The Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Committee, together with Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC), Cricket Australia (CA) and the Australian Cricketers’ Association (ACA), has announced former Australian Captain Michael Clarke AO has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.
Clarke becomes the 64th inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame, established by the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1996.
Two further former Australian cricket players will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this season.
Clarke was a precociously talented batter who went on to become a dominant force in Test cricket while rising to the Australian Test, ODI and T20 captaincy.
Clarke played 115 Tests making 8643 runs at 49.1 including 28 centuries and 27 half centuries with a top score of 329*.
In 245 One Day Internationals he made 7981 runs at 44.58 including eight centuries and 58 half centuries with a top score of 130 and was a member of Australia’s 2007 and 2015 ICC World Cup winning teams – as captain in 2015.
Representing Australia, NSW and Hampshire, Clarke played 188 First Class matches making 13,826 runs at 47.02 including 45 centuries and 48 half centuries with a top score of 329*.
From Sydney, Clarke was just 17 when he made his First Class debut for NSW against India at the SCG in December 1999 and his outstanding technique and ability to accumulate big scores would inevitably command the attention of the national selectors.
After making his limited overs debut for Australia against England at Adelaide Oval in January 2003, Clarke was selected for the Australia’s 2004 tour of India. He made a spectacular impact on debut Bengaluru with his first innings score of 151 featuring the sparkling footwork against the Indian spinners that would be a trademark of his career.
Showing unexpected versatility as an occasional off-spinner, Clarke took 6/9 in the fourth Test of the India series in Mumbai which would remain the best figures from a Test bowling career that produced 31 Test wickets at 38.19 with two five wicket hauls.
However, his bowling is best remembered for the spell of 3/5 in 1.5 overs in 2008 against India in the SCG twilight to give Australia a dramatic victory ensuring they retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and taking the team’s winning streak to 16 Tests.
Clarke also scored a century on home Test debut with his 141 against New Zealand at the Gabba in 2004. He also starred in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies as he established himself at the highest levels of the game.
Clarke’s growing seniority was acknowledged when he was appointed Australia’s Test vice-captain upon the retirement of Adam Gilchrist in 2008 and he succeeded Ricky Ponting as captain in 2011. He would captain Australia in 47 Tests (24 wins, 16 losses, 7 draws).
In January 2012 Clarke began an incredibly prolific period when he became just the sixth Australian to score a Test triple century with an unbeaten 329 against India at the SCG in 2011/12. He would then score a double century in the fourth Test of the same series and a two further double centuries against South Africa in the 2012/13 season.
Clarke crowned his successful tenure as captain across three formats by leading Australia to victory in the final of the 2015 ICC World Cup at the MCG, his last one day international.
Peter King, Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Chairman, said: “In selecting Michael as one of the three Australian Cricket Hall of Fame inductees for this season, the selection committee was met with statistics of a player who defined his generation and at his peak was ranked the best Test batter in the world.”
Nick Hockley, Cricket Australia CEO said: “Michael’s elegant stroke play was a feature of Australian teams for over a decade. His application, temperament and leadership were exemplified throughout the many significant innings he played for his country, including leading Australia to World Cup victory on home soil in 2015.
The Australian Cricket Hall of Fame was first proposed by the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1995.
With the support of Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria, the Hall of Fame was officially opened by the then Prime Minister of Australia, the Honourable John Howard MP in 1996.
The selection philosophy for the hall of fame focuses on the players’ status as sporting legends in addition to their outstanding statistical records.
All inductees must have been retired from international cricket for a minimum of five years to be eligible for selection.
An inaugural group of ten players were inducted in 1996, and a further 51 players have been welcomed since:
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
- Inducted 1996 – Fred Spofforth, John Blackham, Victor Trumper, Clarrie Grimmett, Bill
- Ponsford, Sir Donald Bradman, Bill O’Reilly, Keith Miller, Ray Lindwall and Dennis Lillee
- Inducted 2000 – Warwick Armstrong, Neil Harvey and Allan Border
- Inducted 2001 – Bill Woodfull and Arthur Morris
- Inducted 2002 – Stan McCabe and Greg Chappell
- Inducted 2003 – Lindsay Hassett and Ian Chappell
- Inducted 2004 – Hugh Trumble and Alan Davidson
- Inducted 2005 – Clem Hill and Rod Marsh
- Inducted 2006 – Monty Noble and Bob Simpson
- Inducted 2007 – Charles Macartney and Richie Benaud
- Inducted 2008 – George Giffen and Ian Healy
- Inducted 2009 – Steve Waugh
- Inducted 2010 – Bill Lawry and Graham McKenzie
- Inducted 2011 – Mark Taylor and Doug Walters
- Inducted 2012 – Shane Warne
- Inducted 2013 – Charlie Turner and Glenn McGrath
- Inducted 2014 – Mark Waugh and Belinda Clark
- Inducted 2015 – Adam Gilchrist and Jack Ryder
- Inducted 2016 – Jeff Thomson and Wally Grout
- Inducted 2017 – David Boon, Matthew Hayden and Betty Wilson
- Inducted 2018 – Norm O’Neill, Ricky Ponting and Karen Rolton
- Inducted 2019 – Cathryn Fitzpatrick, Dean Jones and Billy Murdoch
- Inducted 2020 – Sharon Tredrea and Craig McDermott
- Inducted 2021 – Johnny Mullagh, Merv Hughes and Lisa Sthalekar
- Inducted 2022 – Justin Langer and Raelee Thompson
- Inducted 2023 – Marg Jennings and Ian Redpath
- Inducted 2024 – Michael Clarke. Two further inductees to be named.
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