Clarke, Michael (1981-…), was an outstanding Australian cricketer . Clarke was named Australian Test Player of the Year in 2009, 2012, 2013, and 2014. Test matches are a form of international competition and are considered part of the highest level of play in the sport. Clarke was Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2010. Wisden is a cricket reference book published in the United Kingdom that is considered the standard reference work for the sport. Clarke was also named the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year in 2013. Clarke helped lead Australia to victory in the 2007 World Cup. In 2011, he replaced Ricky Ponting as Australian team captain and led Australia to a 5-0 victory over England in the 2013-2014 Ashes series. Clarke also was the captain of the Australian team that defeated New Zealand for the World Cup in 2015. Later that year, Clarke retired from international cricket. For a discussion of cricket positions and terms, see Cricket .
Clarke’s batting style was right-handed, and his bowling style was slow left-arm orthodox. In the field, he became known for his fast and accurate throws. Clarke made his One Day International (ODI) debut in 2003 against England and his Test debut in 2004 against India . He also played for the Ramsbottom Cricket Club in England’s Lancashire League in 2002 and the Pune Warriors in the Indian Premier League in 2012. On Nov. 22, 2012, Clarke scored a double century at the Adelaide Oval, the only Test batsman to achieve four double centuries in a calendar year. A double century is a score of between 200 and 299 runs in a single innings.
Michael John Clarke was born on April 2, 1981, in Liverpool, New South Wales . He made his first-class debut for New South Wales at the age of 18. First-class matches are one of the highest levels of play in the sport and include both test matches and some local matches. His play earned him a scholarship from the Australian Cricket Academy, and he served as captain of Australia’s Under-19 team.
Clarke’s cricket skills and his outgoing personality earned him major commercial endorsements and made him one of Australia’s leading sports celebrities. In 2020, he was made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his distinguished service to cricket as a player and through leadership roles, and for service to the community. The Order of Australia is Australia’s highest award for service to the country or to humanity.
