Clarke sets up Australia's victory

It was a difficult season back in Australia for Michael Clarke as he struggled throughout the Ashes and during the start of the one-day series when he had the captaincy in place of the injured Ricky Ponting. He was booed by supporters more than once, but slowly began to find his touch towards the end of the summer and has looked far more confident at the start of the World Cup.

He wasn't dismissed in Australia's two successful chases and after his 93 against Kenya - which equals his highest World Cup score - he maintains an average in the global event of over 100. Clarke, ticked over with minimal fuss after feeling his way in against the spinners on a surface that offered. He regularly used his feet to chip down the pitch and drove sweetly through the off side on a ground that holds fond memories after his debut Test century in 2004.

After Michael Hussey departed Clarke began to open up during the batting Powerplay and collected four boundaries in quick succession including a six over midwicket. He'd equalled his highest score in World Cup matches when he couldn't quite clear long-on to give the deserving Nehemiah Odhiambo his third wicket.

He isn't a massive hitter of the ball in the style of team-mates such as Shane Watson or Cameron White but relies on touch and placement to gather his runs. Both were in good working order against an honest, but limited, Kenya bowling attack that provided regular deliveries to hit.

There was time for him to reach his first hundred since last October, against India, when he fell to the first ball of the 48th over but that won't have concerned Clarke too much. After nearly two weeks without time in the middle he'll have been delighted at an extended stay in at the crease to begin the fine-tuning ahead of the quarter-finals.