Saturday 7 January 2012

Australia celebrates Clarks spin

Captain Michael Clarke was Saturday praised as the force behind Australia's second Test victory over India, in which he scored a triple century and took the crucial wicket of Sachin Tendulkar.

Australia won the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground by an innings and 68 runs on Friday, helped by Clarke's unbeaten first innings total of 329 runs, which allowed the skipper to declare at a massive 659.

Not content with his efforts with the bat, Clarke then gave himself the ball on Friday, claiming Tendulkar with one of his left-arm spin deliveries when the master batsman was on 80.

The ball, which enticed Tendulkar forward to get a thin edge and was caught by Mike Hussey at first slip, one again robbed the "Little Master" of claiming his 100th international century.

"Is there anything he can't do?" read a headline in Sydney's Daily Telegraph above a photograph of a jubilant Clarke celebrating Tendulkar's dismissal.

"Few people have ever upstaged Sachin Tendulkar. No one is likely to do it more completely than Michael Clarke in this 100th SCG Test," wrote Malcolm Conn in the tabloid.

"Is there nothing Clarke can't do as captain? A triple century one day, the prized wicket of Tendulkar the next."

The fall of Tendulkar's wicket was an important turning point in the game, leaving the Indians at 4-271. The tourists managed to get to 400 but were all out with runs still to chase on Australia's first innings total.

"He took only one wicket yesterday, but it may as well have been five, for when Sachin Tendulkar falls, a trapdoor opens beneath the innings," wrote Peter Lalor in The Australian.

Other commentators continued to compare the Australian skipper to the late Don Bradman, with The Australian saying he "went one better than the Don" by leading from the front with the ball as well as the bat.

The fresh-faced, tattooed Clarke has won over new fans with his display of sharp captaincy and superb batting at his homeground of the SCG.

"Clarke can bat, can bowl, can captain," read a headline in the Sydney Morning Herald above a story that continued that the skipper could do no wrong.

"Clarke led Australia in every way," wrote Chloe Saltau. "The 30-year-old commandeered the Sydney Test with bat, ball and positive captaincy, his declaration halfway through day three enabling his team to crush India within four days for the second time in as many matches."

Australia now go into the third Test in Perth 2-0 but the celebrations have been marred by news that rising star quick James Pattinson will be out for the rest of the series due to a foot injury.

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