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Full name Stuart Rupert Clark
Born September 28, 1975, Sutherland, Sydney, New South Wales
Current age 32 years 301 days
Major teams Australia, Hampshire, Middlesex, New South Wales
Nickname Sarfraz
Playing role Bowler
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
Height 1.97 m

Batting and fielding averages

Mat

Inns

Runs

Ave

100

Tests

177

11.80

264

67.04

ODIs

16*

16.75

85.89

T20Is

First-class

120

1189

13.51

List A

128

194

26*

8.81

Twenty20

Bowling averages

Mat

Inns

Balls

Runs

Wkts

BBI

BBM

Ave

Econ

Tests

4054

1739

5/32

9/89

21.46

2.57

50.0

ODIs

1588

1345

4/54

29.88

5.08

35.2

T20Is

216

237

4/20

18.23

6.58

16.6

First-class

19346

9318

344

8/58

27.08

2.88

56.2

List A

128

6548

4736

174

6/27

27.21

4.33

37.6

Twenty20

216

237

4/20

18.23

6.58

16.6

Career statistics

Test debut

South Africa v Australia at Cape Town, Mar 16-18, 2006 scorecard

Last Test

West Indies v Australia at Bridgetown, Jun 12-16, 2008 scorecard

Test statistics

ODI debut

Australia v ICC World XI at Melbourne (Dock), Oct 7, 2005 scorecard

Last ODI

Australia v India at Brisbane, Mar 4, 2008 scorecard

ODI statistics

T20I debut

Australia v South Africa at Brisbane, Jan 9, 2006 scorecard

Last T20I

India v Australia at Mumbai (BS), Oct 20, 2007 scorecard

T20I statistics

First-class debut

1997/98

Last First-class

West Indies v Australia at Bridgetown, Jun 12-16, 2008 scorecard

List A debut

1997/98

Last List A

Australia v India at Brisbane, Mar 4, 2008 scorecard

Twenty20 debut

Australia v South Africa at Brisbane, Jan 9, 2006 scorecard

Last Twenty20

India v Australia at Mumbai (BS), Oct 20, 2007 scorecard

Stuart Clark is a tall and lanky opening bowler who has been bracketed by the national selectors as "in the Glenn McGrath mould". It was a description he fitted perfectly in his opening Test series against South Africa - he replaced McGrath, who was caring for his sick wife - and at the age of 30 experienced a dream entry as the Player of the Series with 20 wickets at 15.75. A gamble for the first game at Cape Town, he collected his baggy green and earned his side a victory with 5 for 55 and 4 for 34, the third-best match figures by an Australian debutant behind Bob Massie and Clarrie Grimmett.

His home entry was equally impressive as he helped up-end England with his extra lift, gained from his 197cm height, and regular seam movement. An uncomfortable prospect especially early in a spell, he picked up 26 wickets at 17 in the Ashes to show there was life for Australia's bowling contingent after McGrath. Clark captured at least a victim in all ten innings and missed out only once in his opening nine Tests. Just when England thought they had left their Clark nightmares behind he popped up at Hampshire on a short-term visit and broke Michael Vaughan's hand. While Clark quickly became a fixture in the longer form, he was dropped from the one-day team during the CB Series and was considered too expensive for a World Cup berth. He vowed to improve his control and won a Caribbean reprieve when Brett Lee turned his ankle, playing against Ireland.

A former real-estate agent in Sydney who crams in study for a masters degree in commerce, Clark had to wait until the last four years to strike the right market after a battle with his body as much as his talent. Not to be confused with Michael Clarke, his New South Wales team-mate, or Michael Clark, the former Western Australian left-armer, Clark held a Cricket Australia contract after a 45-wicket season in 2001-02 before losing it a summer later when struck by ankle and rib injuries.

Hernia surgery was next on the list followed quickly by a leg problem, but he collected 40 breakthroughs in 2004-05 to re-impress Trevor Hohns and his selection gang. While on a guest stint at Middlesex, Clark was called up as a squad replacement for the Ashes tour, although he did not get a playing opportunity. He made his ODI debut during the 2005 Super Series and was a sound limited-overs performer in his first summer. A child of English-born parents who met in India, he became a father in 2006 with the birth of a son, and his life after cricket is already mapped out. Once he finishes his current degree Clark wants to study law and plans to work in finance.
Peter English July 2007