We’ve been through the pain: Clarke
First Published : 29 Jan 2012, 22:36
Last Modified : 29 Jan 2012, 22:36
Adelaide, Jan 29: Buoyed by the 4-0 win against India, Man-of-the-Series and captain Michael Clarke reiterated that Australia’s goal was regain the No. 1 Test spot, an admittedly tough task. Man-of-the-Match in the fourth Test against India, Peter Siddle joined skipper Clarke in discussing the gruelling journey over the past year in the post-match press conference.
Excerpts:
On the series result
Michael Clarke: Like I said at the start of the Test series, our guys want to win every Test match we play so a lot of hard work has gone into this result. The end result, 4-0, looks convincing but I can guarantee that there were a lot of tough times throughout this series, but I couldn’t be happier. We have played some good and consistent cricket and that is very satisfying.
On the plan going forward
Michael Clarke: We are currently ranked No. 4 in the world [rankings] so there is a lot of hard work to do to get back to where I would like to see this team going. […] We have shown the world that we are on the way up […] There is still a lot of improvement needed in our game individually and as a team but we are getting better every day and that is the most pleasing thing.
On choosing to play the last Test when he could have been rested
Peter Siddle: […] You never want to miss a match for your country no matter what you are playing, whether it a Twenty20, a one-dayer or a Test. You want to be out there and perform and compete for your team. There was no doubt that I wanted to play this last match and go for that 4-0 defeat […]. I was lucky enough to get the rewards but it was a great team effort again.
On the positives from the series
Peter Siddle: […] We’ve still got room for improvement but we are going in the right direction. The good thing about the summer is the many guys that have played, Mitchell Starc, Jimmy Patto [Pattinson] […] We stuck to the same plan: always be patient, bowl in good partnerships and get rewards, and that showed. Whichever line-up we faced on game day, we put our foot forward. At different times each individual got their reward.
On the journey so far
Michael Clarke: There are ups and downs […] I have experienced that a few times in my career. South Africa was a good example of that. I made 150 in the innings in Cape Town and in the second innings I made no runs so it felt like I had got a pair because the team lost. It is a hard game. You are never on top of this game the whole time. This Australian team is a great example over the last six months. […] The key is to try and get that up and down journey as consistent as you possibly can as team and as an individual player. Of all the sports that I have played as a kid, cricket is the hardest game; it keeps bringing you back for days like today, for the success […]. We sit around each other in the dressing room and say all the hard work that we have put in is worth it. We went through the same pain that I guess India is feeling right now 12 months ago. We lost the Ashes and it’s really nice to be on the other side of the fence today.
