MICHAEL Clarke claims there is no difference between batting at No.4 and No.5, but the numbers tell a drastically different tale.
Clarke's dismissal for two, to an outswinger from James Anderson, continued his run of failures since being shuffled back up the order in a swap with Mike Hussey.
Clarke was promoted against Pakistan in July, but the runs have dried up since.
In 60 previous Tests including a hanful in which he batted No.4, Clarke made 4375 runs, including 14 centuries, at an average of 51.47. All good, bordering on great.
In the six Tests since he switched with Hussey, Clarke has 185 runs, no centuries and five single-digit scores at an average of 18.5 from 10 innings.
"I'm certainly not as nervous at the start of the innings because I know I won't be batting early unless there's a real disaster," Hussey said at the beginning of the season.
"I'm probably more relaxed at the start of the day. Probably the only difference I've really felt is that you've got more of an opportunity to bat with the tail.
"Apart from that, I don't approach it too much differently. Ricky (Ponting) just told us one day, 'Pup's going to four, you're going to five, that's the way it's going to be'. Whether I'm at four or five, I bat the same way."
Former skipper Steve Waugh's career was built around staying put at No.5. He averaged 57 compared to the 30s as a top order batsman.
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