Michael Clarke in runs on return to grade cricket with Western Suburbs but remains cagey on future goals

MICHAEL Clarke is back — though by his own admission still a little ‘rusty’. For how long? Well, the former Test captain wants us to keep guessing

Michael Clarke Returns To Grade Cricket

MICHAEL Clarke is back.

For how long? Well, the former Test captain wants us to keep guessing.

Buoyed by the support of his wife Kyly, three-month old daughter Kelsey Lee, parents Les and Deborah and business partner Anthony Bell, a “rusty” Clarke returned to grade cricket with Western Suburbs at Pratten Park on Saturday, the suburban ground he first began playing at as a 13-year-old.

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It was Clarke’s first match since he retired following Australia’s Ashes defeat last August.

Clarke dominated the crease for more than two hours in his comeback, before falling after lunch lbw to Randwick-Petersham’s Sam Doggett, for 48 runs off 95 balls.

His dig included seven boundaries.

Incredibly, Clarke narrowly avoided a third ball duck when an edge luckily didn’t carry before he was then also almost run-out.

He escaped another dropped catch when on 30.

While almost 500 fans gathered yesterday to watch Clarke bat, his motivation to return to cricket at the age of 34 has also been met with heavy scepticism.

Clarke narrowly avoided being run out on route to scoring 48 off 95 balls..

Clarke first revealed in The Sunday Telegraph that he wouldn’t rule out a return to first-class cricket and wearing the baggy green.

But yesterday, he was coy about his future.

“Who knows? I’ll need a couple of days,’’ Clarke said.

“Let me play today, play tomorrow, see how I pull up Monday, Tuesday and then I’ll see how we go.

“The boys have already told me that the club is playing Northern Districts next week, so they’re into me about that.

“But one game at a time, let me play this game and I’ll assess after that.’’

Pressed further on if he had set goals to achieve out in the middle on Saturday, as well as mapping out longer-term goals, Clarke said his only focus was on playing this weekend.

“I didn’t really have too many goals to be honest, it was more just to come back and play, walk out to the middle and as you would’ve seen there was certainly a bit of rust there,’’ Clarke said.

“My goal here is to come and try and contribute. Fortunately I made a few runs, I always want some more, but I’ll worry about anything past that after this game.’’

In between the lunch and tea breaks, Clarke couldn’t have been more giving with his time, signing scores of autographs for young fans.

“This oval has been extremely special to me, this club has been extremely special to me through my whole career,’’ Clarke said.

“I started here at 13, my father played here, a lot of my friends I played with at Western Suburbs so I’ve definitely got a lot of great memories at this ground and with this club.

“I was nervous. I’ve said before that no matter who I play for, I always get nervous before I bat.

“But it was enjoyable that’s for sure.’’