MATESHIP is seen as one of the quintessential values in Australian society today.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It is written into the country’s history with tales of it being forged by miners in the rugged outback or on the battlefields of Gallipoli and western France.
Over the past week we have seen a very real, heartfelt example of just what mateship is.
Almost from the moment that Phillip Hughes was floored by a bouncer at the SCG last week, his mate Michael Clarke was at his side – arriving at St Vincent’s Hospital early each morning and leaving late at night.
He held his mate’s hand and pleaded for him to get better.
While not with Phillip, he spent time consoling Hughes’ parents, siblings and close friends.
He comforted Sean Abbott, the 22-year-old who bowled the fateful delivery.
He was the rock for all his past and present teammates, who filed through the doors of the hospital, some to give rallying words of encouragement, others to say a final goodbye.
When his mate finally slipped away, it was Clarke that stood up to read the family’s statement to the assembled media.
With tears in his eyes, he battled through each word, just as he did with his eulogy at Wednesday’s funeral service in Hughes’ hometown of Macksville.
It has been one of the longest weeks Cricket Australia has had to endure, and the one constant has been Clarke, the skipper of the baggy green.
Wind the clock back two weeks and many still had their reservations about him, saying he was one of those Generation Y youngsters more concerned with how his hair looked instead of his average.
From his paparazzi-filled fling with Lara Bingle, to his apartment altercation with Simon Katich following an SCG Test Match, Clarke has had his critics.
On the field, there has never been any denying his ability but people still questioned his commitment to the team as a whole.
Since his ascendancy to captain, Clarke has gone from strength to strength.
In his first 17 tests at the helm, he recorded a triple century, three double tons and three hundreds, proving his ability to lead from the front.
Despite his lean spell of runs lately, largely due to injuries, he continues to receive praise for his leadership qualities.
Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar, in his autobiography, rated Clarke as a more polished skipper than his two predecessors – Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting.
Having successfully navigated his way – with significant help from doctors and physios – through 96 consecutive Tests following his debut in 2005, things have been far more problematic over the past 18 months.
One wonders what impact his ongoing back-related issues will have on his career from here on.
You also have to consider what affect the heartache and tragedy of the past week will have on Clarke with respect to the immediate future.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Clarke would love to lead his men onto Adelaide Oval in the series opener against India.
But right now the scars associated with the death of one of his mates still appeared raw and extremely debilitating.
Time will tell if he can recover sufficiently, both emotionally and mentally, to play in what will be the most difficult match that a group of Australian cricketers has faced.
Clarke has shed tears for a man he referred to as his brother and such loss would floor men, especially when you consider the nature of his passing.
However, when he picks himself up and re-enters the fray, he will do so having won over some of his detractors.
One thing is for sure, Clarke has displayed outstanding leadership and reminded us all of the value of mateship over the past week.
And, as a result, we should all tip our cap in his direction.