The curious case of Clarke, G

As the Third Test petered out to a draw, thanks in no small measure to Michael Clarke’s effortless brilliance with the bat, then the stage was clear for Giles Clarke, Chairman of the ECB, to set the agenda for the lead up to Headingley’s Fourth Test and divert attention from the tedious story of Flintoff’s knee. Clarke’s considered opinion was that the English fans, specifically the Barmy Army, should stop booing Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, when he walks out to bat. Not for the first time in his tenure as the occupier of the most powerful position in English cricket has Clarke missed the point.

Every couple of years the Ashes series is hailed as the saviour of Test cricket. It is the clash between the old enemies that will determine the very survival of a game that has been played more or less unchanged from its current form for over 130 years. It is true that we are fortunate in England that Test cricket is played to packed houses. There are strong attendances in Australia but little popular support elsewhere unless the Barmy Army are in town. England’s most loyal cricket supporters are a long suffering collective but they are not responsible for the survival of Test cricket; that is unfortunately down to the administrators.

Ticket prices have adopted a Zimbabwean rate of inflation in recent years prohibiting families from attending, flags and instruments are banned but alcohol is fine (as long as you’re only buying it from the official caterers inside the ground). Having suffered the indignity of following a generally miserable cricket team around the world for the last 15 years the last thing that the Barmy Army warrants is to be told to show “respect and courtesy” to one of the legends of the game. This from a man who was only too eager to demonstrate his unique take on respect and courtesy for the game by entering English cricket in to a business relationship with the ludicrously egotistical ‘Sir’ Allen Stanford. Clarke didn’t bat an eyelid when Stanford landed in his helicopter on the Nursery Ground at Lords and he probably only raised an eyebrow when Stanford was subsequently charged in relation to a $9 billion fraud.

Of course it would be more polite, more refined and more English not to boo Ponting to the wicket but Clarke has failed to appreciate the pantomime attached to the moment with Ponting cast as villain. In an Australian team shorn of characters he stands out as the most recognisable foe. Ponting has frequently gone on record saying that he enjoys the company of the Barmy Army and again spoke up on hearing of Clarke’s comments, “I'm told that some people have been upset about the fact that some English fans were booing me, but I thought it was a terrific atmosphere to play in, and I loved every minute.” For the record, the Edgbaston crowd stood and applauded as Ponting passed Allan Border’s record as top Australian run-scorer.

The inconsistency of Clarke’s comments are further magnified when set against the unedifying backdrop of that other great goose chase of these cricketing times; Twenty20. Supposedly this is all about energising the youth of today, attracting new spectators and creating a carnival atmosphere which includes playing music. These are all the ingredients that the ECB and the ICC seem intent on driving away from Test cricket.