Adorationists,
There was some animated talk mid-week among the wise men and fools scattered along the front bar at The Local about whether MJ Clarke’s effort in Sydney was his best test match hundred.
The Old Sage in the corner lifted his brandy and soda to his lips, nodded, and simply said “probably”.
Then someone piped up with “what about that hundred he scored in the West Indies – you know the one – first game back after he’d been late getting to the tour on account of his missus’ old man had shuffled off the mortal coil and he was suffering a recurrence of Shagger’s Back? Problem with it was - no one saw it – it was in the middle of the night here, and there was no one in the ground – just The Man and His Dog, a few dozen ground staff and a handful of journo’s -- and it took the best part of two days before they got around to printing an account of it in the papers. You remember.”
There were a few furrowed brows, other big scores were considered, and then most agreed that your maiden test match hundred on home soil is by definition, always going to count as your best, no matter how many more you make.
Of course, there was no disagreement that it was a superlative match winning knock.
And there is no doubting it’s the kiddie’s best domestic summer by the length of the street, and he could, at a pinch, rightfully lay claim to the title The New Messiah; he’s been called on to save that many people, that many times.
His 98 in Brisbane certainly saved Australia from ignominious defeat by the SheepShaggers, and they would have gone down much more heavily against the RhinoRooters and probably lost the series three-zip, if it wasn’t for him.
His cover driving and off cutting is getting more and more reminiscent of The Great KD Walters by the day, and some coaches have obviously been to work on his leg side play.
He seems to have, by and large, solved his LBW problem, and is a much better thinker on his feet when it comes to game situation while at the crease.
A quick fiddle on the abacus down in the games room reveals that Pup scored exactly 600 test match runs over the summer which would have almost certainly topped the aggregates, at an average of 75.00, which must have topped the averages too.
His overall average in 40+ test matches is now edging up to very close to 50.
A fine effort for a bloke who was dropped mid-way through that lot, and has batted almost his entire test career at No. 5
The proof of the pudding, of course, will come when he gets to Africa; once the aroma of the braai gets into his nostrils, and the lure of the iced mixed drinks and impossibly beautiful women hanging around in bars gets to him [as it did on his last visit to the Veldt], who knows what will happen.
At least he won’t have the problem of being tasked with breaking up fights that Roy gets himself involved in, not this time around.
That way, he might even have time, if he has room, for another tatt.
