Company Corporate Trends. Defence National International Industry. International UAE. Saudi Arabia. US Elections World News. Rate Story. Font Size Abc Small. Abc Medium. Abc Large. They were not reliant on a few individuals like most of the other sides, as each member of the team performed their assigned roles almost to perfection.
Their convincing victories in the semifinal against India and the final against New Zealand were enough proof of how they played as a team. And, in the end, the triumph was a fitting farewell for their captain , Michael Clarke. He may be called Pup, but through the years he has proved he is quite pedigreed. How much better can an exit be scripted? Making the right moves on the field, making the highest contribution with the bat, and winning the big trophy.
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With the possible exception of his other close friend Shane Warne, no Australian cricketer has been so maligned for being the man so many people think they know. Fans hold up a banner referring to Michael Clarke's decision to quit the tour of New Zealand.
Unlike Warne, countless presumptions have been made about Clarke's actions off the field, and how that reflects the character he displays on it. Clarke with former flame Lara Bingle. Credit: James Alcock. Former teammate Adam Gilchrist reckons there's a "trend change" in the way his teammates and the Australian public view the kid from the fibro suburbs of Sydney's west who, according to perception, and sections of the media, lost sight of who he really is.
If Channel Nine's stump mic hadn't picked up his broken arm pledge to England's Jimmy Anderson, would they say the same thing? But I think he's genuinely happy with the man he is. Everyone wants to be liked and respected. Michael thinks if you can't be liked, he wants to be respected. Clarke has been working his entire career towards this moment.
How many thought he would get here? And respect him this much? The first time I interviewed Clarke was more than a decade ago at his newly bought McMansion at Breakfast Point in Sydney's inner west. Featuring a widescreen television and a pool table with striking red felt, his bachelor pad on steroids followed his enormous deal with Slazenger.
His career went to script from there. He scored on debut on Indian soil in , with his grandparents in the crowd adding to the fairytale. On that tour, as the fresh, young upstart of the side, he playfully leapt into the arms and onto the shoulders of his older teammates like he was a little labrador.
They called him "Pup". The souring of Clarke's relationship with the public came two years later as he walked the red carpet amid A-list company, sporting tattoos and gelled hair with bikini model Lara Bingle on his arm.
With a Ferrari in the garage, some media commentators were quick to point out he'd sold out on his working-class background. Much of that invective came from News Ltd, and anyone within cricket's inner circle will tell you that his recent deal to become a columnist for the media company was a strategic move to stop the hate.
Clarke has told me on numerous occasions that, yes, he's sensitive to criticism but, yes, he knows it goes with the territory. He's known to read every word about him — a throwaway line among some cricket roundsmen is that he Googles his own name — but sometimes the reportage is plain wrong.
Take the time he controversially abandoned the tour of New Zealand in March to break off his engagement with Bingle, when plumbers were called to the couple's Bondi apartment because "someone had placed something, worth a lot of money, down the toilet".
Of course, sometimes the issues have been real. Revelations that teammate Simon Katich throttled Clarke in the SCG dressing room because the vice-captain wanted to see Bingle after a Test match win in early enhanced the public witch-hunt.
Cut against this backdrop, Clarke has been skewered as a metrosexual lacking focus. It culminated when the crowd at the Gabba shamefully booed him two years ago when he came out for the coin toss.
Those within the team have, for years, talked about Clarke's work ethic at training. He prefers proper net sessions to throwdowns. When Tim Nielsen was coach, he often challenged him on the drills they would do and if it was enough. Clarke is known to do dawn sessions in the sandhills of Cronulla near his home in Sydney's south, and call restaurants in advance to ensure they have healthy meals on the menu. He's seen Clarke get off the accountant's boat at the Royal Motor Yacht Club at Newport and wade through hundreds of kids and people attending weddings and not miss an autograph or photo.
In early January, on his way to his triple century against India, he spotted Bell's mother in the stands as he raced out to bat after the tea break, stopped, went back and planted one on her cheek. Of course he does. He's the last one to whinge about it. He always says to me, 'Mate, it goes with the territory. I get that it comes with it. He has no hate in him. I'm sure he wants a break now and then. Whenever there is heat on him, we have the same discussion — just go and get runs.
Doubts from the public, though, remain despite a calmer life with wife Kyly and his side's recent success. A talkback caller to Sky Sports Radio on Thursday branded him a "poser" who lacked focus.
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