Yesterday I wrote a blog post titled "Bravo Michael Clarke". My Aussie friend Adam Davenport read this post, and sent me his perspective, which couldn't be more different than mine! That is what makes life so interesting. Same situation, the same set of facts, but a diametrically opposite view point!
Adam runs his own IT security firm and is based out of Sydney. He is a typical Aussie - funny, warm, fun loving, and candid. His birthday wish to me last year was like no other - "Happy birthday you old bastard". All in all he is a wonderful bloke. Here's Adam's take.
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Sitting in airport lounge on way to Brisbane.
Read your blog. Interesting perspective but not shared by many in Australia including me. Clarke looks after his mates. The best opening pair for 20 years was Watson and Katich. Katich doesn't get on with Clarke so he has never played test cricket again despite his average in first class cricket of 52 and a test average of 45. Cowan, Clarke's mate, is a no hoper with an average in the 30s. Watson and Clarke don't get on. Watson prefers to open, we need an opener. His best average is as an opener but Clarke insist he plays down the order.
The team travel to the 3rd test together, Clarke goes on a private side trip to see the Taj Mahal!
He's a great batsman, made to look even better as he is surrounded by a poor team but he is the worst captain we have had for 50 years.
Despite this I can't blame him too much for the decision to stand down the 4 players and send Watson home. He didn't make it. It was made by Dovey the manager, a 31 year old former administrator of ASDA the drug admin body whose sporting experience is as a junior at Menai High School! He has no cricket credentials. The decision is appalling. Supported by Pat Howard who has similarly no cricket credentials. Apparently Clarke just went along with what Dovey wanted to do. Dovey used to manage the English rugby team. Apparently wearing the right uniform is pretty important stuff for the rugby boys.
These guys are a joke and should be thrown out. What they need over there is some mentors from the past and some tough team leadership. Deal with dissent internally, sit them down, talk to them. Not evict them without any discussion and in the glare of the world media. This guy Dovey thinks he is Barrack Obama. He loves the spotlight. I saw him giving a press conference like he was discussing invading Afghanistan. They didn't hand in their homework!
Tough team players like Border, Chappelli or Steve Waugh would have dealt with discipline issues internally. The Captain needs to get the team focussed on trying to solve some problems. Like footwork to spinners and how to build an opening partnership. Clarke is more concerned about his media profile and showboating with wifey like Lady Diana at the Taj.
There is a lot more to this story to come out. I think your praise of Clarke is unfounded. He is a great player but a sensitive soul when it comes to his team-mates, if they don't support him or criticize him in any way he gets them canned.
The actions of Howard and Dovey will set Australian cricket back 10 years in this country. I guess Clarke read about what was happening in the paper from his hotel room at the Taj Mahal.
Lets hope some of the great players from he past stand up and do something. There is certainly little support for the way Clarke has behaved down here and Dovey or Howard will do well to make it out of Sydney airport without being lynched.
The English are salivating. An Ashes tour against a leaderless rabble will be easy pickings. Bookies have them at short odds for a clean sweep. A similar result is inevitable in India now.
Just an unemotional early morning viewpoint!
Adam runs his own IT security firm and is based out of Sydney. He is a typical Aussie - funny, warm, fun loving, and candid. His birthday wish to me last year was like no other - "Happy birthday you old bastard". All in all he is a wonderful bloke. Here's Adam's take.
____________________________________________
Sitting in airport lounge on way to Brisbane.
Read your blog. Interesting perspective but not shared by many in Australia including me. Clarke looks after his mates. The best opening pair for 20 years was Watson and Katich. Katich doesn't get on with Clarke so he has never played test cricket again despite his average in first class cricket of 52 and a test average of 45. Cowan, Clarke's mate, is a no hoper with an average in the 30s. Watson and Clarke don't get on. Watson prefers to open, we need an opener. His best average is as an opener but Clarke insist he plays down the order.
The team travel to the 3rd test together, Clarke goes on a private side trip to see the Taj Mahal!
He's a great batsman, made to look even better as he is surrounded by a poor team but he is the worst captain we have had for 50 years.
Despite this I can't blame him too much for the decision to stand down the 4 players and send Watson home. He didn't make it. It was made by Dovey the manager, a 31 year old former administrator of ASDA the drug admin body whose sporting experience is as a junior at Menai High School! He has no cricket credentials. The decision is appalling. Supported by Pat Howard who has similarly no cricket credentials. Apparently Clarke just went along with what Dovey wanted to do. Dovey used to manage the English rugby team. Apparently wearing the right uniform is pretty important stuff for the rugby boys.
These guys are a joke and should be thrown out. What they need over there is some mentors from the past and some tough team leadership. Deal with dissent internally, sit them down, talk to them. Not evict them without any discussion and in the glare of the world media. This guy Dovey thinks he is Barrack Obama. He loves the spotlight. I saw him giving a press conference like he was discussing invading Afghanistan. They didn't hand in their homework!
Tough team players like Border, Chappelli or Steve Waugh would have dealt with discipline issues internally. The Captain needs to get the team focussed on trying to solve some problems. Like footwork to spinners and how to build an opening partnership. Clarke is more concerned about his media profile and showboating with wifey like Lady Diana at the Taj.
There is a lot more to this story to come out. I think your praise of Clarke is unfounded. He is a great player but a sensitive soul when it comes to his team-mates, if they don't support him or criticize him in any way he gets them canned.
The actions of Howard and Dovey will set Australian cricket back 10 years in this country. I guess Clarke read about what was happening in the paper from his hotel room at the Taj Mahal.
Lets hope some of the great players from he past stand up and do something. There is certainly little support for the way Clarke has behaved down here and Dovey or Howard will do well to make it out of Sydney airport without being lynched.
The English are salivating. An Ashes tour against a leaderless rabble will be easy pickings. Bookies have them at short odds for a clean sweep. A similar result is inevitable in India now.
Just an unemotional early morning viewpoint!
