da leao： Michael Clarke has put the onus on himself to turnaround the performances of Australia’s under performing middle order
da jogodeouro： Daniel Brettig at Edgbaston31-Jul-2015Australia’s embattled captain Michael Clarke will consider moving down the order ahead of the fourth Test against England, but has emphatically declared he still believes he is worth his place in the team following another grim display in his side’s humiliating defeat at Edgbaston.Clarke made a tortured 10 and 3 and dropped a straightforward slips catch as England rumbled to an eight-wicket victory, prompting the most pointed questions yet about his future in the XI. While conceding that right now “they’ve got 11 and we’ve only got 10″ players due to his dreadful run of scoring, Clarke was bullish about his own place in the team and that he had the ability to regain touch.”I think it’s always going to be hard to beat any opposition when they’ve got 11 and we’ve only 10,” he said. “At the moment that’s how it feels. With my performances so far I certainly haven’t led from the front like i’d like to do as captain. I’ve always made that very clear, that’s a big part of my role as leader of this team that I’m scoring plenty of runs and leading by example.”It’s always going to be difficult … No.4 is such a critical position. You need to make sure you’re scoring a lot more runs than I have been so far. My self belief is still there and that’s because I continued to work as hard as I have throughout my career. For me to have success, it’s always been about my preparation and working hard. That gives me my best chance. At the end of the day, you can only do your best. While I keep doing the preparation I’m doing, I believe I can have success out in the middle.”One of the issues being created by Clarke’s poor form is that England’s avenue into an inexperienced Australian middle order is becoming wider with each match. The No. 5 batsman Adam Voges started this series in strong shape but has declined at least partly because he is continually being asked to come in after the fall of two quick wickets – the second invariably the captain’s. Clarke will ponder moving down the order depending on the side chosen for Trent Bridge, which may yet feature Shaun Marsh in place of Voges.”I will wait and see what XI the selectors give me,” Clarke said. “It’s never bothered me, statistically it shows that I have performed a lot better at No. 5 than No. 4 but it’s not like I have walked in at 2 for 10 throughout this series, I think our whole top order has done a really good job. The number is irrelevant, it is about what’s best for the team. If the team need me to bat at four if the team needs me to bat at five I will bat at five.”Clarke has been a habitually hard trainer over his 11 years in the Test side, and said he now needed to work out what was his best preparation for the pivotal fourth match of the series, taking into account his lack of runs but also the wages of a long tour that also included a month in the Caribbean before arriving in England. He looked a tired man by the end of the game, fielding at mid-off to protect his fingers after the chance dropped off Ian Bell.”It’s a tough balance,” Clarke said. “A lot of players it helps them to have time away, I think of someone like Ricky Ponting who used to go and play a week of golf then walk on to the field and make a 100 without picking up a bat at training. That’s never really been me and that was the reason I played at Derby.”The selectors asked me if I wanted to have that game off but I wanted to go to make sure I could do my training and have a bat as well. The next few days will be about balance when I am not training, trying to get away from the game and clear my head but training is still a big part. That’s what’s given me the success I have had throughout my career I have stuck to it to date and don’t think I will change now.”As for the result, Clarke said it was undeniable that the team had dropped off after their strong display at Lord’s. “It’s another kick up the backside, there’s no doubt about it,” he said. “We showed at Lord’s how we can play and I made it very clear after that game that it was only one Test. We have to perform like that if we want to win over here. It’s no coincidence it’s been really hard to have success in England.”You need to play like that every Test match if you want to win and we need to turn things around and just keep believing. It was only a few days ago that we played some wonderful cricket. So we know we’ve got it in us , we just have to turn up and be ready in Nottingham.”
