'Clarke had a sleepless night'

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http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/61967/clarke-had-a-sleepless-night He could not sleep the night before the fifth day of the Test match. When I messaged him to wish him all the best early morning India time on March 5, which was around 3am in South Africa, pat came the reply- "Thanks. I can't sleep. I just want to win this really bad. I know South Africa will give it their all." Michael Clarke was spot on. South Africa almost stonewalled every effort by the Australians till Ryan Harris finally broke through Dale Steyn's resistance with less than five overs to go in the match. Two balls later, the old war horse who will soon be on the surgery table created history by castling Morne Morkel. Australia under Clarke, had beaten the number one Test team in the world in their backyard. This was only the second time that Graeme Smith, the just retired South African leader, had lost a Test series in 27 bilateral contests. An incredible record, which also points to the enormity of the achievement. The Test match had it all- drama, dour fight, effort, banter that almost crossed the line and most importantly intensity. South Africa, to their credit, was desperate not to lose. Australia, on their part, wanted to win that much more. The result was an epic contest of humungous proportions. The ghost of two years back when Faf Du Plessis and A B De Villiers had stonewalled the Australians was almost back and that only added to the desperation of Clarke and his team. Every bouncer that Vernon Philander and Dale Steyn negotiated added to the occasion as if to suggest we don't care what you throw at us, we will not leave the park vanquished. And then came Harris. His final shot at Test match glory perhaps. None of us know if he will ever play again. Post surgery it will surely be difficult for him to make a comeback. But he ensured that he surely be remembered in the annals of Australian Test cricket history. More than the marauding Mitchell Johnson, it was Ryan Harris who dealt the last blows. He can now lie down on the operation table a satisfied man. Spare a thought for David Warner. Tagged cricket's bad boy after the Joe Root punchgate incident and thrown out of the Australian team, Warner, by his own admission, had two choices left to him - leave cricket as a temperamental maverick or try and get back to leave the game a decade later as a top notch player for Australia. Warner opted for the latter and inspired by new found love, Candace Falzon, got himself into a superb mental space. Needless to say the results are showing. By his admission, "I am hitting the ball better than I have ever hit them in my life. Everything is just hitting the middle of my bat and it seems to me that I can do no wrong at the moment." Clarke too is delighted at this transformation. "See the way David Warner is playing. Clearly he is in a great mental space. His contribution at the top of the order has been invaluable." Finally, it is about Clarke. Losing 0-4 in India, the Australian captain had a lot on his plate before the Ashes series in England in June 2013. Micky Arthur's sacking only added to his plight ahead of the Ashes. The 3-0 defeat that followed was the worst of Clarke's career and a nagging back injury meant it was all going downhill for ICC's Player of the Year. And then came the turnaround. 5-0 against England at home was the balm that Australian cricket needed and all of a sudden Clarke had rediscovered a bowler who could run through opposition line ups in Mitchell Johnson. Ably supported by the rest, Johnson was the primary architect of the Ashes triumph. Even then, however, the scepticism remained. Can Clarke beat South Africa in South Africa? Clearly he can. And without doubt he has raised the bar and will now go down as one of the best Australian captains of all time, one who managed to turn it around for his team. Australia have now climbed back to number 2 in the Test rankings. Clarke has his eyes set on the pole position. Will the Indians learn a thing or two from him and his team? The optimist in me hopes we will. The pragmatist in me has doubts.

[tweaker]

After winning the 3 test and the series,he will have a good sleep

[gaurav92]

After winning the 3 test and the series' date='he will have a good sleep[/quote'] Yup.

[GoldenSun]

Sleep all you want now Clarkey you champ! <3

[GolGappe]

Sleep all you want now Clarkey you champ! <3

Who are they playing next?

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Who are they playing next?

Pakistan in October at UAE

[Utalk]

They might become the first team to beat us in UAE since we adopted it as home in 2009. Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[Jersey #10]

Pakistan will beat them