rubbish and Pietersen and cook playing godlike knocks. Exactly the same(or opposite) thing happened on that lord's greentop where we won. If Anderson and Broad had bowled even decently, we'd have been bowled out for 150 or less. They bowled **** and Rahane made a great ton.
 

OverratedSanity

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Yeah, can't stress this enough, It's also true re:Ashwin's bowling away from home. The main problem isn't that his bowling is structurally constructed to average 500 away from home, it's just that he has bowled complete filth in the few away opportunities he has had.
I felt there were signs of him improving at the end of the England tour. I've always, always felt you need to give bowlers like Ashwin a good number of chances and eventually he will become a good bowler overseas. Look at how long it took Kumble... used to be useless overseas but slowly became a good bowler even overseas.
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Basically just Ashwin bowling rubbish and Pietersen and cook playing godlike knocks. Exactly the same(or opposite) thing happened on that lord's greentop where we won. If Anderson and Broad had bowled even decently, we'd have been bowled out for 150 or less. They bowled **** and Rahane made a great ton.
Imagine Anderson and Broad's spells at OT on the Lord's pitch. India would have been lucky to pass 50.
 

cnerd123

likes this
I felt there were signs of him improving at the end of the England tour. I've always, always felt you need to give bowlers like Ashwin a good number of chances and eventually he will become a good bowler overseas. Look at how long it took Kumble... used to be useless overseas but slowly became a good bowler even overseas.
While I agree with this, I think India has to stop picking Ashwin for ODIs first. His Test bowling is going the way Harbhajan's did - he isn't using his stock ball well, is relying too much on his subtle variations, is bowling flattish, and doesn't have enough patience. He can get away with it on spinning tracks at home against batsmen weak against spin, but is struggling on less responsive decks overseas.

He needs more time back in Ranji cricket and needs to be playing Tests exclusively.
 

weldone

Hall of Fame Member
The problem Australian (and English) batsmen have against spin is the lack of pace and bounce they face in Asia rather than the fact it's spin.

The same Asian spinners get utterly belted when they tour.
Ya it's always the combination of bowling and condition/pitch that kill them rather than one alone.

...just like some SC batsmen against quality pace bowling in England/South Africa/Australia
 

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