Clone Clark happy with McGrath co-existence by Cricket Archive Staff Reporter

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Player:

SR Clark, GD McGrath, RT Ponting

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DateLine: 28th November 2006

 

Stuart Clark has often wondered whether he could co-exist with Glenn McGrath in the Australian Test team. He got his answer in the affirmative in Australia's thumping 277-run first Ashes Test victory over England at the Gabba Monday.

 

Often compared in bowling styles and physique with the great Test fast bowler, Clark was the bowler of the match in his debut Test in Australia, returning 7-93 and bettering McGrath's haul of 7-103.

 

The 14 wickets between them debunked concerns Australia's pace attack would have too much of a sameness about it with the two bowling together. "When you get labeled in the Glenn McGrath mould, it's not a bad thing, it's quite flattering sometimes," Clark said after cleaning up the English tail. "It was nice to see that we could co-exist in the same team, and that satisfied my curiosity as well."

 

Clark, 31, took England's last three wickets with the efficiency that has been a trademark of his game since storming into Test cricket with 20 wickets at 15.85 in South Africa this year.

 

Captain Ricky Ponting said it would be tough for the selectors to consider changing the first Test XI.

 

"Stuey (Clark) has been as good as anybody with the ball in this game, so I think we'll be finding it pretty difficult to leave him out of the Adelaide Test," Ponting said.