Just over twelve months ago on this blog, I questioned Clarke's ability to mould the team in the way Border did in the eighties and nineties. Well twelve months on, I am willing to admit there is more substance to Clarke than I had given credit for. He has shown himself an astute captian.
The changes he made in the Sydney test last year seemed to me at the time the actions of a man who wanted to show he could stamp himself on the team, rather than actually doing so. It merely confirmed what I had thought just a week or so before. However, since officially taking the reigns, Clarke has shown a creativity that his predecessor did not. In particular, Clarke seems to know how to use a spinner, especially one trying to establish himself. As I noted last year, Ponting struggled with this, which made it difficult for him to rebuild the team, and contributed to the revolving door of spinners we had before Lyon. Clarke has also stepped up with the bat, with a century against each opponent he has faced as the full time captain. In particular, his score against South Africa in trying conditions was
