Australia close to “rock bottom” in Test cricket: Clarke

SYDNEY - Michael Clarke has admitted that Australia is close to “rock bottom” in Test cricket, but is against making drastic changes, arguing that the players involved in the 3-1 humiliating Ahses loss can still turn the country’s fortunes around.

Clarke said the post-mortem examination should not result in casualties among the players, himself included.

“I don’t think there’s a crisis in Australian cricket at all. We need a lot of improvement in our game, in all areas. But I do believe we have the talent and potential in that change room to do it. We’ve seen through this series that guys have stood up at different times but we’re way too inconsistent to win a big series,” he said.

“This is probably as close to rock bottom as it gets. As players, we feel disappointment right now, but we do see potential. We think we are better cricketers than what we have shown. We have no excuses,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

Clarke, whose appointment as acting captain for the fifth Test left him with the unenviable task of explaining this debacle at its conclusion, accepted that Australia’s dismal ICC Test standing reflected their predicament.

“I think now we probably are fairly rated at fifth. I think we are a better team than that. I know we have a lot of talent in that change room … The reality is we haven’t performed well enough to be rated any higher than that,” he said.

Clarke admitted that an extended lean run with the bat is cause for concern as he is averaging 21.58 in his past nine Tests and is without a century since his 168 against New Zealand in Wellington last March. (ANI)