Some free batting advice for Pup

As he wades through an extended run of indifferent form, Michael Clarke has endured criticism on a variety of fronts in recent times but he surely couldn’t have expected to be offered some free batting advice from a teenage stowaway during a press conference at the indoor cricket nets at Hobart's Bellerive Oval.

Daniel Brew, a 17-year-old from the Geelong suburb of Grovedale, snuck into the event and laid low for the first few minutes before piping up with: "I've noticed something Michael, you're pushing at the ball too much. What are you going to do about that?"

To his credit, Clarke responded in unflappable manner. "I'm pushing at the ball too much? You should be a batting coach," Clarke smiled. "What do you think I should do about it?"

Brew, who has helped out as an assistant coaching with his local team, suggested he should "not reach for it so much". Clarke, still smiling, responded: "Okay I'll try that today in the nets. Thank you."