Former Australia captain Michael Clarke was on Monday (June 8) appointed an officer in the Order of Australia, an honour for achievement or meritorious service.
Clarke joined an esteem list of ex-Aussie skippers like Allan Border and Steve Waugh to get the national recognition, being appointed an Officer (AO) in the general division of the Order of Australia.
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Ricky Ponting, Mark Taylor and Bob Simpson are among other Australian captains to have received an AO.
"To be honest, I thought it was an April fool’s prank in June. Very surprised but in the same breath very honoured," Clarke told Channel 9, in response to receiving the honour for "distinguished service to cricket as a player at the national and international level, through leadership roles, and to the community."
Retiring in 2015, Clarke played 115 Tests, 245 ODIs and 34 T20Is and scored 8643, 7981 and 488 runs in the three formats respectively for Australia. He also led Australia to 50-over World Cup glory and oversaw a successful Ashes campaign at home.
Clarke, meanwhile, also believes cricket will once again thrive in Australia post the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"I believe cricket is a big part of this country’s culture, like all sports but cricket is the most dominant in our country. It is in our blood and even if you don’t sit and watch it, the sound of cricket represents summer," he said.
"We are in great hands when it comes to talent in this country. I love the players coming out and saying that if ‘we have to take a pay cut because of where the games sit, we are happy to do that’ That shows their character."
"I am really confident no matter what happens with COVID, whether we get this World Cup in October or start the summer in November, sport will find a way to survive and find a way to be successful," Clarke added.
The T20 World Cup, scheduled to take place in Australia from October 18 to November 15, is uncertain at this stage. But Australia's home Test series against India, to played for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in December-January, is slightly safer. India's lucrative visit is crucial to Cricket Australia (CA), which has foreseen losses of 300 million A$ in this phase of lockdown.
(Inputs from PTI)
