Clarke needs a promotion

If Michael Clarke wants to graduate as a true great of the game he must seek a promotion in the Australian order and aim to finish his career at No. 3. It's the position for the team's best player and if Clarke can replicate his form in this Ashes every couple of series he will soon be wrestling Ricky Ponting for that title.

Whatever the result of this five-game contest, Ponting should be in no hurry to leave the set-up and will enter at first drop until he's had enough, but Clarke's rise has to begin to give the side extra strength early in an innings. During his first year as an international Clarke found himself at four after entering originally at six and was dropped after three matches. Since coming back in 2006 he has spent almost all his time at No. 5 and done extremely well, taking his career average to a formidable 50.58 in 51 Tests. The only asterisk comes with his position.

It is time for the vice-captain to take on more responsibility as he prepares for a seemingly inevitable takeover of the leadership and major batting duties. Ponting is 34 and likely to continue patching his team together until the 2011 World Cup, when he will probably decide whether to wave the bat for the final time. Clarke will be 30 then, the ideal age for a captain as long as he has the support of his men.

Currently he looks like he will be a leader by example rather than a man to provide psychological prods; a regular run-maker instead of a commander convincing his unit of the same way forward. In the form he has been in England there is no doubt over the quality of his stroke-play.

The initial promotion to No. 4 is easy and involves a simple swap with Michael Hussey, who would benefit from the reduction in duties as he tries to regain the consistency of his first three years as a Test player. Clarke needs the extra stress to hone his mind for the future, when he will be required to enter as early as the second delivery of an innings, facing fresh fast bowlers with the first new ball instead of tiring quicks with the one offered after 80 overs.

Clarke has been exceptional throughout this series, holding Australia together at Lord's and Edgbaston and pushing them to the brink of leveling the rubber at Headingley. Today's innings was a crucial display and he deserved a third hundred, but left with 93 after missing an inswinging full toss from Graham Onions. Until then he had splashed runs on the second morning, benefiting from England's awful lines to drive, whip and pull, and showing no signs of the stomach problem which hampered him before the match.

Steve Harmison dropped short early and was cross-batted to mid-on while James Anderson was struck straight with such force that the ball had already passed the bowler when he put his hand out. Clarke's best shot was a flick from outside off stump to Anderson that sped through square leg. It was the sign of a batsman at his peak, someone who could do anything until that full toss arrived. He left with 445 runs in the series at 89.00, the best of the contest, and a convincing argument for promotion.

Ponting's career included an early elevation to No. 3 but it was not until England in 2001, six years into his career, that he made it his position. Clarke can follow a similar journey north when Ponting walks away.

Valuing Clarke in this critical way is like examining a diamond to discover whether it's medium or high grade. He's undoubtedly a special jewel but has to decide whether he wants to become a national treasure.