Clarke Puts New Muscles To Lethal Use

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday November 10, 2007

Chloe Saltau

CLOSE observers of Michael Clarke might notice something different about him this summer, something other than the striking blend of confidence and maturity that characterised his unbeaten 145 at the Gabba yesterday.

He might never boast the rippling physique possessed by some of his hulking teammates - the sight of a bare-chested Andrew Symonds must be a thoroughly intimidating sight for a cricketer of Clarke's slender build - but after a winter of intensive strength training with NSW fitness man Stuart Karppinen, he is no longer a dweeb, either.

This time last year, after an off-season dedicated to tightening his batting technique, Clarke was out of Australia's preferred Test side, and only drafted into it after Shane Watson's first, fateful hamstring twinge. This week, while Watson consults a specialist in Canberra for a course of injections to treat his suspect legs, Clarke's position in an increasingly solid Australian middle order is beyond dispute.

This year, having seized his moments during the Ashes and thrived during the World Cup, Clarke used the unusually long break between Tests to hit the gym in Homebush, and under Karppinen's supervision set about putting on some muscle.

He looks fit and trim, and put the new muscle to good use before lunch yesterday when he cracked a straight, brutal pull shot off the bowling of Farveez Maharoof and again when he danced down the wicket and dispatched a Muttiah Muralitharan doosra over long-off for six. The next ball disappeared over Murali's head for four, and was followed with a smile.

"We threw him in the deep end in terms of the strength work," Karppinen said as Clarke neared his fifth Test ton in 28 matches. "I'm sure there were times when he would have despised me, but he certainly doesn't shy away from hard work.

"We're still trying to convince him that you don't have to be big to be strong.

"You don't have to be the same size as Andrew Symonds. He just has to feel good when he's hitting cricket balls."

Clarke could hardly have hit them better against Sri Lanka at the Gabba, the scene of his first century in Australia three years earlier, when he was an exuberant but impulsive boy wonder.

The 26-year-old Clarke is a more contained and responsible batsman, and took his time to get moving after resuming with Mike Hussey and with Australia in a strong position yesterday morning. Together they built Australia's highest-ever fourth-wicket partnership against Sri Lanka, and Clarke looked especially comfortable to Murali, picking his variations and using his feet to the off spinner superbly.

When he and Symonds cut loose towards a mountainous first innings total after tea, he rocked onto the back foot and pulled Maharoof over the on-side.

Clarke's century came off 188 balls, giving Channel Nine ample time to to point the cameras at his model girlfriend, Lara Bingle, in the Gabba stands.

"I have dropped a bit of fat and gained some muscle," Clarke said just before the series.

"I'm feeling stronger than I ever have. I didn't have to do it but with a big schedule coming up, I thought I'd use this break in the off-season to get myself in the best shape possible."

As comfortable as he now looks in the No.5 position, he will not allow himself to feel that way.

"The second you start feeling comfortable you can be two bad games away from being out of the team," he said.

"I want to make sure that doesn't happen again."

© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald

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