What Lara couldn't,Clarke could

-This post has been written in reference to the Sydney Test between India and Australia,played on  3Jan2012.

Hats off to Michael Clarke for  a decision ,not many could have taken. Opportunities for cracking a 400 don't present themselves that easily and when joining the 400 club is offered on a platter - it's the rarest of the rare!!

A tired,lackadaisical,spiritless attack,a pitch offering no assistance,with more than 2 days to go and given the current form of the paper-strong Indian batting line-up.....the ingredients were all in place for records to stumble.And then came a sportsman's decision- a selfless declaration,that would have turned many a heads.

While the cricketing world is all praise for the Aussie skipper ,I doubt how many could have replicated Clarke's decision,given a chance to step into his shoes.And even the great West Indian- 'Brian Charles Lara' couldn't!Yes,I'm talking about that quad-century against a hapless England attack,where in-spite of his great laurels with the bat,his team failed to register a win!

But it's not just the selfless declaration and his team going on to win effortlessly that makes the decision so praise-worthy.What does is an interesting analysis-

The Wall-The Unsung Hero

    Image source:Hardcover

    Author: ESPN Cricinfo

    Publisher: The Walt Disney (2012)  

He needs no mention and even a passive cricket follower would know whom I'm talking about.Nicknamed - 'The wall' in cricketing circles around the world, Rahul Dravid has been my all-time favorite and will always be.Ever since,I began to understand the finer nuisances of this beautiful game,this magically alluring player had caught my attention and I must say its because of him that I got hooked to cricket.

Think of him,and many would picturize the scenes of a dead-bat offered to a delivery in line with the stumps,a perfect leave to anything pitched outside,swaying away from a vicious bouncer and the description goes on.Those glued to the entertainment aspect of Cricket,would be finding him dull,insipid and maybe a player that has far outlived the bygone era, an era where Test cricket was a real test of the batsman's character!The Wall,today may seem out of place,particularly with the introduction with the slam-bang  20 overs shortened format but if a keen student of this game is reading this,he/she must be knowing what exactly ,I'm stressing upon!