A pretty big deal for Australia

Dec 18, 2013: Their regeneration has come from unpromising circumstances, and all levels of their leadership have had plenty to do with it

Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth, 5th day

Clarke ensures his legacy as captain

Dec 17, 2013: Australian captains are judged on their Ashes campaigns. Allan Border is remembered for 1989. Steve Waugh never let the Urn go. Ricky Ponting lost three times and now Michael Clarke has ensured his legacy.

Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth

England round up Australian tail

Dec 14, 2013: England rounded up Australia's tail on the second morning of the third Ashes Test on a noticeably quickening WACA Ground pitch

ICC awards 2013

Michael Clarke gets top ICC honours

Dec 13, 2013: Michael Clarke has been named Cricketer of the Year and Test Cricketer of the Year, two of the most prestigious awards annually announced by the ICC

Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth

Smith stands up with hugely significant innings

Dec 13, 2013: Few expected Australia to reach Perth with a chance to claim the Ashes in the third Test. Fewer still would have predicted that the author of a pivotal innings in that match would be Steve Smith

Two captains, one milestone

Dec 13, 2013: Michael Clarke has the better overall average, while Alastair Cook's overseas record is better; both are among the best their countries have produced

Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth

Different worlds collide as Clarke and Cook hit 100

Dec 12, 2013: Two very different men will have the honour of captaining their countries in their 100th Test with the Ashes at stake

Captains contrasting

Dec 12, 2013: Australia's and England's leaders are men cut from different cloth but both likeable, successful, and with mutually uncompromising gifts of patience and bloody-mindedness

Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth

Captaincy renaissance marks Clarke's 100th Test

Dec 12, 2013: Poised on the verge of an Ashes win in a milestone game, Michael Clarke insists that his focus is on the series victory

Australia v England, 3rd Test, Perth

Faulkner fracture puts more focus on Harris

Dec 12, 2013: Australia will wait until Friday morning to make a call on the fitness of Ryan Harris for the third Test at the WACA, but the captain Michael Clarke said he was confident Harris would retain his place in the side

Champs today, chumps tomorrow

Dec 12, 2013: In separating sportsmen into two distinct categories - tough men and cowards - we not only miss the subtlety, we miss the whole truth

Australia v England, 2nd Test, Adelaide, 5th day

Lord's humiliation fired turnaround

Dec 9, 2013: Australia's dramatic turnaround from Test match lightweights to the brink of regaining the Ashes is the flowering of a regeneration that began in the aftermath of shattering defeat in the second match of the previous series at Lord's

Australia v England, 2nd Test, Adelaide, 2nd day

Robo England suffer malfunction

Dec 6, 2013: A team that used to programme calculated destruction of the opposition has been reduced to making flawed, human gambles

Australia v England, 2nd Test, Adelaide, 2nd day

Warne, Haddin fortify Clarke

Dec 6, 2013: Brad Haddin and Shane Warne have both provided reassurance to Michael Clarke during his captaincy and helped him, in different ways, during his hundred in Adelaide

Australia v England, 2nd Test, Adelaide, 2nd day

Clarke, Haddin tons put Australia in command

Dec 6, 2013: It has been a while since an Australian captain has looked as serene during an Ashes Test as Michael Clarke did at the Adelaide Oval. During a period of England domination, uncomprehending exasperation of Ricky Ponting has been followed by the lurking fea

Australia v England, 2nd Test, Adelaide, 1st day

Clarke grins and bears it, again

Dec 5, 2013: As Australia's top-order batsmen squandered their starts, the job of ensuring a score the situation merited was once more left to Michael Clarke

Australia v England, 2nd Test, Adelaide

Clarke misses training, but 'will play' Test

Dec 3, 2013: Michael Clarke did not train at Adelaide Oval on Tuesday due to his stiff and sore ankle but Cricket Australia insists he is not in doubt for the second Test

Australia v England, 2nd Test, Adelaide

Clarke trains well after injury scare

Dec 2, 2013: Michael Clarke sent a scare through the Australia camp on Monday when he appeared to roll his right ankle at training at Adelaide Oval

The Ashes Diary

Captain cautious

Dec 1, 2013: Michael Clarke's Ashes diary is guarded - as is to be expected from a book written at this stage of his career

The Ashes 2013-14

Nathan Lyon finds his voice

Nov 29, 2013: When he cleared his throat to lead "Under the Southern Cross" for the first time last week, Nathan Lyon did so as Australia's undisputed No. 1 spin bowler. The path there has been bumpy