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Ashes 2015: Michael Clarke’s lack of runs dangerous for Australia

Clarke has been in miserable form with the bat.

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Michael Clarke remained that unfortunate batsman who did not get going while almost everyone from his side got © Getty Images
Michael Clarke remained that unfortunate batsman who did not get going while almost everyone from his side got © Getty Images

Michael Clarke’s team might be going all right but the skipper himself is going through a poor patch. It is important for him to address the issue before it stings Australia at the wrong time in the ongoing Ashes 2015, opines Devarchit Varma.

So far, so good for Australia. All seems to be going well for the touring Australian side on this tour of England, wherein they bounced back in a remarkable passion at Lord’s to level the series. Indeed, Australia were nowhere close to their best or even being acceptable in the first Test at Cardiff, but a massive win by 405 runs at Lord’s would have demolished all English hopes of having to face a meek Australian side in Ashes 2015. The series is levelled at 1-1 after two Tests, and there will be surely a change in approach from both the teams going ahead in to the remainder of the series.

Talking about concerns both England and Australia have to address, it can be said that the hosts face far more challenges than their tourists. For England, to start with, a poor top-order show in the first two Tests in Ashes 2015 and even in the past have given them nightmares. For Australia, there would have be two major ones: the poor form of Michael Clarke and the fitness of Chris RogersMitchell Johnson will need to prove that Lord’s was no flash in the pan

Rogers is expected to play the third Test at Edgbaston. In case if he is not match-fit, Australia have a ready replacement in form of Shaun Marsh. Marsh is injury-prone as well, but he has been among runs whenever he has got a chance. Australia will be pleased with the current scenario of having in-form cricketers at their disposal. The No.3 Conundrum for England

But the same cannot be said for Clarke, who has been in miserable form with the bat. While there is no question about his leadership skills and the tactical brilliance, Clarke remained that unfortunate batsman who did not get going while almost everyone from his side got. His fidgety footwork and lack of confidence against both pace and spin would have given some worries to Australia; by the look of things, the problem still persists. Alastair Cook’s speech after England were set a 509-run target by Australia at Lord’s

Even in the second tour game against Derbyshire, Clarke failed in the first innings and remained unbeaten on 44 after a dropped catch that would have ended his stay long before. Australia can neither drop nor find a solution, and the only way the problem can be addressed is by Clarke trying to dig in and not give his wicket. This, in turn, might have him scoring at a slower rate — but runs are all the Australian skipper needs and that too very soon. Australia levelling an Ashes series in the second Test after losing the first

It is uncharacteristic from Clarke to not step up with the bat, as more often than not he has been a saviour in that middle-order. He is a player of class, and it should only be a matter of time before Clarke gets among the run-scorers. But till then, Australia’s middle-order will remain frail, and all England needs is to go past the top three in the tourists’ batting line-up. If that happens and Clarke does not step up, Australia may find themselves in trouble. Mitchell Johnson leads Australia’s roar back in Ashes 2015

(Devarchit Varma is a reporter with CricketCountry. He can be followed on Twitter @Devarchit)

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