Cricket World® Player Of The Week - Michael Clarke

Monday 11 April 2011

©REUTERS/Adnan Abidi (INDIA - Tags: SPORT CRICKET) Picture Supplied by Action Images

Australia captain Michael Clarke has been named as the Cricket World® Player Of The Week after he scored a century in leaing his side to a over Bangladesh in Mirpur.

Having taken over the reigns from Ricky Ponting, Clarke led by example and asserted himself on the opening One-Day International with a fine innings of 101 in 111 balls.

He stroked six fours and hit two sixes to help his side reach a winning score of 270 for seven and then his bowlers did their job to restrict Bangladesh to 210 for five in reply to pick up a comfortable win having dominated the match throughout.

Clarke was appointed captain of Australia following Ponting's decision to resign although the Australian selectors decided to buck a recent trend by picking Ponting to tour Bangladesh as a specialist batsman.

Other contenders for the award in a week that saw just the one One-Day International as well as the start of the Indian Premier League 2011, were Clarke's team-mates Ponting and Mitchell Johnson as well as AB de Villiers, Lasith Malinga and Johan Botha.