Michael Clarke's Century for the Ages: Cricket's bravest performance?

Michael Clarke

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Clarke’s efforts are certainly up there with the gutsiest of his career and and his century just adds to the legend that the Australian skipper has been building over a tragic last fortnight. But is it the bravest performance by a cricketer ever?

Clarke may have some competition from himself in this debate ashe played on with a broken shoulder during the third Test against South Africa last March.

Peppered by a run of short-pitched bowling from Morne Morkel, Clarke fractured a bone near his shoulder joint. He still made it to stumps that night on 92 before enduring a hellish, sleepless night as he battled the pain. Despite that, Clarke still made it out to bat the next day as he went on to make 161 and help Australia to a series-clinching victory. 

Clarke’s effort in that Test was applauded by journalist Waleed Aly last Sunday during the ABC’s Offsiders program as his highlight of the year, although he acknowledged Ryan Harris’ effort to bowl Australia to victory in that same Test – a performance where injury probably should have prevented him from bowling at all – was of equal note.

Other famous brave performance are:

Dean Jones
In 1987, Jones jumped at the chance to bat at no.3 in what became the second tied Test in Chennai against India. Battling incredible dehydration in the Chennai heat, Jones batted and batted and batted as he made 210 runs. According to skipper Alan Border: “The longer Deano batted the more dehydrated he got, and then he couldn't keep any fluids down and started throwing up. I batted with him till he was dismissed. It was such a mammoth innings.”

Malcolm Marshall
In 1984, England’s batsmen must have been initially relieved to see explosive West Indies bowler Marshall break his thumb in two places during the first day of the third Test at Headingley as he attempted to field a stroke from Chris Broad. Although, the injury wasn’t to Marshall’s bowling hand, he’d still been advised to withdraw from the game and give the injury 10 days to heal. However, the bowler wasn’t having any of that as he popped up at No.11 to help Larry Gomes complete his century before coming out on the field to bowl, his left arm encased in plaster from hand to elbow. Not only did Marshall not let the side down with his bowling, he took 7-53 from 26 overs, a career-best until he returned to England a few years later to take 7-22.

Rick McCosker
Australian Rick McCosker would have been excused from batting in the second innings during the Centenary Test against England after being bowled by Bob Willis in the first innings with a bouncer that ricocheted off his jaw. But playing on with a broken jaw, McCosker scored a brave 25 over almost 90 minutes at the crease, helping Australia win by 45 wins.

Steve Waugh
Doctors had to do all in their power to stop Steve Waugh returning to the field against Sri Lanka in Candy during 1999 following a collision in the field with bowler Jason Gillespie that left Dizzy with a broken leg. The medicos weren’t so successful two years later when Waugh bravely batted on against England at The Oval in 2001 despite suffering a badly torn hamstring.

Anil Kumble
Indian spinning legend and former skipper Anil Kumble was batting at No.7 when struck in the jaw by West Indian Merv Dillon, breaking the bone. His face bandaged, Kumble emerged from the pavilion as the Indians took the field and sent down 14 overs, dismissing the legendary Brian Lara in the process. "It was one of the bravest things I've seen on the field of play," Viv Richards said later, according to ESPN Cricinfo.

Colin Cowdrey
Englishman Colin Cowdrey also fell victim to a West Indian paceman back in 1963 when Wes Hall fractured the batsman’s arm during a Test at Lord’s in 1963. Despite having his arm encased in plaster, Cowdrey later emerged from the sheds to make an unbeaten 19 in the second innings and help England save the match.

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