Chief stabiliser on song yet again

Michael Clarke has become the complete batsman at a time when Australia are desperate for his rebuilding powers. In the past, Clarke gained a reputation for being at his best when the players above him had worn down the attack, but now he does the draining.

A faltering top order has led to Clarke being called early at No. 5 throughout the local summer and he has been the chief stabiliser. Clarke's 138 on the second day at the SCG took his tally for the season to two hundreds and three half-centuries. Each time he has contributed heavily, the side has needed him and he has adjusted his outlook to counter the conditions.

Since the first Test against New Zealand, when he arrived at 3 for 23 and picked up 98, Clarke has been the solid and dependable run-maker, improving Australia's position while collecting 559 runs at 79.85 in the past five matches. Australia were 3 for 109 when Clarke was required on his home ground after lunch on Saturday and he spent six hours and 13 minutes covering up the mess while inflating the total towards 445, the team's highest of the South Africa series.

On the second morning Clarke began with a smart off-driven four from Makhaya Ntini and his work down the ground was his most impressive. Sometimes it felt like the crack of him hitting the ball took longer to reach the boundary than the ball. Clarke, who had chances on 12 and 69 during the first day, was untroubled after resuming on 73 and was so in tune he did not bother to delay the celebration for his hundred until the replay for a possible run-out had been ruled on.

"At the time I was confident, but as I was carrying on like a goose I thought I'd look real bad, but fortunately I just got home," he said. After pushing to mid-on for a quick single, he reached for safety and kept sprinting, waving his bat, kissing his helmet badge and raising his arms in relief at his first home century.

"It's my fifth Test here and I hadn't scored a fifty, so it's very disappointing to have your family and friends come out to watch and you don't perform," he said. "I've let them down too many times, so today I didn't let them down. It was extra special."

For a brief period near the end of his innings he was averaging 50, the traditional mark of a great batsman. Then his dismissal came with a lapse to the part-time offspin of JP Duminy. "I was very disappointed, a rank full toss," he said. "I was a little bit mentally fatigued.

"It's been a tough series, a very good series for me personally to try myself against a very good attack." Clarke's exit reduced his mean to 49.54, but the way he is growing it becomes increasingly unlikely that anything can prevent his rise to the top tier.