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Hurt but not dispirited: Clark

Special Correspondent

— Photo: AP

HOPEFUL: Stuart Clark feels that Australia will bounce back from the disappointment of a loss after 16 consecutive Test victories.

Perth: Stuart Clark, the Australian seam bowler, said the defeat to India in the third Test had hurt the home side, but not dispirited it.

It was the first loss experienced by Clark, Andrew Symonds, Michael Hussey, Phil Jaques and Mitchell Johnson, and the first time Ricky Ponting had been beaten at home as skipper

“Anytime you lose anything, whether it’s game of cricket or a game of tiddlywinks, it’s disappointing," Clark said on Sunday morning.

“This loss hurts as much as any other loss, obviously there would have been a nice record at the end of this but losing’s losing. It’s not a great feeling, and it drives a lot of us.”

Indeed, several in the Australian side have spoken about using the defeat as a spur for the fourth Test at Adelaide from January 24.

Captain Ricky Ponting suggested as much on Saturday evening, and Hussey, in his column in The Sunday Times, wrote: “There is some suggestion this loss will mark the end of the golden era of Australian cricket but I whole-heartedly disagree. We are constantly challenging ourselves to improve as a side.”

Clark, asked about India’s bowlers outperforming the Australians by swinging the ball, said, “It’s something we’ve worked on with (the bowling coach) Troy Cooley. It’s important for some places and one of the things to do to make us better cricketers.”

Clark said the conditions in Adelaide “like Melbourne and Sydney … will suit them (India)”, perhaps forgetting his side had been beaten in ‘Australian’ conditions here.

“Hopefully,” he added, “we can play well and put them back on the back foot.”

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