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| June 24, 2005 | Friday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1426 |
Australians sick of getting beaten, says Clarke
CHESTER-LE-STREET, June 23: Australia young batsman Michael Clarke has admitted the world champions are “sick of getting beaten” after two defeats in their opening games of the triangular series.
Saturday’s five-wicket defeat against Bangladesh, bottom of the world Test and one-day rankings, was one of the greatest upsets in cricket history and 24 hours later a blistering 91 by Kevin Pietersen saw England win by three wickets in Bristol.
Australia, now third in the table, have a chance to return to winning ways against England in Thursday’s day/night match here at the Riverside and Clarke for one believes its just a matter of time before his side find their form.
“We’ve had a long time out of it since the New Zealand series finished in March, but no excuses. We’re back into the cricket and unfortunately results haven’t gone the way we hoped,” the 24-year-old New South Wales stroke-maker said at the ground on Wednesday when asked to explain Australia’s start to the triangular tournament.
“It’s a big game on Thursday. All the boys are certainly up for it. We’re sick of getting beaten and we are looking forward to getting our first win on the board.
“When we lost to Bangladesh we were shattered and against England the other day, we worked so hard. But as long as we continue doing our work, the results will take care of themselves.
“It’s the first time I’ve lost consecutive games for Australia and that’s probably the same for a lot of the guys in the team.
“It’s another challenge but our team morale is outstanding. There are no split agendas,” said Clarke of an Australia side that will look to finish their tour by winning a ninth successive Ashes Test series against England.
As well as their on-field problems, Australia have also had difficulties away from the cricket pitch.
All-rounder Andrew Symonds was ruled out of last weekend’s games after being handed a two-match suspension by Cricket Australia after staying out late on Friday on the eve of the Bangladesh game.
Meanwhile a report on Wednesday in the Sun, Britain’s biggest selling daily newspaper, quoted the team’s media spokeswoman saying she’d seen a ghost at the reputedly haunted Lumley Castle Hotel, where Australia are staying, and which overlooks the Riverside.
And earlier this month a bag containing Clarke’s favourite bats was stolen from Leicestershire’s Grace Road ground during a warm-up match.
However, he insisted: “That can happen anywhere. That’s the last thing on our mind and I don’t think the guys are too bothered about the ghost stuff.
“I had a couple of special bats in there, the ones I got my Test hundreds with and I’m upset about losing that memento.
“But I’ll get another bat and hopefully I’ll score another Test hundred,” said Clarke who last season made hundreds on his away and home debuts against India and New Zealand respectively.
“Fortunately my helmet and my baggy green (Australia cap) weren’t in there. I keep them in my back pack, thank God,” said Clarke who in his 12 Tests to date has already scored 669 runs at 41.81.
Earlier this year in New Zealand, Clarke managed just 38 runs in three Tests on pitches with far less bounce than the ones he was used to in Australia.
And he also had a tough start to his career with Hampshire last season, and the southern English county’s pace-bowler friendly Rose Bowl pitch, before finishing with 709 runs at a shade over 35 and three hundreds.
“That’s just the way cricket goes,” said Clarke who followed his 54 against Bangladesh with 45 against England last weekend. “The Rose Bowl pitch — I’d never played on anything like that.
“I also found the time away at times very tough. I didn’t have my usual support group around me but I found the time to learn about myself as a person, number one, and as a cricketer.”—AFP
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