We’re not satisfied yet: Clarke
First Published : 16 Jan 2012, 18:28
Last Modified : 16 Jan 2012, 12:58
Perth, Jan 16: Buoyant Australia captain Michael Clarke lauded his team for the consistent hard work they had put in to win the Border-Gavaskar series 3-0 with a Test still remaining. Clarke said that the team, looking to regaining the No. 1 Test ranking, would not rest on their laurels and would go into the Adelaide Test with as much zest that they had displayed so far.
Excerpts from the post-match press conference:
On the Test match getting over in a short period of time
Two-and-a-half-day Test matches help, that's for sure. I honestly believe that's probably saved a few of us, to be honest. The distance the Test matches have gone gives you an extra day, in this case a few days off, so with a good week before we even get to Adelaide, I'd imagine [the fast bowlers] will be very fresh again and looking forward to playing that Test match.
On the long break before the next match
I think the break will be wonderful for us. I think it's important we enjoy this victory again. You need to celebrate your success as a team. You've got to enjoy this time together and we'll do that. But allowing everybody to go back home for a few days and freshen up before we get to Adelaide, which is generally a tougher wicket to bowl on, I think it will do us a world of good.
On the team
Our goal is to be the No.1 team in the world and we aren't there yet. We've got a lot of work still to do and that starts in Adelaide. Our goal hasn't changed from the first Test of the series. It won't change until we achieve what we want as a team. It's very easy when you get a couple of wins to take things for granted and we haven't done that, both individually and as a team. We made a pact [on Day 2] that our bowlers should not have to send our batters back out on that wicket in the second innings. That's very pleasing that we were able to stick to our word today. We continue to show more consistency as a team, which is very pleasing. Our execution of skills in all three facets of the game is getting more consistent. It's a reward for the hard work we've been putting in behind the scenes.
On whether the Adelaide Test was a dead-rubber match
[There's] no such thing as a dead rubber for me. We haven't achieved much at this stage. We should be very proud, don't get me wrong, to have beaten the No. 2-ranked Test team in the world, in this series. We should be very proud of that. But we've got a lot of work to do before we'll be satisfied. You'll see that in Adelaide.
On the series so far
It's been very exciting the whole series. I think the public has loved seeing the game move forward. The WA [Western Australia] fans would have liked a full day's play today and a full day's play tomorrow, so they could come out to watch. We've got a sold-out crowd the last two days and the crowd was pretty good today.
On Shaun Marsh and Brad Haddin
I think they're a big part of our team. Shaun scored a Test hundred against Sri Lanka. He's got a hell of a lot of talent, he's a big player for us. I know he'd like a few more runs but I'm confident he can get those in Adelaide. Brad's the same. He's taken some good catches today. He's probably not making as many runs as he'd like but he's vice-captain and a very experienced player for us.
On spinner Nathan Lyon
I think Nathan Lyon will certainly come back into the team given conditions in Adelaide are generally flatter and spin a lot more than what we've seen here in Perth.
On Shane Watson
I haven't even thought about where Watson will bat in the order when he's back. Until he is fit, we don't have to worry about it.
On choosing not to participate in the IPL
For me personally I haven't felt the timing has been right to go and play IPL. I've had other things going on in my life, and my body's needed a break. But at the right time, it's a tournament I'd like to take part in. It's up to the individual. You look at the guy sitting beside me [David Warner]. He has played IPL and he's still creaming them for Australia in Test match cricket. I think it's about where you are at with your body. The greatest thing about the IPL is it's the individual's choice to go and play. You're not made to play.
