Michael Clarke to retire

The Meeting Place > The Sports Club > Michael Clarke to retire

8 yrs ago

After relinquishing the Ashes to England, Michael Clarke has announced that he will retire from international cricket. The test at The Oval will by the 34-year-old’s last appearance in the Baggy Green, finishing his career with 28 test centuries, just one shy of Sir Don Bradman and over 100 appearances for Australia.

His career has been a tumultuous one, with many of the cricket-loving public not initially taking to Clark as a replacement for Ricky Ponting. Let’s hope Steve Smith, the next Australian captain, has a better innings.

8 comments

Gerry

8 yrs ago

I'm Myself

8 yrs ago

That sign is certianly doing the rounds, first on my Face Book and then through the emails.... it sure is funny though....

Gerry

8 yrs ago

You're right Deanna - I pinched it off facebook :)

Mandy

8 yrs ago

Am I alone in thinking that Clarke is taking the rap for how poorly the Australian team were prepared for swing conditions in England. At Lords when the sun was shining brightly the Australians reigned supreme, but in the other three tests when the overhead conditions were perfect for swing bowling they looked like boys playing with men. So how much consideration did our selectors give to choosing Batsmen who could bat under those conditions and how much did the coach do to prepare our players for these conditions and the English cricket ball? Did anyone notice the look of glee when Cook won the toss and announced he would field in the last test?

I'm Myself

8 yrs ago

Mandy, yes it's usually the coach and the captain of any sport who feel the brunt of failure so no surprise there.... however, in relation to the conditions over there, surely the powers that be should have known what to expect, and surely the players themselves, playing at such a level would have experienced and prepared for such conditions.... it's no good just being able to play in dry conditions, need to get the batting and bowling coaches to prepare the players for what to expect, study the opponents and their environment... well that's just my opinion anyway...

seth

8 yrs ago

Do we expect too much from our sportspeople? it was always an advantage playing on your home ground, you knew how to use it, cricket can be a great leveler as it has shown, You can be the Áce'' one day and the joker the next.

Isn't everybody taking this a bit too seriously ,,,

seth

8 yrs ago

Pete how did you get away from politics? I thought you were glued there.

To discuss something does not mean you take it serious like BB, who just takes it.

I wonder if Clarke will get a pension and free travel plus an office in town or will he have to find a proper job like the rest of us.

Denzel

8 yrs ago

he wont need a proper job

he's already got millions

he'll become a cricket commentator and get more millions

“They don’t like it up ‘em, Captain Mainwaring.”

You read it in The Spectator Australia first, just a few short weeks ago in my Ashes preview: England would win the Ashes. However, not even the most rabid fan would have expected it to be in such an emphatic fashion. Even before the Fifth Test, which gets under way at the Oval on the 20th, it is done and totally dusted. The Ashes have been regained by England which has now won four from the last five series contested whilst Australia has not won a series in England since 2001. The two sides initially campaigned a war of inconsistency but ultimately ‘Dad’s Army’ as Australia was christened by Jason Gillespie, was decimated whilst the glorious youth of England marched on. The whole series was encapsulated by that dramatic surrender on the first morning of the Fourth Test when Australia was dispatched for just sixty runs in the shortest first innings in Test history and its third lowest score for 100 years.

i didn't realise that Australia was this hopeless at cricket..

Abby

8 yrs ago

UK Immigration Department

Michael Clarke to retire

Preview your comment