Stuart Clark
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 Australia (Aus) |
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| Batting style | Right-handed batsman (RHB) | |
|---|---|---|
| Bowling type | Right-arm fast-medium (RFM) | |
| Tests | ODIs | |
| Matches | 9 | 24 |
| Runs scored | 116 | 59 |
| Batting average | 14.50 | 19.67 |
| 100s/50s | -/- | -/- |
| Top score | 39 | 16* |
| Balls bowled | 2048 | 1218 |
| Wickets | 47 | 35 |
| Bowling average | 17.80 | 31.83 |
| 5 wickets in innings | 1 | - |
| 10 wickets in match | - | n/a |
| Best bowling | 5/55 | 4/54 |
| Catches/stumpings | 2/- | 7/- |
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As of 6 February 2007 |
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Stuart Rupert Clark (born 28 September 1975, Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian Test cricketer who plays for the New South Wales Blues and Middlesex. He bowls right-arm fast medium deliveries.
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State career (1997—)
Clark made his state debut with the New South Wales Blues in the 1997-98 season. He had a run of injuries in 2003-04, but recovered to play first-class cricket for Middlesex in England in 2005.
Clark recorded his best bowling figures against Western Australian on 11 February 2006 with 8-58, which included a Hat-Trick in a man of the match performance.
He is set to play for Hampshire in the 2007 English cricket season.[1]
International career (2005—)
Surprise inclusion in squad
In the 2005 Ashes series, in a shock decision, he was called into the Australian cricket team squad for the fourth and fifth Tests covering for Glenn McGrath and Brett Lee after they both suffered injuries; however, both McGrath and Lee overcame the injuries early and went on to play. Australian Chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns said: We consider Stuart to be a similar style bowler to Glenn McGrath ... he is already in England and showing some good form, so we have selected him to provide some cover for the current injuries.
ODI debut
In October 2005 Clark was again called into the Australian One-day International ICC Super Series squad against the ICC World XI, covering Shaun Tait but did not play in the first match on October 5. He made his debut later in that series, and also played against New Zealand in the 05/06 Chappell-Hadlee series. He had vindicated the decision of the selectors somewhat with his solid performances in the ODI arena, however many fans expressed disbelief at the fact that Clark was selected ahead of players such as Paul Rofe, Mick Lewis, Jason Gillespie and Andrew Bichel who had been performing to a higher standard at state level. On February 23 2007, Clark was named in the Australian World Cup Squad as a replacement for the injured Brett Lee
Early Test career
Several months after his ODI debut, at 30 years of age, Clark made a dream Test debut at Cape Town on March 16, 2006, taking 5 for 55, including the prized scalp of Herschelle Gibbs (who was in good form, coming off a 175 off 111 balls in the record-breaking 5th ODI at Johannesburg) as well as 3 other specialist batsmen. Clark finished with a historic debut total of 9-89, a total that has not been bettered since Bob Massie took 16-137 against England in 1972. [2] Clark went on to be Australia's leading wicket taker of the series, snaring 20 wickets at just 15.85 runs per wicket.
Clark then was retained for the tour of Bangladesh, but flew home and did not play the 2nd Test due to the birth of his child. His performance in the first Test, where Australia were tested by the lowly Deshis, netted match figures of 1/77 which suggested to some that his bowling was only suited to certain conditions. The performance of Jason Gillespie in the 2nd Test also saw him moved back in the pecking order, and despite putting his hand up he was not selected for the 1st ODI.
Ashes debut
Clark made his Ashes debut in Brisbane on November 23, 2006 in the 2006/07 series. He proved successful on the cracked, sun-baked surface of the Gabba and troubled batsmen once again with his line and length, ending up as Australia's most economic bowler, finishing with figures of 7 for 93.
As at the completion of England's first innings in the fifth (and final) Test at Sydney, he remains Australia's leading wicket taker for the series, having taken 24 wickets for 414. This also gives him the best average (at 17.25 runs per wicket). He is also the most frugal of the Australian bowlers, with batsmen scoring at an average of only 37.8 runs per 100 Clark deliveries.
References
- ^ Aussie Cheese confirms Hants move
- ^ Alex Brown. "Clark pigeon-holed as New McGrath", Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved on March 19, 2006.
External links
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Australia squad - 2007 Cricket World Cup | |
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1 Ponting | 2 Gilchrist | 3 Hayden | 4 Clarke | 5 Hussey | 6 Hodge | 7 Watson | 8 Symonds | 9 Haddin | 10 Hogg | 11 Lee | 12 Johnson | 13 Tait | 14 Bracken | 15 McGrath | 16 Clark | Coach: Buchanan Brett Lee was named in the original squad but withdrew from the tournament |
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| Persondata | |
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| NAME | Clarke, Stuart Rupert |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Cricketer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | September 28, 1975 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Sydney, New South Wales |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
