Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth
Michael Clarke's journey to 100 Tests
Michael Clarke's Test journey began with his selection for the 2004 tour of India. In the first Test in Bangalore, Clarke announced himself to the cricketing world, making 151, and becoming the 17th Australian to score a century on debut.•Getty Images
After scoring a second Test century in his next match against New Zealand, it would take over two years before he tasted success again. The moment came during the second Test of the Ashes down under in Adelaide, when England's Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood had put up a stiff first innings. Clarke answered with 124, helping Australia pull off a remarkable turnaround victory late on the final day as they embarked on a 5-0 Ashes whitewash.•Getty Images
Against South Africa in the first week of 2009, Clarke struck 138 in the final Test of the series, helping Australia gain a consolation win over the hosts•PA Photos
With Ricky Ponting stepping down as Test captain following the 2011 World Cup, Clarke, his deputy, was thrust into the role, with the Sri Lanka tour being his first assignment. On an untrustworthy pitch, his second innings 60 was more critical than it now appears.•Associated Press
Clarke greeted the visiting South African team with consecutive double-tons, hitting an unbeaten 259 in the first Test in Brisbane before scoring 230 in Adelaide. However, the second effort was not enough to prevent Faf du Plessis from salvaging a draw with an inspired rearguard effort on Test debut. The visitors then won the series in Perth.•Getty Images
Clarke's Brisbane effort was followed by a hundred in the first innings in Adelaide, where he paired with Brad Haddin to boost Australia to 570 for 9, a total that was more than the total runs scored by England in the game. His form and aggressive captaincy have helped Australia settle into a happier combination and Clarke will look to continue that trend in the third Test in Perth.•PA Photos
Clarke also demonstrated how handy he could be with the ball during the 4th and final Test when he delivered a career-best 6 for 9 on a square-turner in Mumbai, though Australia lost.•Getty Images
Clarke broke the hearts of Indians both home and away on the final day of the Sydney Test when he managed to take three wickets in the space of five balls to snatch victory with just minutes to the close, extending Australia's winning streak to 16 consecutive Tests. •Getty Images
Having suffered a lean Ashes series in England in 2005, Clarke began to make amends in 2009. Set 522 runs for victory in the fourth innings, Clarke scored a highly fluent 136, getting Australia to 406, but not close enough to secure the win.•Getty Images
In what many consider to be his finest Test performance, Clarke hit 151 off 176 balls, in an innings where the next best score was 44. With wickets tumbling left and right on a spicy Cape Town wicket, the knock was overshadowed by Australia's second innings capitulation for 47.•Getty Images
The first half of 2013 was a torrid one for Clarke as a captain. The side lost 4-0 on their tour to India, a series which will also be remembered for the mid-tour banning of four players. The Ashes in England got off to an equally bad start, as coach Mickey Arthur was sacked weeks before the first Test and Australia lost the first two matches. In the third Test in Manchester, Clarke wrested his way to 187. Australia drew the match and, although they lost the next Test to lose the series, the side gathered confidence over the closing weeks of the tour. •Getty Images
Clarke showed his ability to dig in and make a meaningful score after India had posted 613 in their first innings of the third Test in Delhi during the 2008 India tour. His 112 off 253 balls helped Australia avoid a high-scoring defeat, and showed his ability to hang around when the team required.•AFP
During the first Test of the New Zealand tour in 2010, Clarke proceeded to score his then-highest Test score, producing 168 after earlier flying home to break-off his engagement to Lara Bingle That innings helped set up a ten-wicket win for the tourists.•Getty Images
2012 was a special year for the New South Welshman. He hit a total of five centuries in the calendar year, going on in four occasions to register a double-century or more. Beginning with the traditional New Year Test in Sydney, Clarke scored a mammoth 329*, an innings which was book-ended by Ponting's 134 and Michael Hussey's unbeaten 150. Australia would go on to win the Test by an innings and 68 runs, and the series 4-0. •Getty Images
Clarke's next Test hundred came in the first Test at Brisbane, where he made up for a first-innings failure with a knock that helped Australia set England a target of 561. It was his aggression on the field as captain, however, that galvanised support for the team. His encounter with James Anderson on the last day at the Gabba, where the conversation involved threats to break the odd limb, garnered criticism and praise in equal measure, but also boosted Clarke's image as a tough captain.•Getty Images
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