Clarke could be finished?

What people opinions on Kim Hughes comments re Clarke, Hughes, Charlesworth and the slectors

Michael Clarke could be finished - Kim Hughes | The Daily Telegraph

FORMER Test captain Kim Hughes fears Michael Clarke is finished in the baggy green while also turning the blowtorch on Australia's "untouchable" selectors and coaches.

"Unless he changes his footwork he will struggle to score in Test cricket and therefore struggle to hold his spot in the side," Hughes said of vice-captain Clarke, who averaged a miserable 21 this summer against England. "He is batting in a pivotal position at No. 4 and his technique has fallen apart completely. Michael needs to go back and work on it. I am glad he is out of the Twenty20 game."

Hughes was amazed no one - coaches, selectors or administrators - took responsibility for a crushing 3-1 series loss to England.

"They are sounding more like politicians than ever," said 70-Test batsman Hughes who exited Test ranks in 1984.
"Let's be realistic, England are not a great side. They are a good side with a nice mix. If the attitude is 'we have done a good job as selectors', I would hate to see them do a bad job.

"We would be getting beaten by Zimbabwe. There was inconsistency in selections, Doug Bollinger wasn't allowed to play before the first Test then came back and was clearly underdone. "Blind Freddy could have told you that Phil Hughes doesn't have a technique for Test cricket."

Hughes believes Ricky Ponting remains "the best option" as Test skipper in the absence of an obvious successor.

Hughes nominated former cricketer and hockey coach Ric Charlesworth as the man to head an independent review into Australian cricket. "Ric is arguably the best coach in the world," Hughes said.

I hope it is the end of Clarke, but then again, NSW players tend to get a million chances before they are dropped.

Michael whens the world club challenge?

Sad part is I wish Ponting would give up his Captaincy to SOMEONE SUITABLE so he could not stress and get his batting form back.

I too hope it is the end of Clarke. This way Kawaja can bat at 3. Ponting drop to 4 or 5 Hussey 4 or 5 depend how confident he feels.

The media has really stuck it in to him everytime Aussies loose. He doesn't need that kind of pressure. He needs to get his mojo back like Tendulkar has. I thought he was done too, but his return in the lower order has been magical to say the least.

Hey Raj
We play Wigan on the 27/2/11, would love to go but won't be at this stage unless i win a motza on the lotteries...
My 2 cents on Clarke, i have never been a fan of his, thought he got an easy run into the Aussie side & never earnt it and what is more annoying is that he hasn't performed consistentaly, sure even if he stays around fro the next 3 years, he will score a few hundreds, but still doesn't prove anything...
Phil Hughes another one who scored some runs in grade /state cricket in a short period, was then elevated into the test side Why?, when other batsmen in other states have been scoring runs regularly for years and don't get a look in, problem with Hughes is as Kim Hughes said his technique isn't up to it, sure he will score runs againmst crappy teams / bowlers BUT at the end of the day he is not up to it unless he changes..
The Selectors to not even put their hand up that they may have stuffed up is arrogance of the highest order, Hilditch has no clue and its like when he played for Australia if you wanted to get him out all you had to do is bowl a bouncer and he would hook it & get out, never learnt and still hasn't learnt.. G. Chappell might have been one of our best, but his post cricket career in coaching , admin, selector has been very very poor, these two need to go...
Charlesworth is one of Australias best coaches in any sport, up there with Bennett, Sheedy etc, a former Cricketer knows the game, knows man management, would be a great addition to the game...

I dont think Hughes should play for 2-3-4 years. Score heaps and then he will still be like 25, that a 10's years at test level still.

Unfortuantely the cracks are showing now that Ponting, Hayden, Langer and Gilchrist are not carrying the batting. Clarke probably never was quite the golden haired boy he was made out to be. He is good enough to be in the side when in form, but not good enough to be captain as his place shouldnt be a given.

As much as I dont like him (I am English after all) Ponting was one of the greats but he is 37, and is starting to look slow.

Khawaja has a very good technique and will be a quality test player. Hughes has a bit of work to do yet but I think he will be good in time as well.

And Hughes is right, how Australia could come out of this debacle with no selectors, coaches or administrators resigning is pretty odd to me. They dont think they have done anything wrong, which suggests to me that someone has to throw a rock at their glass house to shake them up a bit.

I think Clarke is gone and should go back to the Sheffield Shield... I reckon that he might be back in the national team in the future but for now he needs to prove himself in the Shield......
On the other hand I think we need katich in our team for the Test Series in August
Heres my team for the first test in the series
1.Marsh
2.Katich
3.Ponting(This will be his farewell test and will be replaced by Khawaja for te rest of the series)
4.Watson
5.Hussey
6. Haddin
7. Smith
8. Siddle
9. Johnson
10. Clark but I doubt the selectors would pick him. But I think Clark is the man for the job.
11. Beer

AyiosYiorgos said:

Hughes nominated former cricketer and hockey coach Ric Charlesworth as the man to head an independent review into Australian cricket. "Ric is arguably the best coach in the world," Hughes said.

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Get Wayne Bennett in there

They will persist with clarke, they have groomed him for too long and he's a new south welshmen

A captain should to be able to hold his spot. I don't see an alternative if Ponting goes apart from Clark. Both are going through a run drought and this makes it very hard for the team to perform.

COMPO said:

A captain should to be able to hold his spot. I don't see an alternative if Ponting goes apart from Clark. Both are going through a run drought and this makes it very hard for the team to perform.

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What about Haddin Ron? I think he's more than capable of taking over the captaincy. Personally I want Clarke gone.

kingjack said:

What about Haddin Ron? I think he's more than capable of taking over the captaincy. Personally I want Clarke gone.

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At least Haddin will hold his place. But with holding up the batting as well I think the captaincy and keeping might be too much. Has he ever indicated that he is interested?. I don't recall. I know Gilchrist did it at times but he was vice-captain and that there are other successful keeper/captains around. Who else is there?. Someone might come from left field.

Clarke is a has been, so he's still got something in him.

Drop him to Shield cricket or even County and bring him back when he knows how to score centuries...WHICH WILL BE NEVER!!!