Clarke's pressure point

[Guest Hiten.]

COMETH the hour, Michael Clarke had been going missing. Until yesterday. Statistics obtained by The Sun-Herald show Clarke, the middle-order batsman and captain-in-waiting, under fire for his behaviour in the SCG Test and coming to grips with a plummeting Test average, had previously performed at his best when Australia were in cruise mode - but failed when the world champions were under the pump. Clarke was averaging 68 after his first five Tests, but that's dipped to 44. His predecessor at No.4, Damien Martyn, was lambasted for falling short of his potential with a career average of 46. Australia desperately needed someone to mount a rescue mission in the first innings in Perth during the week, but Clarke managed just 23 after his Sydney contributions of one and a duck. It was the 18th time Clarke had entered the fray with Australia having fewer than 120 runs on the board. His highest score in that situation has been 91 against England at Lord's in 2003. Together with his lone hand of a half-century against India at the WACA Ground yesterday, they're the only times he's passed 50 in Australia's hour of need. He's averaging 64.3 when the top order has already laid the platform. By comparison, Clarke's middle-order partner Mike Hussey, another potential Test skipper, averages 94 under the same grim match conditions. Hussey's brother David has averaged 64.93 this summer with Victoria to press for a Test berth, while Clarke's NSW teammate Simon Katich is also breathing down his neck. There's no doubt Clarke is one of the most attractive strokemakers in world cricket, but he had been running the risk of gaining a reputation for firing when the pressure was less than intense. Yesterday was Clarke's chance to prove the critics wrong and he did his damndest with an authoritative half-century. He was being let down by a lack of support at the other end as wickets tumbled at a regular rate. With Australia chasing 413 runs to win, Clarke was the only top-order player to pass 50, and there were moments of supreme shot-making as he tried valiantly to mount a genuine charge for victory. Clarke has been through the mill since his Test debut in 2004. His first knock was magnificent, a thing of beauty: 151 against India. With hawks circling the Chinnaswamy Stadium, a screaming crowd trying to distract him and Anil Kumble bowling a relentless line and length on a deteriorating Bangalore pitch, Clarke held his nerve and overcame everything India could throw at him. http://www.smh.com.au/news/cricket/clarkes-pressure-point/2008/01/19/1200620273104.html