Clarke appointed Australia skipper

SYDNEY: Michael Clarke, along the Dolphin Ricky Ponting finally on the throne when he was named captain of Australia's 43rd Test on Wednesday, the day after his mentor quit the post.

The 29-year-old will also take charge of part of a day, playing three matches in Bangladesh next month. All round Shane Watson has been named the new vice-captain of the Test and one-day teams.

"I just want to say what an honor it is to be named captain of Australia and a huge surprise to see Ricky to retire," Clarke said a news conference at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Clarke, who turns 30 this weekend, began working with the Australian cricket at its lowest level since the mid 1980s, ranks fifth worldwide in tests and still smarting from the Ashes home a volley and a Output in the quarter-finals at the World Cup.

"The important thing for me is that we get back to basics with the old. It's batting, bowling and commissioning," he said. "I'm not going to reinvent the wheel.

"We want to become the number one ranked team in all its forms and will take some time," he added.

If the polls newspaper and website to be believed, visit Clarke was not well received by many fans, many fault with its transformation from a working class boy from the western suburbs of Sydney a celebrity .