Every ball will carry the tantalising possibility of a wicket. Every fieldsman, whenever remotely possible, will be placed in a catching position.
All of Warne's tactical nous, attacking instincts and limitless reserves of energy are bristling inside Clarke. He is Warne without the excess. He is the Test captain Warne never got to be.
"Warnie was a very aggressive captain," Clarke said on the eve of the fifth Ashes Test.
"I don't think I'm that aggressive, but I've learned from him on the field. I've learned a lot from him. He's a friend, first and foremost, but, especially when I was a young player, he's been a mentor.
"I've had a lot of guidance and help from a lot of people and I just hope that, come tomorrow, I can back myself, back my judgment, back my instincts.
Clarke is Warne with a clean skin. He's Warne with Cricket Australia board approval.
Clarke spent the early stages of his career under Warne's wing and he was all ears. Defence has never been part of the brief.
Australia's one-day teams were electrifying under Warne and, like the great leg-spinner, Clarke has a feel for the game and its moods.
Clarke received his baggy green cap from Warne on his Test debut at Bangalore in 2004, but he admitted: "I can't remember a word that Warnie said.
"I apologised to him after the day's play. I said, 'Mate, you'll have to tell me what you said all over again because I was that nervous and that excited'.
Talk about his popularity is a waste of time. His teammates respect his cricketing sense. They respect his credentials. Clarke is fully aware that a whole army of people think he's unworthy of the job. His response? To turn the other cheek.
Does that not already show a strength of leadership? And what does popularity have to do with leadership anyway?
Warne has always thought highly enough of Clarke to share all his cricketing beliefs with him. And if Warne talks him up, only fools will talk him down.
No comments:
Post a Comment