The Clarke Captaincy

[from_the_stands]

Predictably, regretably, unfortunately... the announcement of Michael Clarke's captaincy was made today in Sydney.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/bangladesh-v-australia-2011/content/current/story/508633.html

I'm taking an English approach to this by looking for the positives. Gee, I'm still looking!

I hope I'm proved wrong, but I don't see Clarke being much different to Ponting in terms of captaincy. He's only ever played under Ponting in international cricket, so he's likely to have picked up many of Ponting's traits, although scoring runs doesn't seem to be one them! Hopefully, he doesn't spit the way Punter does. Perhaps Clarke will employ different strategies than Punter, and they might be more success. If he's really lucky, Clarke might have a new set of selectors to work with.

With the Test captaincy now in Clarke's hands, the Aussies are embarking on a new era. With the likes of Ponting, Katich and Hussey all likely to retire in the next 12 months, the old guard will be all gone. A new generation of players will filter into the national set-up, and Pup will be the man in charge. And if he gets injured, it'll be Twatto time!

My expectations for the Clarke captaincy is that it's going to be a tough first 12 months. A tour to Sri Lanka is the next engagement (following Bangladesh), then South Africa away, before the Saffas at home, and India at home. I can't really see the Aussies winning too many of those matches. If Clarke is still captain when the back-to-back Ashes come around, then;

a) He'll have turned the Oz fortunes around become one of the game's great captains!
b) Oz will have been rubbish for the duration, but no other options are available.
c) Oz will have been rubbish for the duration, but nobody else wants the job.
d) Oz will have been rubbish for the duration, but the "jobs-for-the-boys" policy keeps him in the position.

I'd like to think it was a), but none of the others would surprise me.

What are your thoughts about the Clarke captaincy?

[GordoninPortsmouth]

Now that he's got the job its time to give Clarke a fair go and back him. I hope that as a NSW captain he will be more in tune with the needs of spin bowlers - something Punter fell down on IMO.

Anyway its likely to be a difficult period for Aus cricket whoever is captain and I wish Clarke all the best.

[yuppie]

I agree with Gordon in that Clarke will give more support to the spinners in the team. But will the spinners be good enough for that support.

Clarke is in for a tough time, he will need runs from the former skipper to atleast to give him a chance at the Job.

I do wonder where will Clarke bat, and what will he do with Ponting. Will he drop him down the order?

[meninblue]

Best of luck to Clarke but i don't think Clarke is ever going to win even half the test and ODI series of what Ponting has. A captain is as good as a team and Clarke is short of great players Ponting had (including himself). However, one needs to take decissions properly to still get the best out of the resources. IMO Clarke should give Smith and Kreza good support. On the batting front he should give more chances to Khwaja than Cameron White in tests and ODI. Even Shaun Marsh in ODI. As of pace he has excellent pace resources in Bollinger, Nannes, Stuart Clarke if they are fit. He has the best all rounder in Watson. Apart from Watto he should develop following all rounders: in T20 i think Dan Christian and Smith, in ODI Smith and Hastings can be developed, not sure who can be a test all rounder though.

[PardonWonTheCup]

He's the obvious choice. I hope he puts himself back down to 5. It would be stupid to leave himself at 4 when he's been so poor there.

Good luck to him, like fts, I can't see the Aussies winning too many of the up and coming test matches regardless of who is captaining the side. I hope he gets some bowlers who know where the stumps are most games, that would be a great help. The batting has been dodgy for a long time, so I have no idea what the plans are there.

[from_the_stands]

At the end of the day, there are three reasons why I'm not jumping over the moon about Clarke becoming captain;

1 - His form has been poor for some time.
2 - His hanging on to the T20 captaincy too long, costing Oz the World T20 title.
3 - His role in having Andrew Symonds banished from international cricket.

[SaintPowelly]

Hes an ex-Hampshire lad, and I back all ex-Hants players ( except KP ).So I genuinely hope he is succesful

[Durhamfootman]

Perhaps the sequel will be called 'the Clarke Ultimatum' and the prequel 'the Clarke Conspiracy'

Oh, and Stands...... since when did Clarke's captaincy cost Aus the WT20 title? My recollection is that England kicked your arses, plain and simple!

[from_the_stands]

Perhaps the sequel will be called 'the Clarke Ultimatum' and the prequel 'the Clarke Conspiracy'

Let's not forget, "the Ponting Redundency," or even "the Waugh Identity!"

Oh, and Stands...... since when did Clarke's captaincy cost Aus the WT20 title? My recollection is that England kicked your arses, plain and simple!

Clarke being in the T20 XI cost us having a better player in there, one more suited to the format than Clarke was. If Cam White was skipper, and we had Andrew Symonds in there, or even Brad Hodge, the Aussies would have one that contest easily!

[Durhamfootman]

Clarke being in the T20 XI cost us having a better player in there, one more suited to the format than Clarke was. If Cam White was skipper, and we had Andrew Symonds in there, or even Brad Hodge, the Aussies would have one that contest easily!

Nah....... we'd have still whipped your sorry backsides

[gollygosh]

I dont have a problem with Clarke as captain of the Test team. I think his captaincy skills arent any worse than Ponting's in terms of trying new things, and hopefully he will set fields a little quicker!

I dont want him as ODI captain, but he will be as a matter of course. He has now "resigned" from 20/20 so shouldnt even get a look-in in that format.

What I dont like is that he was "anointed" as next captain almost from his debut. Reflects perfectly the rigid mindset of CA selectors. What happens now.... do we anoint another 21 year old? or are we going to see who is the best for the job at the time.

[from_the_stands]

What happens now.... do we anoint another 21 year old? or are we going to see who is the best for the job at the time.

Mitchell Marsh.

[PardonWonTheCup]

I dont have a problem with Clarke as captain of the Test team. I think his captaincy skills arent any worse than Ponting's in terms of trying new things, and hopefully he will set fields a little quicker!

I dont want him as ODI captain, but he will be as a matter of course. He has now "resigned" from 20/20 so shouldnt even get a look-in in that format.

What I dont like is that he was "anointed" as next captain almost from his debut. Reflects perfectly the rigid mindset of CA selectors. What happens now.... do we anoint another 21 year old? or are we going to see who is the best for the job at the time.

Some idiot in the press has already started talking up Steve Smith as a future captain. Bloody hell, that NSW media just can't help themselves.

What I have always held against Clarke is that he never had to do much at first class level to get selected and he never had to do much to get back in the team after he was dropped in 2005/6 plus he was pre-anointed skipper as you say from almost the day he arrived in the national team. But that's just me being bitter old wombat.

I think he'll do ok as skipper. He has to pick his form up though.

[greyblazer]

I don't think he will be a bad skipper. I do hope he won't panic like Punter and change the field after every-time a batsman hits a boundary

[meninblue]

I dont have a problem with Clarke as captain of the Test team. I think his captaincy skills arent any worse than Ponting's in terms of trying new things, and hopefully he will set fields a little quicker!

I dont want him as ODI captain, but he will be as a matter of course. He has now "resigned" from 20/20 so shouldnt even get a look-in in that format.

What I dont like is that he was "anointed" as next captain almost from his debut. Reflects perfectly the rigid mindset of CA selectors. What happens now.... do we anoint another 21 year old? or are we going to see who is the best for the job at the time.

Some idiot in the press has already started talking up Steve Smith as a future captain. Bloody hell, that NSW media just can't help themselves.

What I have always held against Clarke is that he never had to do much at first class level to get selected and he never had to do much to get back in the team after he was dropped in 2005/6 plus he was pre-anointed skipper as you say from almost the day he arrived in the national team. But that's just me being bitter old wombat.

I think he'll do ok as skipper. He has to pick his form up though.

I am surprised that a player who should have been dropped from T20, ODI and test matches during Ashes 2010 has been given captaincy, just because he was anointed as future captain. Oh wait, Ponting is obviously rubbish. Steve Smith as some idiot in press is far better captain than Ponting. Either Clarke or Smith will win 2 world cups, 2 CT's.